The 2019 NBA Draft was loaded toward the top. Headlines were circulating about the franchise-level potential of prospects like Zion Williamson and Ja Morant, who were selected by the New Orleans Pelicans and Memphis Grizzlies at No. 1 and No. 2. However, many other organizations near the top wouldn’t get the chance to select their franchise building blocks, instead swinging on some of the worst whiffs of the 2019 NBA Draft.

Five Worst Whiffs in the 2019 NBA Draft
Jarrett Culver (6th overall)

The Minnesota Timberwolves traded up to the No. 6 overall pick with the Phoenix Suns to select Texas Tech wing Jarrett Culver. In his sophomore season with the Red Raiders, Culver earned consensus second team All-American honors while winning 2019 Big 12 Player of the Year. Culver averaged 18.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.5 steals per game, leading his team to a national championship appearance. With his performance in March Madness, Minnesota viewed themselves as draft night winners by acquiring his talent.

However, Culver could never develop his three-point shot at the next level, shooting 27.6% from distance on his career. His long ball efficiency had slipped from 38.2% as a freshman to 30.4% as a sophomore, which should’ve been a cause for concern surrounding his complete offensive skill set. However, the Timberwolves ignored that, viewing Culver as a great fit next to Andrew Wiggins on the wing.

Culver’s tenure with the Timberwolves would last only two seasons, averaging just 7.8 points and 3.3 rebounds per game on terrible efficiency. After his time in Minnesota, he would be traded to the Grizzlies, and his NBA career wouldn’t survive past his fourth season.

Jaxson Hayes (8th overall)

Two picks later, the Pelicans were on the clock with the No. 8 overall pick, selecting Texas center Jaxson Hayes. In his single season with the Longhorns, Hayes won 2019 Big 12 Rookie of the Year. In addition, he earned 2019 All-Big 12 Defense honors while averaging of 10 points, five rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game. New Orleans had just selected Williamson to begin their draft, and they were looking to grab another freakishly athletic prospect.

However, this draft strategy didn’t help as Hayes’ development never became a major priority. He primarily ran as the high-energy big man off the bench where he averaged 7.5 points and four rebounds in his four seasons in New Orleans. The Pelicans cycled through many veteran centers, such as Steven Adams and Jonas Valanciunas, truly showing the lack of trust they had in Hayes eventually commanding responsibility.

In 2023, Hayes would sign with the Los Angeles Lakers to add some athleticism in the rotation. By the 2024-25 season, he earned an increased role after the departure of Anthony Davis. Hayes averaged 6.8 points, 4.8 rebounds per game, developing into a lob threat for the new Lakers guard Luka Doncic. While his athleticism has constantly flashed over his six-year NBA career, his overall impact and physicality has never matched top-10 pick expectations.

Cam Reddish (10th overall)

After trading up with the Pelicans and selecting Virginia forward De’Andre Hunter No. 4 overall, the Atlanta Hawks were on the clock with their second top-10 pick, selecting Duke wing Cam Reddish. In his freshman season with the Blue Devils, Reddish shared the court with top-tier freshmen in Williamson and RJ Barrett. As the third option, he would average 13.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game on very inefficient shooting.

However, Reddish would still remain a highly-regarded draft prospect. With teams acknowledging his raw upside, Atlanta was willing to take a chance on him reaching his full potential in the top-10. This turned into a regretful decision by the Hawks as he could never improve his overall efficiency. In three seasons with the Hawks, Reddish would average 11.1 points on uninspiring shooting splits.

Atlanta would trade him to the New York Knicks midway through the 2021-22 season. Despite a change of scenery, Reddish could never adapt his game to the NBA level, becoming one of the worst whiffs of the 2019 NBA Draft. He last suited up as a reserve for the Lakers in 2025.

Romeo Langford (14th overall)

With the final pick of the lottery, the Boston Celtics selected Indiana wing Romeo Langford. As a freshman for the Hoosiers, Langford earned 2019 All-Big Ten honors, averaging 16.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. The Celtics banked on their development staff to mold him into an impactful contributor in the future.

However, Boston was wrong in their assessment of Langford, as he displayed minimal promise in his limited time early. In his three seasons with the Celtics, Langford averaged less than four points per game on sub-40% shooting from the field. His three-point shooting didn’t develop much, either, as he shot sub-30% from beyond the arc over his rookie season. The Celtics would later trade him to the San Antonio Spurs, where his career would end after just four seasons.

Sekou Doumbouya (15th overall)

The Detroit Pistons were outside the lottery where they selected French forward Sekou Doumbouya with the No. 15 overall pick. Doumbouya displayed a ton of upside in his time overseas, averaging 7.8 points and 3.3 rebounds on intriguing efficiency as a potential stretch four. Doumbouya became the first international prospect taken in the 2019 NBA Draft, marking the first time since 2013 that an international prospect was absent from the lottery.

Ever since the Milwaukee Bucks selected Giannis Antetokounmpo, multiple organizations have searched for that same prototype. It continued in 2019 with the Pistons attempting to take a swing on similar upside. However, their experiment failed, as the organization couldn’t successfully develop Doumbouya’s raw ability and tools. This not only set him up as one of the worst whiffs in 2019 but also set Detroit back another year in their rebuild after another miss in the draft.

Similarly to Langford, Doumbouya would fail to reach 40% from the field and 30% from three in his short tenure with the Pistons. After two seasons in Detroit, he would sign a two-way with the Lakers for one last opportunity before being waived after just two games, ending his three-year career.

© Mike Watters-Imagn Images