5 Worst NBA Draft picks in Golden State Warriors history

By Tony Pesta | Sep 11, 2022

OAKLAND, CA - FEBRUARY 15: Ekpe Udoh #20 and Brandon Rush #4 of the Golden State Warriors go for a rebound against Marcus Camby #23 of the Portland Trail Blazers at Oracle Arena on February 15, 2012 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

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Golden State Warriors Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports /

Ekpe Udoh (6th pick), 2010 NBA Draft

Still on the board: Paul George, Gordon Hayward

Taken No. 6 overall in the 2010 NBA Draft, Ekpe Udoh was not a bad player by any means.

Udoh played seven seasons in the NBA and mostly served as a decent, albeit slightly below average, role player.

The issue here, of course, is where Udoh was selected. You don’t use a top-10 pick on an okay player.

He played fewer than two seasons in Golden State, averaging 4.1 points and 3.1 rebounds as a rookie before promptly being traded to Milwaukee for a fan favorite, Andrew Bogut.

Udoh fell victim to the space-and-pace era that swept the NBA in the 2010s. An immobile, lumbering big man who simply did not fit anyone’s needs by the time he was out of the league in 2019.

What makes this pick especially bad is who was still on the board. Paul George, one of the league’s best two-way players would have been a fantastic pairing next to Stephen Curry.

It’s safe to say everything worked out, anyways. Klay Thompson and Draymond Green were selected in the following two NBA Drafts.

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