Jun 21 2009
Other Missed Picks
We all know the story of the 1984 draft, when the Blazers missed out on the greatest player of all time in order to pick an injury-prone center. It’s been repeated ad nauseum ever since MJ solidified his position as the greatest of all time. Well, I don’t think it’s fair to short-change the team for just one bad move. Let’s look at some other missed opportunities at draft time.
1985: Scott Howard, Beacon High School - Once thought to be one of the top picks of this draft class, Howard dropped off the board once he revealed that he would not be using his “wolf form” intentionally ever again, reducing the wolf’s frequency to only once a month. This raises the question: is it worthwhile to draft a player that would only be great one day a month? The answer: look at the career of NBA champion Lamar Odom.
1986: Billy Hoyle, Indiana - This unassuming player’s value disappeared at the player combine with Hoyle’s incredibly disappointing vertical leap. Still, with his incredible shooting and strong passing, Hoyle could have been a strong back-up point guard for the emerging Blazers team.
1994: Neon Boudreaux, Western University - Disgraced by scandal, Boudreaux tried to make a jump to the NBA due to be banned by the NCAA. Still, no team was willing to take on a player that may or may not have been involved with gambling, even if he could be one of the most dominant rebounders of his era.
1995: Saleh, Kenya - Saleh made for an intriguing prospect due to his incredible height, and somewhat natural feel for the game, demonstrating a “shake and bake” in inter-tribal games. However, the recent failures of inexperienced big men such as Yinka Dare and Manute Bol proved to be powerful deterrents to drafting this blue chipper.
1996: Bill Murray, Regis University - Former Ghostbuster and star of Groundhog Day, Murray proved himself to be multitalented during a win against the NBA ability-imbued Monstars with the help of Michael Jordan and a few animated characters. He showed great court vision and strong communication skills with his teammates. He could have worked well as a mentor and back up point guard for a playoff team that needed that final push over the top. I mean, his decision making, aside from this picture, was at least better than Rod Strickland’s.
1997: Kenny Tyler, Washington - After losing his older brother to a freak dunking accident, Tyler gained nearly supernatural abilities, as his vertical leap increased to ten feet or more at times. His new-found athletic gifts led the Huskies to the championship and he even won the player of the tournament award. Fans in the Northwest salivated at the chance of having Tyler run the floor instead of Isaiah Rider. Alas, when he failed to reproduce the results he had throughout the season at the combine, rumors of juicing became louder, and Tyler’s promising career was ended before it could start.
1999: Buddy, Fernfield High School - Honestly, this dog could shoot free throws better than Chris Dudley.
As we can see, the Blazers have missed some opportunities throughout their history in regards to unique talents. Hopefully they are much more focused this week.
