10 biggest Indiana basketball NBA Draft busts of all time

1. Archie Dees (1958 Round 1 Pick 2)

While he played collegiate ball more than sixty years ago, and more than a decade before Knight arrived on campus, Dees is a legend in Indiana basketball. He was a fantastic center who starred in Mount Carmel, Illinois before committing to the Hoosiers.

He starred for three seasons at Indiana, averaging at least 25 points and 14 rebounds per game in both his junior and senior seasons, earning Big Ten MVP honors in each of those seasons.

One of the best players in 1958 in the college game, Dees became the second pick of the NBA Draft by the Cincinnati Royals, though his NBA career showed no sign of that earlier dominance.

Dees actually played just one season for the Royals, spending parts of four seasons in the NBA for four different franchises. His best year came in 1960, averaging 9.7 points and 5.4 rebounds a game for the Detroit Pistons.

Not only did Dees not live up to his billing as a top pick, but he had the misfortune of being drafted after Future Hall of Famers Guy Rodgers (a territorial pick) and Elgin Baylor. Clearly, Dees’ career is incomparable with those two legends and his role at the professional level wasn’t very impactful. Dees won an ABL title with the Cleveland Pipers, but never quite found his footing in the NBA. He passed away in 2016 but remains a legend in Hoosiers basketball.

We’ve taken a closer look at a number of draft busts in Indiana basketball history, but do you agree with who we’ve included? Was there other players who would have been worthier inclusions? Will current names like Trayce Jackson-Davis or Jalen Hood-Schifino end up on this list someday?