Enough time has passed, it's time that we look at the disappointments of the draft many consider "the deepest draft" in recent memory.
Photo By: Noah Graham (Getty Images North America)
Many people, including myself, say that the 2021 NBA draft is one of the deepest, more well-rounded draft classes in recent memory. But with that being said, there are still some that haven't panned out yet. Maybe they haven't gotten enough run yet, or maybe they accidentally (or purposefully) expose themselves to a team physicist. But nonetheless, I'm here to highlight those who haven't lived up to the hype that I, or others have built for them.
1. Jonathan Kuminga, GSW
Jonathan Kuminga is the perfect example of what I like to call, the Fultz syndrome. He walked into a winning situation on accident, and their development is kind of put to the side. A similar situation has happened to multiple players throughout the Warriors' championship runs. James Wiseman, Eric Paschall, and Damian Jones. As for Kuminga specifically, he hasn't gotten the run to even show what he is capable of.
He was selected 7th for the Warriors, and has only seen over 20+ minutes 32 times in his career. When he plays in the 20-29 minute range, he averages 15 PPG and 5 RPG on 57/37/74 shooting splits. The talent is there for Kuminga. But for whatever reason, Steve Kerr fails to include him as the backup to Draymond Green. It is striking to me.
2. Josh Primo, FA
Yes, there’s been a lot going on with Josh Primo. But I would just like to point out that even with the extracurricular activities that Primo may or may not have engaged in, I would have him on this list anyway. Primo was released in late October by the Spurs, who picked him 12th in the 2021 draft. He was the youngest player to play in the 2021-22 season, and never really showed major signs of stardom that you would expect in a lottery pick.
While getting 19 minutes per game for the 10th seeded Spurs, Primo averaged 5.8 PPG, 2.3 RPG, and 1.6 APG on 37/31/75 shooting splits. He wasn’t all that amazing in college either, with 8.1 PPG and just 19 games started for the Alabama Crimson Tide. The Spurs made a huge mistake drafting Primo as high as they did, and I never understood why.
3. Moses Moody, GSW
Just like his Warriors sophomore counterpart, Moses Moody has never been given an opportunity to shine. Which is really confusing to me, especially since the wing depth outside of the top few guys isn’t that deep. In my humble opinion, no way should Anthony Lamb and Ty Jerome be receiving minutes over Moody. Because when Moody plays, he’s been great.
When playing more than 30 minutes, the 6’6 guard out of Arkansas averaged 19 PPG and 5 RPG on 44/43/90 splits. He also plays great perimeter defense, one of the main reasons why he was drafted. This isn’t about Moody being “a bust”, but it’s about him not getting the opportunity.
Other "Busts": Jalen Johnson (ATL), Jalen Suggs (ORL), James Bouknight (CHA), Kai Jones (CHA)
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