Busted: Top-five lists of some of the biggest disappointments in the four major pro sports

No-so-fabulous fives

Not all high school phenoms and first-round draft picks achieve greatness on the big stage. The journey from rising star to superstar can be long and fraught with peril. Staff writer David Wharton looks at five examples in four major sports:

Basketball

LaRue Martin (1972-76): The top pick of the 1972 draft, Martin lasted four seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers, averaging 5.3 points a game.

Sam Bowie (1984-95): Another Trail Blazers first-rounder had a decent career — but Portland could have picked Michael Jordan.

Pervis Ellison (1989-2001): The Louisville star became known as “Out-of-Service Pervis” as a string of injuries hampered his NBA career.

Jay Williams (2003): Severe injuries in a motorcycle accident effectively ended the Duke guard’s career after one season.

Chris Washburn (1986-88): A first-round pick by Golden State in 1986, this former prep star had his playing days cut short by drug use.

Baseball

Ryan Anderson (1997-2005, minors): Nicknamed “The Little Unit,” this 6-10 left-hander reminded scouts of Randy Johnson but could not overcome shoulder injuries.

David Clyde (1973-75, ‘78-79): The Houston high school phenom won his first start for the Texas Rangers — but it was downhill from there.

Drew Henson (2002-03): The Yankees paid big money to lure him away from football and got one big league hit for their investment.

Brien Taylor (1992-2000, minors): Another Yankees can’t-miss prospect, he received a $1.55-million contract, got hurt in a fight and never pitched in the majors.

Ben Davis (1998-2004): Ranked among Baseball America’s top amateurs in 1995, this catcher spent seven seasons as a .237-hitting backup.

Football

Ryan Leaf (1998-2001): The poster boy in this category, Leaf lasted only three seasons with San Diego and Dallas, throwing for 14 touchdowns with 36 interceptions.

JaMarcus Russell (2007-09): His size and arm strength bedazzled Al Davis, but the Raiders sent him packing after just three seasons.

Ron Dayne (2000-07): A Heisman Trophy winner at Wisconsin, this bullish running back averaged 38.8 yards per NFL game.

Steve Emtman (1992-97): A No. 1 overall pick, the monstrous but injury-prone defensive lineman recorded eight sacks in six seasons.

Tony Mandarich (1989-91, ‘96-98): A colossal bust as a No. 1 pick for the Green Bay Packers, Mandarich was better known for his steroid use.

Hockey

Greg Joly (1974-83): The Washington Capitals thought they were drafting the next Bobby Orr, but this defenseman wound up with a lifetime plus/minus of -163.

Alexandre Daigle (1993-2006): Picked first overall in the 1993 NHL entry draft, Daigle never showed much desire to become a superstar or even a solid player.

Patrik Stefan (1999-2007): Chronic injuries helped to keep the Czech native from developing as a reliable scorer in the NHL.

Brian Lawton (1983-93): The first American picked No. 1 overall, Lawton scored 112 NHL goals in nine seasons shuttling between the NHL and the minors.

Eric Lindros (1993-2007): “The Next One” had an arguably Hall of Fame-worthy career but fell short of replacing “The Great One,” Wayne Gretzky.