By: Jamal Smith Sports Editor
10) Martell Webster (2005-10, 8.5 ppg, 37.2 3 pfg)
Portland had high hopes for high school sensation Martell Webster, drafting him with the No. 6 pick in the 2005 NBA draft. Webster’s stats with the Blazers aren’t terrible, but the shooting guard makes the list because he never lived up to the high expectations that come with being selected at the top of the draft, nor did live up to his potential. To make matters worse, Portland chose Webster over both Chris Paul and Deron Williams.
9) Sebastian Telfair (2004-06, 8.1 ppg, 3.5 ast, 39.4% fg)
The Blazers’ stupidity in not selecting Chris Paul can be blamed on one man: high school phenom point guard, Sebastian Telfair. A year prior to acquiring Webster, the Blazers selected Telfair with the No. 13 pick, with the hopes that he would be a cornerstone piece in rebuilding the team. Unfortunately, that didn’t pan out and the Blazers passed up on Paul thinking Telfair was their point guard of the future.
8) Bonzi Wells (1998-03, 13.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg)
No player epitomizes the bad-boy image of the ‘Jail Blazer’ era more than Bonzi Wells. As co-captain of the team, Wells couldn’t stay out of trouble, on or off the court. Wells publicly cursed out the Blazer’s head coach, flipped off a heckling Blazer fan, and struck and abused an official during a game in 2000. Towards the end of his time with the Blazers, Wells openly said, “Fans don’t matter to us.”
7) LaRue Martin (1972-76, 5.3 ppg, 4.6 rpg)
Who is LaRue Martin? If you have never heard of Martin before, there’s a good reason: the guy was absolutely horrible. Cited by many sports analysts as the worst No. 1 NBA draft pick of all time, Martin was plagued with injuries as well as alcohol and drug abuse during his four-year stint in Portland. To make matters even worse, the Blazer’s selected Martin before Hall of Famers Julius Erving and Bob McAdoo.
6) Darius Miles (2003-06, 13.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg)
When Darius Miles was traded to Portland from the Cleveland Cavaliers, fans raved about his athletic abilities. His potential was through the roof and the Blazers rewarded him with a six-year, $48 million dollar deal. After the contract was inked, it became clear that Miles was a cancer to the team who sought better publicity after the ‘Jail Blazer’ debacle. When Miles retired in 2006 due to medical issues, the Blazers breathed a sigh of relief; however, three years later, Memphis signed him and the Blazers were stuck paying the rest of his outrageous contract.
5) Qyntel Woods (2003-04, 3.6 ppg)
When the Portland police pulled over Qyntel Woods’ Cadillac Escalade for speeding in 2004, they noticed the vehicle was hot boxed with marijuana smoke. Without insurance or a valid driver’s license, Woods famously gave the officers his playing card as proof of identity. Shortly after the incident, Woods was found guilty of dog fighting and subsequently released from the team.
4) Ruben Patterson (2001-05, 9.7 ppg)
The only reason Ruben Patterson isn’t No. 1 on this list is because other players have been more detrimental to the franchise, but Patterson was a real scumbag. In 2001, right before the Blazers signed him to a contract, Patterson pled guilty to the rape of his child’s nanny. Why the Blazers chose to add him to the roster is mind-blowing. Then in 2002, Patterson was arrested for felony assault against his wife, but the charges were dropped and they divorced
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3) Shawn Kemp (2000-02, 6.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg)
When Shawn Kemp signed a lucrative $52 million dollar contract with the Blazers, he was no longer the dominating unstoppable force he was with the now defunct Seattle Supersonics. He showed up overweight to training camp and his stats took a nosedive. Then, near the end of his first season in black and red, Kemp checked himself into rehab for cocaine addiction; Kemp was cut at the end of the following season and the Blazers were stuck paying him $52 million.
2) Greg Oden (2007-10, 9.4 ppg, 7.3 rpg)
When the Trailblazers received the No. 1 pick in the 2007 NBA draft, the final decision came down to two players: Greg Oden and Kevin Durant. The Blazer’s selected the center from Ohio State, and the fan’s hopes that Oden would live up to his potential shattered faster than his knees. Three major knee surgeries and setback after setback caused the Blazers to waive the big man in 2010, while Durant is currently one of the elite players in the league.
1) Sam Bowie (1984-89, 10.5 ppg, 8.1 rpg)
The 1984 draft was loaded with talent. The Blazers had the No. 2 pick and selected Sam Bowie, passing on Michael Jordan. Need I say any more? Bowie played four injury-plagued seasons before being traded to the New Jersey Nets. Meanwhile, Jordan went on to lead the Chicago Bulls to six NBA Championships, and is known by many as the greatest to ever play the game.
Contact the author at jsmith15@wou.edu or on Twitter @journalsportWOU
