# Top 5 College Busts



## TM (Jun 30, 2003)

Big name recruits that went to their respective schools but never really showed up on the college court. Who are your top 5?


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## kansasalumn (Jun 9, 2002)

one standout for Kansas is Eric Chenowith

MacDonald All-American started so well, and then just fizzle. I think he was more interested in Dave Mathews Band insted of basketball.


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## Geaux Tigers (Apr 26, 2004)

In recent busts Regis Koundjia and Magnum Rolle for LSU. 

Koundjia was supposed to be this super athletic swing man, but he couldnt dribble 3 consecutive times. He transferred and was pretty much never seen again. He did have out of this world hops, but he consistently missed dunks. 

Magnum Rolle was ranked ahead of Tasmin Mitchell by many draft rankings. The kid is softer than a twinkie. He just transferred from LSU and now God only knows...

Scout.com had Michigan State's Paul Davis as the number 4 senior in 2002...above Chris Bosh, Shelden Williams, Sean May, and JJ Reddick.


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## TM (Jun 30, 2003)

I stuck with guys from 2000. Probably a little more familar to most people. I'd be interested to hear more about some of the older busts though too.

1. *Jason Parker*, Kentucky, _Class of 2000_ - Committed to UNC. He had some questionable test scores and ended up at Kentucky. He was a All-freshem SEC player (8.6ppg, 4.6rpg). Prior to the 2001-2002 season, Parker tore his ACL. He ticked off Tubby when he slacked off with his rehabilitation. Eventually, he was dismissed from the team for "violating athletic department policy."
2. *Keith Brumbaugh*, Oklahoma State, _Class of 2005_ - Brumbaugh was Florida's Mr. Basketball. After deciding to enter the draft, then later pulling his name out, Brumbaugh decided to enroll at OSU. During his freshman year, Brumbaugh was caught for shoplifting ($42.03 worth of goods, to be exact.). Poor academic scores resulted in Brumbaugh never even playing a game for the Cowboys. Since leaving Stillwater, Brumbaugh has been arrested twice.
3. *Shavlick Randolph*, Duke, _Class of 2002_ - Don't think I really need to remind you all about Mr. Randolph. Lucky for him, he's salvaged his career, sort of. At least he's getting paid to play basketball in the NBA.
4. *Neil Fingleton*, UNC, _Class of 2000_ - No one really knew much about Fingleton. He was a McDonald's All-American, but that's about all we knew. Some people were hoping for another Serge Zwikker. He had back surgery in 2000 which forced him to redshirt his freshman year. Fingleton transferred after that year to Holy Cross. He played in the NBDL for a while, and he's playing for the ABA's Las Vegas team.
5. *Elijah Ingram*, St. Johns, _Class of 2002_ - Ingram was a McDonald's All-American too. He actually wasn't that bad his freshman and sophomore season. That fiasco at St. John's resulted in Ingram transferring to New Mexico State. His senior season, he helped lead New Mexico St. to the tournament title and was placed on the All-WAC Tournament team. I included him because he was supposed to be one of the cornerstones to brining St. John's back to national prominence.


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## crazyfan (Dec 9, 2005)

Chris Burgess. Duke Class of 97. Same Class as Brand and Battier

Considered good enough to enter the draft out of high school in 97 when it was rare, 
he seriously flopped at Duke.

Michael Thompson. Duke Class of 02. McD All American. Never heard of him again


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## HKF (Dec 10, 2002)

1. Shavlik Randolph, Duke (2002) - at one point he was rated higher than Carmelo and Amare. LOL
2. Jerod Ward, Michigan (1994) - In '94 he was the #2 ranked player behind Felipe Lopez. I thought he was the next superstar wing man on the college and pro level. Dude didn't even become that good. A waste. 
3. Lester Earl, LSU/Kansas (1996) - At one time said to be as good as Kobe and Jermaine O'Neal. Laughable.
4. Taliek Brown, UConn (2000) - Yes he was on a National Championship team but he regressed every year in college. They won in spite of him.
5. Anthony Perry, Georgetown (1998) - Came out of St. Anthony and was a big time scorer and proceeded to be a mediocre player for three years (ineligible the first year).


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## Priest (Jun 24, 2003)

wait wait HKF one time earl was as good as oneal, he just had those knee injuries. But that class had some bad ones. Willie Dersch, supposed to be the next chris mullen, vassil evtimov(unc), charles hathaway (tennesee), Gerald Brown (Texas A & M)

I remember Chris Burgess in hihgh school the guy could shoot threes and was a problem for many. He got to college and wasnt the same player.

