2017 NBA Draft: 5 worst Chicago Bulls draft picks in franchise history

Eddy Curry — 2001, 4th overall pick

Before the Bulls brought Derrick Rose home to play professional basketball, they did it to Curry. Curry was an incredible high school player at Thornwood Academy. He played like a man among boys.

This was a double-edged sword for the Bulls. The fact that Curry overwhelmed his opponents just on his physical ability alone meant that he did not pick up the habits needed to succeed in the NBA. He didn’t understand that going up against men in the NBA was a lot different from the pimple-faced teenagers in high school. Former head coach Scott Skiles had a classic answer to a question about how Curry could be a better rebounder. “Jump” was his response. Not something you like to hear from your coach.

The Bulls had both Curry and Tyson Chandler to give them a kind of twin towers to get the team back to their winning ways after Jordan’s departure. Curry was too lazy to do his part, while Chandler was just too young. Eventually, he won a Defensive Player of the Year award but in his Bulls days, he was too raw.

The Bulls drafted Curry ahead of noted players like Zach Randolph, Tony Parker, and Joe Johnson. In his four seasons with the Bulls, he averaged 11.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks per game. Not exactly a force in the paint.

The best thing Curry did to help the Bulls was bringing them two lottery picks. The New York Knicks gave away their first round pick in 2006 and 2007. Of course, the Bulls ruined the first pick by trading LaMarcus Aldridge for Tyrus Thomas, but they drafted Joakim Noah with the 2007 pick, and he helped the Bulls tremendously.

Curry’s on-court troubles weren’t his only ones. His ex-girlfriend and child were murdered and he went through heart troubles.