Ranking the 10 biggest Kansas basketball NBA Draft busts of all-time
player. 69. . C. New Orleans Pelicans. Cole Aldrich. 9
2010 NBA Draft, selected 11th overall
Oklahoma City Thunder, 2010-2012
Houston Rockets, 2012-2013
Sacramento Kings, 2013
New York Knicks, 2013-2015
Los Angeles Clippers, 2015-2016
Minnesota Timberwolves, 2016-2018
If you are a Kansas fan, it is hard not to like Cole Aldrich. He is one of the program’s most prolific shot-blockers ever, collecting two Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year awards while being a consensus All-American. Aldrich was also part of the 2008 national championship-winning team.
Drafted by the then-New Orleans Hornets, he was a draft day trade to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Pelicans probably still smirk about that move.
One of the things that everyone remembers about Aldrich is his hockey player-type smile. He lost a tooth in a game while he was a member of the Jayhawks, and it was an attestation to his toughness. Unfortunately, his willingness to lose a tooth did not equate to NBA success.
The 6-foot-11-inch center from Minnesota spent eight seasons in the NBA. During this time, he accumulated these stats:
- 339 games played
- 3.1 points
- 3.3 rebounds
- 0.7 blocks
- 52.7% FG
Aldrich had a respectable NBA career, and he would not be considered a bust if he was a late first or early second-round selection. However, he was expected to be an elite rim-protecting big and did not nearly live up to the hype that a lottery pick should.
A player included later in this list was selected directly one pick after him, so Aldrich can take home the title of best KU player from the 2010 NBA Draft.