What about Danny Miller (maryland/notre dame, neil fingelton, scott hazelton, Winfred Walton, jerome harper,garner meades, maurice young


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## Priest (Jun 24, 2003)

Micheal Thompson transferred to northwestern and elijah ingram transferred to new mexico state and had a very good year i wouldnt calll them bust


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## TM (Jun 30, 2003)

Priest said:


> Micheal Thompson transferred to northwestern and elijah ingram transferred to new mexico state and had a very good year i wouldnt calll them bust


Yes, I included all that about Ingram. But for all the hype he got, then the extremely poor decisions he made off the court? That's my reasoning for including him.

As for Thompson, I believe he was another one of those guys that bolted up the rankings because of the school he was attending. If he was supposed to be so good, why wasn't he a star at Northwestern? They definitely didn't have other guys who were taking the limelight away from him. I know he was solid, but I don't believe he was ever even on any All-Big 10 Team.

HKF, that was Randolph's junior year (and sophomore year) when he was rated #1 in that class. That was also prior to him breaking his foot - just another one of several injuries that screwed up his career. Besides, a lot of foolishness is involved in those rankings prior to kid's senior seasons - You know that.


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## Priest (Jun 24, 2003)

yeah i never believed that thompson was a "star" he just received a offer from duke early and took it. je was a solid player though


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## T.Shock (Feb 11, 2003)

People have mentioned Felipe Lopez, but not as a bust himself. Hell, Lawrence Moten was better than Felipe Lopez.


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## TM (Jun 30, 2003)

I'll throw this one out there, even though he never went to college... Lenny Cooke


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## crazyfan (Dec 9, 2005)

anyone would consider Brandon Cotton to be a bust?

2003 McD All American, went to Michigan State, did nothing his freshman year, not heard of him since.

Kelvin Tolbert is another notable Spartan bust


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## zagsfan20 (Dec 24, 2004)

Schea Cotton?


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## TM (Jun 30, 2003)

crazyfan said:


> anyone would consider Brandon Cotton to be a bust?
> 
> 2003 McD All American, went to Michigan State, did nothing his freshman year, not heard of him since.


Apparently, he transferred to Detroit. According to ESPN.com, he averaged 18,2,2 last year on a team that finished second to last in the Horizon League. Probably not the ending to a career he had imagined.


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## Scuall (Jul 25, 2002)

zagsfan20 said:


> Schea Cotton?


Beat me to it. He was lauded as the next big thing as a high school sophomore. Unfortunately he hit his peak there.


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## Rids (Dec 5, 2006)

He was California Player of the Year in 1995 though. From UCLA to Long Beach City College to Alabama to the NBA Draft (undrafted). But he was a Harlem Globetrotter!


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## JuniorNoboa (Jan 27, 2003)

Winfrid Walton - PF - Syracuse (top 5 recruit, never even made it to SU) SU I think had three other top 50 recruit the best of which Ramel Lloyd was a "rotund" underachiever, and Jason Hart and Etan Thomas(who were both solid.

Walton like a lot of the questionable characters from the mid 90's ended up at Fresno St... I think he played a bit, but I doubt he lasted 4 years.


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## JuniorNoboa (Jan 27, 2003)

T.Shock said:


> People have mentioned Felipe Lopez, but not as a bust himself. Hell, Lawrence Moten was better than Felipe Lopez.


Is Lopez really a bust though. I know the expectations were exceedingly high and he did not come close to them, but at the same time he did develop into all conference, was productive from the beginning of his career on a crappy team, a first round pick, and an NBa role player for about 5-7 years. There are many players who never became anything at the NCAA level who were top 10 recruits, who are much more deserving of this label.

Lawrence Moten was one of the top 50 college basketball players in the 90's. I don't see how he is relevant here.


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## T.Shock (Feb 11, 2003)

JuniorNoboa said:


> Is Lopez really a bust though. I know the expectations were exceedingly high and he did not come close to them, but at the same time he did develop into all conference, was productive from the beginning of his career on a crappy team, a first round pick, and an NBa role player for about 5-7 years. There are many players who never became anything at the NCAA level who were top 10 recruits, who are much more deserving of this label.
> 
> Lawrence Moten was one of the top 50 college basketball players in the 90's. I don't see how he is relevant here.


