2012 NBA Draft, selected 5th overall
Sacramento Kings, 2012-2013
Houston Rockets, 2013
Portland Trail Blazers, 2013-2015
Philadelphia 76ers, 2015
Brooklyn Nets, 2015-2016
Los Angeles Lakers, 2016-2017
Robinson’s case to be the top spot on this list is a strong one. Not only is he KU’s biggest draft bust of all time, but he is also one of the biggest draft busts in NBA history.
After a dominant junior season where he and Tyshawn Taylor led Kansas to a national championship game, the Sacramento Kings took him with the 5th overall pick. Robinson was a powerful post-scorer who would have been the ideal big man in the 1990s. Perhaps he played in the wrong period, although it is hard to imagine a world where Robinson is a sufficient professional player.
He was a terrific college player, but his time in the NBA soiled his reputation. Robinson could play bully ball at Kansas because of his exceptionally mature body, using brute strength to muscle opposing defenders down in the post. When he reached the next level, he struggled to find ways to score and became alarmingly inefficient.
Here are Robinson’s NBA stats:
- 313 games played
- 4.9 points
- 4.8 rebounds
- 47.0% FG
- 50.5% FT
Robinson’s skill set just did not fit the modern NBA. In a different era, he might have been a good NBA player. His lack of post-moves and poor awareness made him a useless player.
Most Kansas fans were confused about how a player that was once so impressive could play so poorly in the pros. Even his demeanor changed, as the once likable Robinson became bitter and often jawed at his coaches. Being the fifth pick and struggling as much as he did makes Robinson an easy choice to top off this list.