Houston Rockets: All-time NBA Draft failure starting at 5

The Houston Rockets have missed the playoffs four years in a row, but are hoping to turn things around quickly. They were an annual contender during the James Harden era, but haven’t found their footing since The Beard requested a trade. The Houston editorial team is partly responsible.

The project is an inexact science. The best players are not always selected at the top. Teams judge players ages 19 to 23 on their combination of current play and potential. Any choice can become a failure, something teams are desperate to avoid.

The Rockets have missed several drafts over the years, but their record is far from the worst in the league. These players aren’t the only ones who didn’t pan out, but they are the worst picks in franchise history at every position.

Drew is best known for his coaching career. His father is a member of the College Basketball Hall of Fame and Bryce has been an NCAA head coach since 2011. He has coached Valparaiso, Vanderbilt and Grand Canyon during that time.

Bryce Drew scored a memorable 3-pointer in the 1998 NCAA tournament to help his alma mater advance. They fell to Rhode Island in the Sweet 16, but that didn’t hurt Drew’s draft pick.

The 6’2 guard was selected 16th overall by the Rockets, but things never really worked out. He averaged 5.1 points, 2.0 assists and 1.3 rebounds in 16.4 minutes per game during his two seasons in Houston. Drew shot less than 39 percent from the field every year and ultimately only played six seasons in the NBA.

Drew has struggled throughout his NBA career. His best year saw him average 6.3 points, 3.9 assists and 1.4 rebounds in 27.2 minutes per game as a starter for the Bulls. He only opened 46 games in his career, including 41 in 2001 with Chicago.

Bryce Drew was a first-round draft pick who played his last NBA game before his 30th birthday. It was a fiasco, but far from the biggest on this list.