NBA Draft 2017: The worst No. 14 picks over the past 20 years
By Simon Smith
4. Anthony Randolph, 2008
After just one season at LSU, Randolph was taken by the Golden State Warriors under the guidance of offensive guru, Don Nelson. And for the first season and a half, things were looking promising. Randolph’s rookie season saw him post 7.9 points and 5.8 rebounds, splitting time between the power forward and center spots.
His second season saw these number’s rise to 11.6 points and 6.5 rebounds through 33 games before injuries sidelined him for the remainder of the season. At the end of the season, Randolph was dealt to the Knicks in a trade involving All-Star David Lee. From there, Randolph’s play suffered significantly and as a result, played on three teams over the ensuing four seasons.
Sprinkled among the disappointment, however, was an incredible stretch during the 2010-11 season as a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Over the final five games of the season, Randolph averaged 19.8 points and 6.6 rebounds in 29.2 minutes per game. As impressive as these numbers are, the final stages of the season can be fool’s gold as teams are either winding things up, or preserving their players for the upcoming postseason.
The Anthony Randolph experience overall can be summed up by his performances in back-to-back games of the 2010-11 season. On March 25, Randolph produced 24 points and 15 rebounds. On March 27, he produced three points and four boards. This baffling inconsistency, and basic lack of drive, are the main reasons Randolph has now been out of the league since 2013-14, when he played 43 games for the Denver Nuggets.
Some of the players Randolph was taken ahead of in his draft class included DeAndre Jordan, Nicolas Batum, Serge Ibaka and Ryan Anderson.
Still just 27, Randolph played this past season for Real Madrid.