NBA Draft 2024: 10 biggest lottery "busts" from the past 10 years

10. Emmanuel Mudiay – Denver Nuggets (2015: Pick 7)

Mudiay had a choice ten years ago and opted to play overseas in China instead of playing college basketball. It’s uncertain what effect that had on his career, though the Dallas resident was originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and chose playing overseas instead of at SMU for Larry Brown. Fortunately for him, that time in Guangdong did not really affect his draft stock.

The Denver Nuggets had pick number seven in 2015 and went with Mudiay, a point guard with potential to fill a need in the backcourt. He actually showed fantastic promise off the bat, earning a spot on the NBA All-Rookie team in 2016. However, his play would diminish and he was traded to the New York Knicks after less than three seasons. His fourth full year would see him average 14.8 points per game, but he was back playing ball overseas just a few years later.

In retrospect, Mudiay wasn’t the worst lottery pick in 2015, but it stings knowing the Nuggets nabbed him when Devon Booker and a few other backcourt pieces were still available. Mudiay currently plays in Puerto Rico and didn’t last in the NBA, which in itself isn’t great for such a high-value pick. In the end, we’ll never know how his decision to forgo college hoops affected his trajectory, but he showed promise as a teenager in the NBA but failed to find longterm footing.