The NBA Draft is an annual gamble for all teams.
While there is no shortage of talented prospects every year, there’s still no certainty that they will live up to the hype.
If there are draft picks that became All-Stars and even Hall-of-Famers, some end up with largely forgettable stints.
The 2019 draft is no exception, and some high picks are turning out to be failures.
Here are the players from that class who are turning into busts.
3. Coby White
The Chicago Bulls selected the University of North Carolina alum with the seventh pick in the draft.
The 6-foot-5 guard started his career well, averaging 13.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 65 games played.
What’s more impressive is that Coby White compiled those numbers while starting just one game throughout his rookie year.
His averages improved during his sophomore year, notching 15.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game.
Coby White scored 20 points off of the bench (9 of 11 shooting) in tonight's big win over the Magic 🔥 pic.twitter.com/7UBsBydeiz
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) November 27, 2021
However, Lonzo Ball’s addition to the Bulls slashed his playing time from 31 minutes last year to 17 this season.
As a result, his production has suffered after playing nine games so far.
White is contributing 6.1 points and 2.6 per game, clearly losing the starting role to Ball.
White is now relegated as a reserve from a once-promising guard, making it a bit difficult for him to generate the stats he had during his first two years.
2. Jaxson Hayes
The Atlanta Hawks chose the freshman from the University of Texas with the eighth pick but traded him to the New Orleans Pelicans.
Jaxson Hayes was part of the transaction that brought De’Andre Hunter, Jordan Bone, Solomon Hill, and a conditional 2023 second-round pick to the Hawks.
The Pelicans received Hayes, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Didi Louzada, and a protected 2020 first-round pick.
However, the 2019 Big 12 Freshman of the Year is yet to make the big splash after three years.
Personally, I love the fact that Jaxson Hayes isn't even getting garbage time minutes. No room for leeway when a guy isn't actively working to earn minutes or get better.
— Eliot Clough (@EliotClough) November 25, 2021
Hayes played 64 games during his rookie year and averaged 7.4 points and four rebounds per game.
His production was relatively the same during his sophomore year, with 7.5 points and 4.3 rebounds per match in 60 games played.
Hayes isn’t doing any good in his third NBA season as his per-game averages dropped to 5.9 points and 3.3 rebounds in 19 games.
Unfortunately, it would be difficult for him to get more playing time because Jonas Valanciunas and Willy Hernangomez are in front of him on the Pelicans depth chart.
1. Jarrett Culver
The Phoenix Suns drafted Jarrett Culver with the sixth pick.
Still, they traded him to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Dario Saric and the 11th overall selection, who turned out to be Cameron Johnson.
But the guard/forward from Texas Tech is yet to take off in the NBA.
He tallied 9.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in 63 games during his rookie year.
In his sophomore season, the Dallas-born player contributed 5.3 points and 3.1 rebounds per game in 35 games.
Hornets announcer obliterates former Timberwolve Jarrett Culver pic.twitter.com/UICQihp4F8
— Twolves.country (@CountryTwolves) October 8, 2021
Culver played in fewer games due to a season-ending ankle injury that required surgery.
Before the 2021-22 season, the Timberwolves shipped Culver and Juancho Hernangomez to the Memphis Grizzlies for Patrick Beverley.
However, his numbers regressed to 4.7 points and 1.6 rebounds in nine minutes per contest.
Unfortunately, it looks like Memphis won’t need him for long because Desmond Bane, Dillon Brooks, and De’Anthony Melton will dominate the minutes in his position.
NEXT: Are the Cavaliers A Real Contender?
