10 Times the Brooklyn Nets missed on a superstar in the NBA Draft

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Mitch Richmond #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers (Photo credit should read JESSICA RINALDI/AFP via Getty Images) /

7. Mitch Richmond – 1988

Mitch Richmond slid to the Golden State Warriors at the fifth spot in the draft, but the 6’5″ guard out of Kansas State quickly proved to be the best player in the draft, as he came away with Rookie of the Year honors.

Richmond was traded to the Sacramento Kings after three seasons with the Warriors, but his success continued, as he went on to be selected to the All-NBA Second Team three times and the Third Team twice in addition to six All-Star Games during his seven-season stay in Sactown.

Although Richmond spent most of his career with the Kings, he actually won a title with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2002, breaking the hearts of Nets fans in the process.

The Nets ended up taking Chris Morris one pick before Richmond went off the board, and that is one they would almost certainly want back, as Morris averaged only 13.3 points in 510 games with the team.

Richmond, meanwhile, went on to have a career that put him into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014.