10 biggest North Carolina basketball NBA Draft busts of all time
By Joey Loose
North Carolina basketball NBA Draft bust No. 2: Sean May (2005: Round 1 Pick 13)
Sean May was a major star in Bloomington, Indiana; where his father had starred for the Hoosiers three decades earlier. However, he made his way to Chapel Hill in 2002. He was a Top 10 recruit who had a decent impact under head coach Matt Doherty but really developed into a star under Roy Williams.
May’s final two collegiate seasons were both quite successful. As a junior, he averaged 17.5 points and 10.7 rebounds per game, leading the ACC in total points and rebounds. He helped lead North Carolina to the national championship in 2005 and was named NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player, scoring at least 22 points in their final three wins to finish off his career.
Like a few other teammates, May declared early for the draft and was taken with the 13th pick by the Charlotte Bobcats, one pick before teammate Rashad McCants. He did not have a big impact in the NBA, mostly due to injuries early in his career.
He did average 11.9 points and 6.7 rebounds a game in his second season but He had to miss his entire third season due to a knee injury. Things never really materialized for May after that point.
He was a star in college, leading his program to the national championship, but the NBA wasn’t meant to be for May. He spent just under five years in the NBA and had another five years playing overseas.
May joined the North Carolina staff in 2015 and is now a full-time assistant under Hubert Davis. The kid from Bloomington who didn’t follow in his father’s footsteps has made quite the basketball life for himself, it just was a disappointing result for the Bobcats with that 13th pick.