High expectations can really take a toll on the way we look at some players and their seasons. LeBron James just had a hell of a season, but most of us think of it as a huge failure because of his high standards.
The same happens with players like Stephen Curry. More often than not, we just overlook what he’s doing and take his greatness for granted, but he’d be having an MVP kind of season 3 or 4 years ago.
Even so, there are times when players are objectively disappointing. Either because they just play poorly, or because they fail to live to their true potential. Naturally, we saw a lot of those players this season. Today, we’re going to let you know about the players that disappointed us the most:
Mo Bamba
Yes, maybe the tendency to overhype rookies before the play a minute in the NBA is going to hurt the way we look at them, and yes, he was the top-tier rim protector we hoped he’d be right out of the gate.
Even so, he failed to make an impact for a team that was supposed to trade Nikola Vucevic away. He barely saw any time in the clutch and looked lost and careless in the offensive end. Hopefully, he’ll bounce back next year after averaging 6.2 points and 5.0 boards per game.
Hassan Whiteside
We all knew Hassan Whiteside didn’t want to play for the Miami Heat, and that the team wasn’t exactly thrilled with his performances either. Still, he did little to prove that he was worthy of risking any asset in a trade for him.
Whiteside talks a big game but just can’t seem to back it up in the court. He’s been underperforming for a couple of years now, and it looks like he just doesn’t care anymore. He averaged 12.3 points and 11.3 rebounds per game.
Kris Dunn
Kris Dunn was supposed to take the reins as the Chicago Bulls starting point guard for the future, but it looks like the team is just not sold on him quite yet given the way he underperformed this season.
He’s a great defender, but just hasn’t improved a bit as a playmaker and scorer, and the team is reportedly interested in bringing in some competition for him. This year, he averaged just 11.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game.
Andrew Wiggins
Andrew Wiggins has been having disappointing seasons ever since he entered the league, so perhaps is time to call him a disappointing player already. It looks like he’s already peaked, and that’s not good for a former 1st overall pick.
Wiggins is careless with the rock on his hands, and he’s not really much of a leader. He’s lost on defense, and his shot is just not falling. This year, he averaged 18.1 points and 4.8 rebounds on 41% shooting.
Carmelo Anthony
This one was supposed to be Carmelo’s comeback year. Yet, he failed to even make the roster after being waived by the Bulls. This may not be entirely his fault, though, as he’s been the Thunder and Rockets’ scapegoat.
Still, we were expecting a monster bounce-back year from one of the greatest scorers in the history of basketball. Now, his game just looks out-of-date and toxic. Over 10 games, he averaged 13.4 points and 5.4 rebounds, and hopefully, he’ll have another shot at redemption.
Russell Westbrook
And once again, Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder let everybody down. They were knocked out of the first round of the playoffs for the third straight season, and Westbrook was more exposed than ever this time.
Once again, his overconfidence, poor decision-making and stat padding took a toll on the Thunder’s chances to actually compete, and it looks like he’s never going to learn and grow up. Through the season, he averaged 22.9 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 10.7 assists per game, but his triple-doubles aren’t fooling anybody anymore.
