2009 NBA draft

Shortly after he was drafted, he injured his back in the summer league. He played 17 games in his rookie season, averaging 4.3 points and 4.5 rebounds.

Back surgery followed and Taft was diagnosed with a muscle disease that he has dealt with for the last few years. The Warriors released Taft, who has battled numerous injuries, and he hasn't played an NBA game since his rookie campaign.

Jordan was a 7-footer oozing with potential and that's why the agents, runners and mock drafts were all telling him he was a lock first-rounder. However, he only averaged 7.9 points and 6 rebounds in his lone season at Texas A&M and played just five minutes in the Aggies' first-round NCAA tournament game against BYU.

"The agents are just trying to get clients and they're looking out for themselves," said Jordan, who fired Bell shortly after the draft. "I should have thought about it more and done more research."

Neither Taft nor Jordan would come out and admit they made a mistake, but another year in school wouldn't have hurt their development or likely their financial situation.

Jordan, with the same production, would have had a far greater shot at going in the first round and thus, receiving a guaranteed salary of nearly a million per season.

Taft would have helped himself as well.

But the problem is few are giving it to these kids straight.

"You just don't know who to believe and who to listen to," Jordan said. "It's real tough for a young person."

The agents just want another client (Jordan said every one of them said he was a first-round pick), many college coaches don't want to lose a player unless he's a certain lottery pick and the NBA folks want as many players in the pool -- hoping that someone else makes a mistake on a guy like Taft or Jordan in the first round and that gives themselves a greater chance at getting their guy.

Even those putting together the mock drafts, according to sources, move up players as favors to agents.

"I looked at the mock drafts every day," Taft admitted. "I'm not going to lie."

"Everyone does," Jordan added.

It's just a world of misinformation.

On Thursday night, there will be more than one player who has a befuddled look on his face as his name continues to get passed each time NBA commissioner David Stern takes to the podium.

Taft was the victim a few years back. A year ago, Jordan had company -- as guys like Mario Chalmers, Chris Douglas-Roberts and Richard Hendrix all went in the second round.

Don't blame the kids, though. There's plenty of blame to go around.