After two impressive years at Duke, the defensive master Mark Williams recently decided to declare himself for the 2022 NBA draft. After showcasing himself as one of the top basket bodyguards in the college game, whilst also being able to throw it down on the offensive end, there’s no doubt that many teams will be looking at adding him to their ranks.
Whilst it seems that the towering 7-foot-1 centre has a bright NBA career ahead of him, and we wish him the best of luck, nothing is guaranteed when it comes to making the transition from college ball to the big league. After all, there have been many players whose talents wowed the world of college basketball, yet when they entered the NBA, they just weren’t able to continue to shine.
Here’s a quick rundown of some of the greatest examples of absolute college ballers who unfortunately failed when they made the giant jump to the NBA.
Anthony Bennett
Anthony Bennett had performed impressively in his single year at UNLV, where the power-forward averaged 16.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1 assists, and was a finalist for the Wooden Award. The Cleveland Cavaliers then decided to choose the 6-foot-9 Canadian as the 1st overall pick in the 2013 draft. They hoped he’d be a replacement for Lebron James, who had previously left for the Miami Heat. Those shoes proved way too big to fill though, and Bennett only lasted a single season before being shipped out.
He managed to float around the league for a few more years, last playing for the Brooklyn Nets in late 2016, though he never made an impression anywhere. Remember as well, that this was the Nets when they were really struggling, which makes it even bleaker. Nowadays though, they’re amongst the favorites to win this year’s NBA Championship, at all the best betting websites available.
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Tyler Hansbrough
Back in 2006, Tyler Hansbrough became the first player in ACC history to earn First-Team All-American honors as a freshman. He then went on to have a dominating three more years at North Carolina, averaging 20.2 points and 8.6 rebounds, and collecting even more awards. The 6-foot-9 Hansbrough was even versatile enough to play at both center and power-forward, which made him an enticing prospect for NBA teams.
He was drafted by the Indiana Pacers as the 13th overall pick in 2009, but suffered a few injuries in his opening season, and then never found his form for the team. They got rid in 2013, and the player that had earned the nickname ‘Psycho T’ in his college days, suddenly just seemed lacklustre and confused. He continued to underwhelm for a few more NBA teams, and then exit stage left in 2017.
Jimmer Fredette
Few college basketball players have ever garnered as much of a buzz about them as Jimmer Fredette did back in 2011. This 6-foot-2 point-guard’s ability to drain three-pointers from way downtown allowed him to lead the nation in points per game, despite being frequently double-teamed by defences. He won every personal award possible, and broke many records, in his last season for the BYU Cougars, even earning him a shoutout by Barack Obama.
This insane level of hype made sure all eyes were on him when he was selected as the 10th overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft by the Milwaukee Bucks. However, it was the Sacramento Kings who decided to trade their valuable assets to capture Fredette, making his new home the Californian city. Kings’ fans went wild at the news, with sales of his No. 7 jersey selling out both online and in stores across Sacramento.
Despite getting off to a decent start on his pre-season debut, dropping 21 points, Fredette never managed to recreate the magic from his college days. It quickly became apparent that he wasn’t defensive-minded enough to start games, and his lack of athleticism only added to this. The Kings ended up buying-out his contract in 2014, and he was unable to make it work at any other NBA team. It’s not all a sad story though, as Fredette went on to boss the Chinese league with the Shanghai Sharks, and found the experience so positive that he advises others about how to get a contract in China.
