These Spurs draft day busts are even worse than fans remember

While the Spurs have historically done an excellent job finding talent in the draft, it hasn't always been pretty. They have plenty of hits, but they also come with harsh misses.

The draft is always risky, with the youngsters not having much time to prove their worth in the league. The Spurs have notably taken several massive gambles on players who may never have been cut out for the NBA game. Those bets came with bitter consequences.

These are the five worst picks by the Spurs since Tim Duncan. These selections are primarily based on expectations and how much the player failed to live up to their draft hype.

1. Joshua Primo, 2021 Pick #12

Career Averages: 5.7 PPG, 2.3 RPG and 1.6 APG

Based on expectations and draft position, Joshua Primo was the Spurs' worst draft decision over the past two decades.

Primo was off to an average start in his rookie campaign, playing in 50 games and starting in 16 of them, but following a string of off-court issues, he flamed out in an instant.

Drafted as a 19-year-old project, Primo had excellent traits of a potent scoring threat. With his draft pedigree, the Spurs hoped he would be the long-term option at point guard, a void that wasn't filled until this past season. Instead, he was essentially out of the NBA at the ripe age of 20.

Primo played the least amount of games of the entire draft class, and the Spurs saw players such as Alperen Sengun and Trey Murphy III go just a few picks behind. This is a choice they desperately wish they could reverse.

2. Nikola Milutinov, 2015 Pick #26

Career Averages: N/A

It's not often you see a first-round pick never touch the NBA court, yet that was the case for Nikola Milutinov. Not only did he never play in a regular-season game, but Milutinov did not participate in any NBA-related events.

Coming from overseas, Milutinov had to make the difficult transition to not only the NBA but the brand-new culture of the United States. Because of that, he was seen as a rare draft-and-stash selection where he would continue playing overseas until he was ready. Unfortunately, that never materialized.

Shockingly, Milutinov's fate was determined by the Spurs, not by his own merit. He stated, “They were never serious about taking me, and I can’t go there by myself."

It is a bizarre case for an organization that has been so great at drafting. Following this massive blunder, they certainly learned their lesson.

3. Livio Jean-Charles, 2013 Pick #28

Career Averages: N/A

How about another player who never touched an NBA floor? While Milutinov never even attended any NBA activities, Livio Jean-Charles did.

Another dart throw from overseas, Jean-Charles, simply did not work out. He was drafted to be stored on the roster while continuing his work globally and eventually transitioning to the NBA roster. Sadly, this was wishful thinking.

After three years playing overseas following his drafting, he participated in the Spurs' Summer League in 2016 and was ultimately sent down to the Austin Spurs. Just a year into his time with the Austin Spurs, Jean-Charles was headed back to Europe and would never return to the Spurs.

While he at least spent some time in the organization, unlike Milutinov, Jean-Charles was a massive mistake. Especially today, these cases are rare. NBA teams have learned from drafting overseas and aim to never waste a pick like this again.

4. Luka Samanic, 2019 Pick #19

Career Averages: 4.5 PPG, 2.4 RPG and 0.6 APG

Luka Samanic was yet another risky overseas pick by the Spurs that did not turn out well. Hastily succeeding at a young age in Europe, Samanic had high upside as a floor-spacing forward but saw his NBA career cut short soon after it started.

Samanic struggled to see the floor in his first two years in the NBA but found some breathing room on a poor roster. Despite the opportunities, he failed to show enough to warrant a roster spot and was quickly cut by the Spurs in 2021.

Drafted with a fairly valuable 19th overall pick, Samanic left a lot to be desired. Several notable players like Brandon Clarke, Grant Williams, and Ty Jerome were taken after Samanic. The Spurs are surely kicking themselves for taking this massive gamble.

5. James Anderson, 2010 Pick #20

Career Averages: 5.8 PPG, 2.3 RPG and 1.2 APG

Opposed to the several overseas players the Spurs took a wager on, Anderson was fresh out of college and held expectations of translating well to the NBA. But those expectations were brutally wrong.

Anderson was a prominent scorer at Oklahoma State University and looked to continue his reign in the NBA. He made a real name for himself in college, earning an All-Big 12 selection in his freshman year. However, once he made it, his scoring vanished.

After struggling in his first two years and starting just four total games, the Spurs traded Anderson to Houston and washed their hands of the miss.

Notable players drafted after Anderson in the 2010 draft include, Jordan Crawford, Quincy Pondexter and Hassan Whiteside.