1) Dominique Wilkins (Jazz, 1982)

The 1982 draft class was top-loaded with three seemingly can’t miss talents in Wilkins, James Worthy, and Terry Cummings, and the Jazz had the third pick. There was only one problem for the lowly franchise, still seeking its first playoff appearance since joining the league in 1974. All three players were small forwards, where the Jazz already had scoring champion Adrian Dantley. Wilkins had even openly stated that he would not play for Utah, citing the overlap. When Worthy went #1 to the Lakers and Cummings #2 to the Clippers, the Jazz opted to select Wilkins anyway, hoping they could convince him to switch to power forward. The 6’8″, 215 pound Wilkins balked at the idea and refused to sign a rookie contract. Cash-strapped and holding a disgruntled draftee, the Jazz made a disastrous trade under duress, sending Wilkins to the Hawks for an injury-riddled John Drew and a washed Freeman Williams. Meanwhile, Wilkins became a nine-time All-Star in Atlanta but was also recently tempted to reflect on what might have been if he hung around in Utah and eventually teamed up with John Stockton (drafted in 1984) and Karl Malone (drafted in 1985).

2) Brian Shaw (Celtics, 1988)

How does a keystone franchise with a history of championship success make it onto this list not once, but twice? Aside from Boston’s persistent notoriety as a racist fanbase (which notably alienated Bill Russell), the team also had a reputation in the ’80s and ’90s as stingy with contracts. After getting drafted 24th overall in 1988, Shaw agreed to a one-year, $150,000 contract with the Celtics. This was before the rookie scale regulations, giving frugal teams like the Celtics more leeway in attempting to screw over young players. After a solid rookie season in which he took over as the starting shooting guard, the Celtics offered Shaw a similar one-year deal and he rejected it. In fact, he fled the country, signing a deal with the Italian club Virtus Roma and teaming up with another player on this list, Danny Ferry. After a prolonged lawsuit, Shaw did eventually re-sign with the Celtics for five years and $6.2 million but was traded a year later to the Heat. Thereafter, he won three championships with the rival Lakers before closing out a 15-year career in 2003.

3) Billy Owens (Kings, 1991)

In a classic “be careful what you wish for” scenario, Owens (rightfully) recognized an undesirable situation in Sacramento and forced his way into a seemingly glamorous but ultimately treacherous circumstance with Golden State. A lengthy, versatile small forward with preternatural skills, Owens showed flashes of being the next Scottie Pippen while at Syracuse and the Kings were happy to select him with the third overall pick in 1991. But Owens was less than pleased to be part of a franchise that was not only in one of the smallest markets in the league but in seemingly constant disarray. In the five years prior to ’91-’92, the Kings had swapped head coaches four times and lost 50+ games each season. When Owens refused to sign a contract, Sacramento actually swung an advantageous trade, dealing him to the Warriors for burgeoning superstar Mitch Richmond. Though Richmond was also displeased with his new locale, he eventually made six All-Star appearances as a King. Meanwhile, Owens found an icy reception in Oakland, where fans were vexed by the dissolution of “Run-TMC” and further discontented when their new acquisition failed to develop into an All-Star talent.

4) Steve Francis (Grizzlies, 1999)

By all accounts, Vancouver is a picturesque, diverse, cosmopolitan city with a bustling nightlife and culture. But most NBA players didn’t see it that way in the six years the Grizzlies were based there. Or maybe they did but were more worried about the U.S. to Canadian dollar exchange. If you ask Francis, who was drafted second overall by the Grizzlies in 1999 despite his agent explicitly warning the team not to take him (he also reportedly purposefully tanked a pre-draft workout for the team’s front office), it was all of that and more. The NCAA star at Maryland also cited taxes, cold weather, the team’s poor performance, the presence of a promising young point guard on the roster already (Mike Bibby), the swirling rumors that they were about to move, and even that he and his entourage were supposedly hassled by security at the Vancouver airport. It’s no guarantee the Grizzlies would have been better off drafting Baron Davis, Lamar Odom, Shawn Marion, or Richard Hamilton but we know for sure that picking Francis was a mistake. He got his trade demand two months after the draft, getting dealt to the Rockets in a three-team, 11-player, three-draft pick blockbuster that also included the Magic.