It wasn't. I've just always been a Lawrence Moten fan. Don't ask me why because I don't know. The socks maybe.


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## rebelsun (Nov 25, 2003)

Any top 50 recruit that played at Michigan in the last 10 years.

Also, here's a name I haven't thought of in a while, Jonathan Hargett.


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## Scuall (Jul 25, 2002)

JuniorNoboa said:


> Is Lopez really a bust though. I know the expectations were exceedingly high and he did not come close to them, but at the same time he did develop into all conference, was productive from the beginning of his career on a crappy team, a first round pick, and an NBa role player for about 5-7 years. There are many players who never became anything at the NCAA level who were top 10 recruits, who are much more deserving of this label.


Good point. Unfortunately, SI did him no favors by splashing him on the cover of the College B-Ball preview prior to his frosh season.










I remember him vividly in the McDonald's All American game, he was by far the best player on the floor. I wouldn't say he was a bust, but falls more along the line of a Ron Powlus. Good player, but as you stated, the expectations were way too high for him.


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## crazyfan (Dec 9, 2005)

Felipe Lopez was at least a 1st round pick.

What about Torin Francis and Jason Fraser?? Injuries destroyed them but would they be labelled as busts?


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## CrackerJack (Jul 2, 2005)

Shagari Alleyne is still in college but has wasted what could have been a decent career. He received a scholarship to UK thanks to his height (7'3"), but turned out to be both unmotivated physically and academically. Couldnt pass classes, when he dunked he looked somewhat retarded and the cheers he received in pre-match line-ups it was mainly cos the circus (his game) had entered the building. With a career average of 2ppg and 1.3rpg. In his final year at UK he was the tallest man in the conference for a UK team which couldnt buy a rebound he played over 10min 3 times and clocked 13 DNP's. Then he transderred to Manhatten and sat out the 2007 season. Still has a chance to prove people wrong, but i doubt it.


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## bball2223 (Jul 21, 2006)

crazyfan said:


> Felipe Lopez was at least a 1st round pick.
> 
> What about Torin Francis and Jason Fraser?? Injuries destroyed them but would they be labelled as busts?




If Jason Fraser stayed heathy his entire college career and the other kid in their class (6'7" kid) did too Villanova would have won last years national title with ease. Fraser dominated Amare Stoudemire when they went head to head in HS ans was ranked ahead of Amare. What could have been.


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## Nimreitz (May 13, 2003)

Not that anyone thought he could ever play, but that Boateng kid who transferred out of Duke was a McD's All American.


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## TM (Jun 30, 2003)

because he signed with duke, not because he was an all-american talent. he still has 2 years left too. sendek will turn him into a solid player.


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## Blue (Jun 21, 2007)

Christian Drejer

Brett Nelson


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## rainman (Jul 15, 2002)

Antoinne Joubert
Chris Burgess (gotta have a Dookie for TM):biggrin: 
Chris Herren
Marcus Taylor
Donnell Harvey


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## TM (Jun 30, 2003)

rainman said:


> Chris Burgess (gotta have a Dookie for TM):biggrin:


too bad he's Utah's bust  he has only his dad and himself to blame.


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## Cagee7 (Apr 23, 2006)

I think Jaron Rush was a bust imo. He had so much potential he dominated here in kc in hs.


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## BlueBaron (May 11, 2003)

CrackerJack said:


> Shagari Alleyne is still in college but has wasted what could have been a decent career. He received a scholarship to UK thanks to his height (7'3"), but turned out to be both unmotivated physically and academically. Couldnt pass classes, when he dunked he looked somewhat retarded and the cheers he received in pre-match line-ups it was mainly cos the circus (his game) had entered the building. With a career average of 2ppg and 1.3rpg. In his final year at UK he was the tallest man in the conference for a UK team which couldnt buy a rebound he played over 10min 3 times and clocked 13 DNP's. Then he transderred to Manhatten and sat out the 2007 season. Still has a chance to prove people wrong, but i doubt it.


I have one word as the reason he didn't develop... Tubby. Hopefully he'll be able to have a decent Senior year at Manhattan.


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## bball2223 (Jul 21, 2006)

BlueBaron said:


> I have one word as the reason he didn't develop... Tubby. Hopefully he'll be able to have a decent Senior year at Manhattan.



It's not Tubby's fault he was unmotivated. Billy Clyde wouldn't have done **** with him either.


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