Jazz prospect learns refusing draft workouts often backfires

Bailey parted ways with his agent, Omar Cooper, the man behind his controversial strategy of refusing workouts with teams at the top of this year's NBA draft, to get Bailey to the Washington Wizards at No. 6. That didn't stop the Jazz from drafting Bailey with the No. 5 pick.

But Bailey ended up in a solid situation in Utah, with a talented young head coach in Will Hardy, ample available playing time and plenty of future draft picks and salary cap space. He's not the first player who may have erred in trying to pick his team, rather than the reverse.

2020: Tyrese Haliburton, Sacramento Kings

Why did Tyrese Haliburton fall to the No. 12 pick in the 2020 draft? It's because if he didn't go to the Golden State Warriors, who selected James Wiseman at No. 2, Haliburton wanted to go to the Sacramento Kings — and his agent asked other teams not to draft him.

Haliburton wanted to be in Sacramento long-term, but his new team didn't feel the same. Midway through his sophomore season, the Kings traded him to the Indiana Pacers for Domantas Sabonis. It worked out for Haliburton and the Pacers, who came within a game of an NBA title last season. The Kings still haven't won a playoff series since 2004.

2017: Lonzo Ball, Los Angeles Lakers

Ball grew up in the L.A. area, went to college at UCLA and only wanted to play for the Los Angeles Lakers, who held the No. 2 pick in 2017. He refused to work out for the Boston Celtics, who had No. 1, so they ended up trading down to No. 3 and selecting Jayson Tatum.

Trading down was amazing for the Celtics, who won a title with Tatum in 2024, and not so amazing for Ball. After two seasons with the Lakers, they sent him to the New Orleans Pelicans as part of the Anthony Davis trade, which led to the Lakers winning the 2020 title without their hometown guard.

2014: Jabari Parker, Milwaukee Bucks

Parker wouldn't work out for the Cleveland Cavaliers, who had the No. 1 pick in the 2014 draft. They selected Andrew Wiggins instead, then traded him to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Kevin Love before Wiggins ever played a game in Cleveland.

The Bucks swooped up Parker at No. 2, one pick ahead of future MVP Joel Embiid. Parker and the Bucks never got to see what he could become, as he suffered ACL tears in both his first and third seasons. Even without the injuries, Parker may never have thrived in Milwaukee, thanks to a forward drafted one year ahead of him named Giannis Antetokounmpo.

2009: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors

By all accounts, Steph Curry wanted to be drafted by the New York Knicks in 2009 at No. 8, not the Warriors at No. 7. But the Warriors snapped up Curry anyway, despite having a similar small scoring guard in Monta Ellis. Going to the Warriors led to four championships, two MVP awards and the greatest shooting career in NBA history.

Had Curry gone to the chaotic Knicks, he likely would have been included in their 2011 trade for Carmelo Anthony. The New York media wouldn't have been patient with his frequent early ankle injuries. And, like most Knicks picks from that era, he probably wouldn't have developed into a good player, let alone a Hall of Famer.