All-time underachievers

[Zunni]

Where is Wilt

WTF?

[withcheese]

underachieving players who played for the spurs in the last ten years:

derek anderson
j.r. reid
antonio daniels
jarren jackson

[z0sa]

i agree with sheed being in there... his entire career except for 2004, its almost always been all talk.

[ambchang]

Benoit Benjamin anyone?

[RC's Boss]

It was hardly Hill's fault that a half-dozen surgeries couldn't fix a simple break in his foot to the point where he could comfortably play, let alone play at the previous level.

Hill is a tragedy and shouldn't be lumped in with any underachievers.

To underachieve, one must be able to, but just not care. Hill cared, but was never able. BIG DIFFERENCE!

Chris Webber had surgery and never was the same afterwards either. Same for Penny Hardaway. Think as you will, but w/ out having to go thru arthroscopic surgery, these guys would have put up all star caliber numbers for several years. I had the surgery, trust me, while it heals the problem you are never the same. It was a whole year b4 I could touch a rim again and I'm 6'2! .... They were very good players before then.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

Hughes wasn't an underachiever. The guy couldn't play. To be an underachiever, you have to have talent, but not work hard at developing or utilizing it.

And you mentioned Beno...?

[ShoogarBear]

And you mentioned Beno...?

Yep.

I can't think of any superhuman ability required to bring the ball up court.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

Yep.

I can't think of any superhuman ability required to bring the ball up court.

But was he really overhyped in his dribbling-into-the-frountcourt ability?

[ShoogarBear]

But was he really overhyped in his dribbling-into-the-frountcourt ability?

That's exactly my point. Nobody's expecting anything special in that regard. Just the minimum acceptable standards for an NBA point guard, which he would be able to achieve if he worked at it.

[phyzik]

What about the entire starting linup for the current Houston Suck-its. They are pretty underachieving.

[NBA Junkie]

no kandiman?

He gets my vote.

[NBA Junkie]

Bobby Hurley

[Melmart1]

Does Kandi count? I mean, to me the reason he is not a better player is cus he is a lazy . However, even if he wasn't lazy I don't believe he has good enough skills to qualify as an underachiever. To me an underachiever is more like Marbury who has super skills but can't get it right for whatever reason.

[THE SIXTH MAN]

I cannot believe that no one has mention DARIUS MILES. He is without a doubt the most underachieving player in the NBA today.

Agreed But Id also throw in his boy Q Richardson. Oh and Steve Francis and Stephon Marbury.

[mavs>spurs2]

Agreed But Id also throw in his boy Q Richardson. Oh and Steve Francis and Stephon Marbury.

What do these players have in common? They are all very selfish players who like to jack alot of shots.

[DieMrBond]

Bobby Hurley

Really?

Robert Matthew Hurley (born June 28, 1971 in Jersey City, New Jersey) is a former All-American point guard for Duke University's men's basketball team, 1989-1993. Hurley became the NCAA All-Time Assist Leader, and he also led the Blue Devils to back-to back national championships. Meanwhile, he earned the Final Four MVP honors in 1992.

Hurley was selected by the Sacramento Kings as the 7th pick in the 1993 NBA Draft. While returning home following a game in December of his rookie season, Hurley's pickup truck was slammed into by a drunk driver. Having not worn a seat belt, Hurley was thrown from his truck and suffered life-threatening injuries. He returned to the NBA for the 1994-1995 season, and played four more years beyond that. After retiring, Hurley went on to become a thoroughbred racehorse owner and breeder. He was also hired as a scout by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2003, and he has mentioned aspirations to become a coach.

Does being hit by a drunk driver make you an underachiever? It might make him a bit silly for not wearing a seatbelt, but the dude came back from being practically a cripple to playing in the NBA again. Id say that makes him an overachiever.

My vote goes to one of the draft picks that went number one, and just went no where - Kwame Brown, Michael Olowokandi, Joe Smith, Derrick Coleman, Pervis Ellison, Danny Manning etc etc.

