2017 NBA Draft: 5 worst Chicago Bulls draft picks in franchise history
Quintin Dailey — 1982, 7th overall pick
This pick was as controversial as it was dumb. Dailey had a lot of talent — he was a good shooter and he defended pretty well. He had quickness and athletic ability. He is the answer to the trivia question “Who played shooting guard before Jordan took over?”
In addition to his talents, Dailey had some great inner demons. His parents died within a month of each other when he was 13. He attended the University of San Francisco, a school that developed Bill Russell, K.C. Jones, and Bill Cartwright. He played well and did well in his classes, but he got involved in drugs and too much alcohol.
In his senior season, another student accused Dailey of sexual assault. Weeks before the NBA Draft he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of aggravated assault. Today, that would be all there was to it. No one would touch him. Back then, things were different.
The Bulls felt there was more good than bad so they took him with the 7th overall pick. They felt this was an isolated incident and he’d learn from it.
They were wrong.
The problems Dailey displayed were just the tip of the iceberg. Dailey admitted that he received money for a non-existent job. The university eventually dropped its basketball program, mostly due to Dailey’s troubles.
The troubles continued in Chicago. In his opening news conference as a Bull, he gave off the impression that he blew off the incident, causing a firestorm in the papers. Women’s groups constantly picketed Bulls games. It eventually got to Dailey, who took some time off to seek psychiatric help. He was depressed and suicidal.
Throughout his tenure in Chicago, Dailey missed practices and games. Then, when the Bulls drafted a certain guard from North Carolina, things got worse. He and Jordan got into epic battles during practice. Dailey fought for his job, but Jordan was just too talented. Jordan credited Dailey with toughening him up during his rookie season. Jordan later became one of the toughest players in NBA history.
That put Dailey in a tailspin. There was a stretch when he went about a week where no one knew where he was. Finally, the Bulls had enough and let him go. Later he played three seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers and three with the Seattle Supersonics.
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Dailey did turn his life around. He helped other people in need. He never hid his troubles and finally took them head on. In 2010, he died of heart failure. When you think of Quintin Dailey you think of wasted talent. You had to see him play to appreciate his talent. He could not face his demons while he played, but thankfully he did before his death.