Biggest Waste of Talent Poll:

[Silent A]

Were's Doug Wickenheiser, Alexandre Daigle, etc? i could probably think of better hockey ones given time, but my point is made.

If we're limited to obscure regional sports, how about Josh Gibson et al.?

based on this list, I've never even heard of Len Bias or Ryan Leaf, so it must be one of them.

[Cornell Fiji]

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Mike Tyson has been knocked out countless times by a guy named little Mac.

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This is one of the best one liners I have ever read on 2p2

[tarheeljks]

i agree about some of the names on this list being stupid.
being very good for a while and then losing your career to injury is not a waste of talent. this list should be for players who have the tools to be elite, but seem to just be "pretty good"

[brettbrettr]

How is Derrick Coleman not on this list?

[applejuicekid]

Why is Len Bias getting so many votes?

I never saw him play, but I can't imagine that he was so incredibly good you can say he's the biggest waste of talent without ever playing in the nba. Like if Carmelo died before he got to play, I doubt he would win this poll. It's just that the story of Bias has been romanticized over the years that people thought he was going to be the next Jordan or something. Someone like Richard Dumas would be a better pick.

[tarheeljks]

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Why is Len Bias getting so many votes?

I never saw him play, but I can't imagine that he was so incredibly good you can say he's the biggest waste of talent without ever playing in the nba. Like if Carmelo died before he got to play, I doubt he would win this poll. It's just that the story of Bias has been romanticized over the years that people thought he was going to be the next Jordan or something. Someone like Richard Dumas would be a better pick.

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bias was an amazing talent; i think he's one of the few legit names on this list.

[slothinator]

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Why is Len Bias getting so many votes?

I never saw him play, but I can't imagine that he was so incredibly good you can say he's the biggest waste of talent without ever playing in the nba. Like if Carmelo died before he got to play, I doubt he would win this poll. It's just that the story of Bias has been romanticized over the years that people thought he was going to be the next Jordan or something. Someone like Richard Dumas would be a better pick.

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First of all, he was incredibly talented. He was tall, strong, and quick. His game was pretty polished as well on the fundamental side. If I had to pick a modern day comparison, Dwight Howard comes to mind. Maybe Chris Bosh.

As to why his death is considered such a waste of talent, think about the situation. He was easily the best player in the draft (LOL-Cleveland taking Brad Daugherty because they "needed" a center more than the best available player; hello, Sam Bowie before Jordan). He was just drafted by the NBA champions. He would have spent his first couple of years in the league playing behind and learning from Bird, McHale, and Parrish. He would have racked up a title or two in his first few years. Instead of all of this happening, he got coked up celebrating being drafted and died. I can't think of an athlete who threw away more when you combine everything he lost (the money, the potential titles, and most of all, his life).

Dumas was an incredible athlete, but not in the same class of player as Bias.

[applejuicekid]

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Why is Len Bias getting so many votes?

I never saw him play, but I can't imagine that he was so incredibly good you can say he's the biggest waste of talent without ever playing in the nba. Like if Carmelo died before he got to play, I doubt he would win this poll. It's just that the story of Bias has been romanticized over the years that people thought he was going to be the next Jordan or something. Someone like Richard Dumas would be a better pick.

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bias was an amazing talent; i think he's one of the few legit names on this list.

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Yet he wasn't picked ahead of Brad Daugherty.

[gusmahler]

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Ricky Williams got about 1/4 out of his NFL career and started doing Yoga.

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Williams played 5 seasons before he retired. You're saying he would have had a 20 year career?

Gooden is a silly choice because he did accomplish a lot.

Bias is the best choice because it was a pure waste of talent. He didn't have a partial pro career, he had NO pro career because of drugs. He killed, not only himself, but the UM basketball program and (arguably) the Celtics potential dynasty.

[gusmahler]

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Why is Len Bias getting so many votes?

I never saw him play, but I can't imagine that he was so incredibly good you can say he's the biggest waste of talent without ever playing in the nba. Like if Carmelo died before he got to play, I doubt he would win this poll. It's just that the story of Bias has been romanticized over the years that people thought he was going to be the next Jordan or something. Someone like Richard Dumas would be a better pick.

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bias was an amazing talent; i think he's one of the few legit names on this list.

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Yet he wasn't picked ahead of Brad Daugherty.

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And Wade wasn't picked ahead of Darko.