Washington Wizards all-time draft bust starting 5
By Tyler Watts
PF: Jan Vesely
The Wizards were in the middle of another rough stretch when they drafted Jan Vesely with the sixth overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. They had missed the playoffs for three straight years, and Washington was hoping to find a forward that could play next to JaVale McGee and off of John Wall.
Vesely had three years of professional experience before coming to the NBA. During his final season with KK Partizan in the EuroLeague, he averaged 10.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in 27.0 minutes per game. The 21-year-old looked NBA-ready, and the Wizards were hoping that he would blossom into a star.
During his two-and-half seasons in Washington, Vesely averaged 3.5 points and 3.4 rebounds in 15.2 minutes per game. He had a negative value over replacement player (VORP), and things just never panned out. Vesely was traded to the Nuggets in a three-team deal in 2014 that saw Andre Miller come to Washington.
The Wizards selected Vesely over Kawhi Leonard, Klay Thompson, Kemba Walker, Nikola Vucevic, Tobias Harris, and Jimmy Butler in 2011. It was an incredibly deep draft, and Washington selected one of only four first-round picks that played three or fewer years in the NBA.