5) Kiki Vandeweghe (Mavericks, 1980)

The first ever draft pick of the expansion Mavericks, Vandeweghe made his NBA debut in a Dallas loss to the Nuggets. But the UCLA product was playing on the other side, scoring six points off the bench for Denver to start his rookie season. When the Mavs had selected him #11, Vandeweghe bluntly stated that he wouldn’t suit up for Dallas and preferred to either stay in his hometown of Los Angeles or play for the Knicks like his father/agent Ernie did in the ’50s. When Vandeweghe held out of the beginning of the ’80-’81 season, the Mavericks traded him to the Nuggets in exchange for a 1981 first round pick. Not exactly L.A. or N.Y., but Vandeweghe accepted it. It turned out well for both teams, as Vandeweghe thrived in Doug Moe’s up-tempo Denver offense, making two All-Star appearances, while the Mavs used that pick on future franchise legend Rolando Blackman. Dallas fans were less pleased and for years would boo Vandeweghe whenever the Nuggets were in town. Despite the animosity at the time, Vandeweghe took his first front office job in the late ’90s with, you guessed it, the Mavericks, where he was instrumental in the development of fellow German big man Dirk Nowitzki.

6) Jon Barry (Celtics, 1992)

Being the child of a former NBA player won’t get you into the league but it does seem to grant you license to make demands before your career even starts. The eldest son of Hall of Fame legend Rick Barry, Jon was solid enough at Georgia Tech for the Celtics to draft him late in the first round. Similar to the Brian Shaw situation detailed above, Barry got an unacceptable contract offer from Boston. It wasn’t money that was the sticking point for Barry but rather the length, as the Celtics offered him only two years and he desired something more long term. As Barry’s contract holdout bled into the regular season, Celtics fans got increasingly restless. It was bad enough that the front office drafted a guard instead of a front court player to replace the retiring Larry Bird and/or the aging Kevin McHale. Having Barry not even on the court at the start of the season was another level. Under pressure, the Celtics traded Barry to the Bucks in exchange for Alaa Abdelnaby. Barry certainly never lived up to the career of his father but did ultimately spend 14 seasons in the NBA with eight different franchises.

7) Danny Ferry (Clippers, 1989)

American players in Europe is a commonplace alternative now but it was quite the novelty in 1989. For Ferry, the #2 pick out of Duke, suiting up for Il Messagaro Roma in Italy’s Serie A beat playing for the Clippers. At least they were a contender in their respective league and didn’t have a similarly sized and skilled player like Danny Manning, the #1 overall pick just one year prior. He technically wasn’t the first NBA draftee to opt for a European league instead but Ferry was the most high profile player to do so. The bold move was a throwback to the days when players could leverage ABA and NBA franchises against each other in contract negotiations. Left with few options, the Clippers traded Ferry’s rights along with Reggie Williams to the Cavaliers in exchange for Ron Harper and two first round picks. Unsurprisingly for a trade involving these two star-crossed franchises, it arguably turned out poorly for everyone involved. Ferry was lavished with a $34 million contract by the Cavs and never lived up, becoming more of a role player in 10 seasons. Harper had some good moments for the Clippers early on until a torn knee hampered him for the rest of his career.

8) Royce White (Rockets, 2012)

It happened less than a decade ago but public perception of mental health was a lot different when White was drafted by the Rockets in 2012. He became something of a sin eater for pro athletes suffering from anxiety disorder, a condition that’s now openly disclosed, even by even star players like Kevin Love. But White’s mental health was a red flag in the 2012 draft and he fell from a likely top 10 pick to #16. Things started off ok with White impressing at Vegas Summer League and attending rookie orientation. But right before the start of training camp, White began a holdout, demanding accommodations in travel for his aerophobia and an overall update to the franchise’s mental health policies. An undisclosed agreement was finally reached that convinced White to suit up for the G-League affiliate Rio Grande Valley Vipers. That didn’t last long though, as White stepped away and held out again after just 16 games. He was subsequently traded to the 76ers, waived, signed to a G-League contract with the Kings, and called up late in the ’13-’14 season. Over nine minutes of play across three games for Sacramento, White didn’t log a single point, rebound, or assist, and that was the end of his NBA career.