My other vote (jokingly) goes to Andrew Gaze, guy flat out dominated Australian basketball for years @ like 40ppg, and couldnt get much tick in the NBA

[trueD]

Does Kandi count? I mean, to me the reason he is not a better player is cus he is a lazy . However, even if he wasn't lazy I don't believe he has good enough skills to qualify as an underachiever. To me an underachiever is more like Marbury who has super skills but can't get it right for whatever reason.

Maybe what qualified Kandi is he was a #1 draft pick. edit: <<Looks like MrBond got in ahead of me with this info, I should not try and post and watch the news at the same time.

But yeah, I'd put Kandi in the same category with Greg friggin' Ostertag; real big and kinda dumb. I don't know about the Kandiman, but O-Tag is actually a likeable character. He just sucked royally.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Really?
My vote goes to one of the draft picks that went number one, and just went no where - Kwame Brown, Michael Olowokandi, Joe Smith, Derrick Coleman, Pervis Ellison, Danny Manning etc etc.

My other vote (jokingly) goes to Andrew Gaze, guy flat out dominated Australian basketball for years @ like 40ppg, and couldnt get much tick in the NBA

That's a bit harsh on Danny Manning. He was crippled by injuries for most of his NBA career, and when he wasn't he kicked arse and took names (see 92-94 for the Clips):

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/danny_manning/index.html

As for Gaze, I concede that you were joking, but he finally went to the NBA when he was 35 (except for a 7 game stint with the Bullets in 1994), and he was never quick or athletic (smart man's balla all the way), so he was never going to set the NBA on fire. On the flipside, absolutely the nicest guy you will ever meet, and one uva player at any other level you care to name...

"Andrew Gaze has played in a record five Olympic Games, he is the highest point scorer in Olympic history, he has played in four world championships and is the second highest point scorer in world championship history."

http://www.interbasket.net/players/gaze.htm

[polandprzem]

Has KG uchieved something?

Well - he has the MVP

[DieMrBond]

That's a bit harsh on Danny Manning. He was crippled by injuries for most of his NBA career, and when he wasn't he kicked arse and took names (see 92-94 for the Clips):

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/danny_manning/index.html

As for Gaze, I concede that you were joking, but he finally went to the NBA when he was 35 (except for a 7 game stint with the Bullets in 1994), and he was never quick or athletic (smart man's balla all the way), so he was never going to set the NBA on fire. On the flipside, absolutely the nicest guy you will ever meet, and one uva player at any other level you care to name...

"Andrew Gaze has played in a record five Olympic Games, he is the highest point scorer in Olympic history, he has played in four world championships and is the second highest point scorer in world championship history."

http://www.interbasket.net/players/gaze.htm

Good point about Danny Manning, as i was typing that i saw his name and looked twice... i think i had disappointment, not underachiever for Mr Manning. He was an 'if only he didnt get injured' player ala Grant Hill

With Gaze, i have no idea how he dominated the NBL all those years... but i wasnt trying to put him down at all - i like the dude (even tho he kept beating my home team) i just wish he had gotten a better chance when he was younger! He is Basketball Australia.

[SenorSpur]

Benoit Benjamin
Darryl Dawkins

[mathbzh]

I am french so my vote goes to Jerome Moiso.

[orhe]

now that i think about it...

underachiever
i think one underachieves when his play hints of genius but he never does it consistently... and one who does not bring it in big games...

Antoine Walker is not an underachiever he's just a chucker who plays smaller than his height... but the talent is just not there... his balance while moving sucks... his shooting sucks... he does not have great speed... etc etc

IMO in terms of results Wilt underachieved

[orhe]

and stromile swift i don't think the talent is there... sure he's athletic but when he gets hit his balance suffers a lot... that's why he's not as good offensively as he should be... his balance/footwork sucks

[SenorSpur]

and stromile swift i don't think the talent is there... sure he's athletic but when he gets hit his balance suffers a lot... that's why he's not as good offensively as he should be... his balance/footwork sucks

.....as Charles Barkley said about Stromile Swift

"that boy and run and jump like a deer. But, I would never put a deer in the game."