is a fantastic columnist. While most people read hacks like Bill Simmons, I’d rather spend my time digesting articles written by smart, competent sports writers such as Dwyer.

I, too, enjoyed how Dwyer called out the imbecilic homerism of Toronto Raptors fans in his comments about ‘roided stiff Rafael Araujo. Portland homers should be thankful for the Raptors nutjob of a fanbase, since they make y’all in the Rose City actually seem somewhat sane in comparison.

Now, I feel Dwyer put Kwame Brown and Darko Milicic and nudge too high on his list; that’s because Nikoloz Tskitishvili was so dreadfully revolting during his NBA stint that he deserves the #1 spot. Furthermore, Brown and Milicic have proven to be useful NBA backups. The same, however, cannot be said for Tskitishvili, Araujo, and Yaroslov Korolev, who were all the epitome of suck.

10. Hasheem Thabeet ;-) I can feel it coming. Has there ever been a more raw No 2 pick offensively? Kwame Brown is polished against him. And passing up on all kinds of good guards (Rubio, Harden, Evans, Flynn, Curry, …) who the Grizzlies could have teamed up with Mayo (their future PG/ball handler) and Gay will prove to be disastrous. Also there is no explanation so far how they plan to make Gasol and Thabeet work together. Much less in a combo with Z-Bo.
You could also place “the bad GM decision” here, for every great player passed up until the second round and a bust taken ahead of him.
09. The useless guys picked just outside the lottery. E.g. Kirk Haston No 16 2001. Have you ever heard of Kirk Haston? Exactly. Also Kirk Snyder.
08. Martell Webster and Marvin Williams. You can try forever and be successful, you will never be able to live up to being taken ahead/instead of Chris Paul or Deron Williams. Sorry. Probably not even Danny Granger who went 17th.
07. Shelden Williams. Just so I don’t have to take Adam Morrison. Aka “you are not Brandon Roy. You aren’t even LaMarcus Aldridge”. Bargnani and Thomas are at least useful.
06. Yi Jianlian. Dwyer got that one right. He isn’t good, and the Bucks managed to only convert a No 6 pick into expiring contracts 2 years later, which must be some kind of new record for a player who at least stuck in the league. Heck, the Bobcats got more for Adam Morrison (Vlad Rad). Guess the Bucks would prefer to have taken Noah, Hawes, Brewer, Young, or Rudy now.
05. All the players who just had bad luck (and/or judgement) with their health: Aka the “Jay Williams and Dajuan Wagner All-Stars”. If you are mean-spirited, you could include Shaun Livingston here who still tries as hard as is possible.
04. Michael Sweetney. Taken No 4 in 2003 aka the Darko Milicic draft. Darko at least still plays and got a new contract. Sweetney is just fat.
03. Speaking of fat, Eddy Curry, 2001 No 4. The physical potential of Shaq-lite, the work ethic of this guy. Maybe less. Yes, it was the year Kwame was picked No 1, but Curry could have been much much more than Kwame and his hands of stone if he only cared.
02. The 2000 NBA draft class aka the “DerMarr and Darius All-Stars” (with appologies to Joel Przybilla, Kenyon Martin, Mike Miller, Hedo Turkoglu, and Michael Redd for being taken only in the second round after all those busts)
01. The “Fran Vazquez All-Stars”. If you never show up to play for your NBA team, that makes your selection a draft bust, right? Tiago Splitter might leave that class next season. Maybe Petteri too at some time. Also includes a large number of second round picks like Erazem Lorbek (Pacers), but there it might hurt less if the guy you drafted plays good elsewhere and the risk is generally higher. Fran was picked No 11 in 2005, ahead of Yaroslav Korolev who Dwyer mentions but who at least played for the team that drafted him.