9) Jose Ortiz (1987)
Puerto Rican baller Jose Ortiz was a big deal in the mid-80s for fans of college basketball on the west coast. At Oregon State, he was a star, averaging nearly 20 points and nine rebounds per game over two seasons. In ’87, he even beat out Reggie Miller for Pac-10 Player of the Year honors.
All the ingredients were seemingly there for Ortiz to make an impact for the Jazz. Unfortunately, he never made it happen.
Instead of joining the Jazz immediately, Ortiz elected play in Spain for a year. When he finally came to Utah for the 1988-89 NBA season, he had a hard time getting off of the bench. As a rookie, he averaged less than three points in six minutes per contest. Midway through his second season, the Jazz unceremoniously waived him.
Next: No. 8