Everyone has high expectations on Jack Watts. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun
JACK Watts has had to carry more criticism than is fair for being judged the best young talent in the land but he is far from the first on the sporting landscape to fail to live up to the hype.
At least Watts still has time on his side to correct the situation although the world is littered with promise failing to become greatness as this group proves, even if golfer Michelle Wie is just 23.
SPORTING PRODIGIES WHO FAILED TO LIVE UP TO THE HYPE:
Freddy Adu (soccer)
In 2004 at age 15 Ghanaian-born Adu was everywhere, appearing in commercials alongside Pele and signing a massive deal with Nike. In the US where he lived, Adu was seen as the player who would put North America on the world footballing map. Manchester United and Real Madrid invited him to train before he signed with Benfica ... and flopped. He then spent unsuccessful time on loan in France, Turkey and Greece. He is now plays in Brazil.
Graeme Hick was a prolific at first-class batsman but never delivered to the same level on the international stage. Source: No Source
Graeme Hick (cricket)
Zimbabwe-born Hick had reached Don Bradman-like status by his 21st birthday, having scored 405no for his adopted English county of Worcestershire. The elegant right-hander was going to single-handedly lift England out of the Test doldrums. Sadly for England that never eventuated, Hick averaging just 31 for his country despite a first-class average of 52 and over 40,000 runs and 136 centuries.
Ryan Leaf (gridiron)
These days the one-time glamour quarterback is breaking big rocks into small rocks as part of a seven-year prison sentence that began in December, 2012. The Leaf legend was built at Washington State University, prompting him to be taken with pick 2 in the 1998 draft by the San Diego Chargers. He received a then record $11 million signing-on fee before his career turned to dirt. He was a disaster, on and off the field, and by 2001 was finished in the NFL.
Michelle Wie has won two LPGA tournaments but many believed the teenage sensation would dominate women's events in a similar vein to Tiger Woods on the men's tour. Picture: Getty Images Source: No Source
Michelle Wie (golf)
By age 10 Wie qualified for a USGA amateur championship and in doing so became a household name. She was the Tiger Woods of the female golfing world - an attractive 185cm Hawaii-born prodigy who was going to re-write the record books. By 17 she was playing in selected men's events on the PGA tour, an experiment that became an embarrassment. Now 23, she is still playing on the LPGA tour but has won just two tournaments in her career and has been a non-factor in the majors since 2006.
Zola Budd (athletics)
South Africa's Budd was just 17 when she broke the world record for the 5000m and within three seasons had broken the same record again and also won two World Cross Country Championships. The fact she ran barefoot in her early days led to extra publicity and it was expected Budd's early form would translate into Olympic glory. But she never lived up to the early promise.
Kwame Brown is an NBA journeyman. Picture: AP Source: No Source
Kwame Brown (basketball)
Michael Jordan may well have been the best ever when making a clutch shot but when it came to getting it right with a number one draft selection for the Washington Wizards in 2001, Jordan bombed. A 201cm centre, Brown was the first player to be taken at number one straight from high school. Now he is a basketballing journeyman, playing with his seventh NBA club in an unfulfilled career.
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