The word 'potential' gets thrown around a lot and can stick to a player throughout his NBA career.

Often times, guys with the potential to be stars fall well short of that. That happens for a variety of different reasons; whether it be injury or overall lack of talent, some guys fall short of expectations.

Here's a look at several guys who will likely never reach their potential.

Greg Oden

A lot of expectations come along with being the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, and Oden will never live up to those.

Oden's problem has been injuries, and from the point of missing his entire first season in the league, the injuries just kept piling up.

He's averaged only 9.4 points and 7.3 rebounds per game through parts of two NBA seasons. Those numbers definitely don't live up to the potential of a guy that was the top pick in the draft.

Stephen Curry

Curry has the potential to be great and is off to a good start to his career. Unfortunately for him, a troublesome, re-occurring ankle injury might not allow that to happen.

He could end up becoming just like Oden, or even worse, end up in a situation like Brandon Roy.

Sometimes the human body betrays you and prevents you from becoming great. Curry's ankle could do exactly that.

John Wall

Wall is another No. 1 overall pick, and if the game could be played in transition all of the time, then Wall would be dynamite, but there is no evidence that his game can evolve enough to be great.

He's not a very good shooter and doesn't take very good care of the basketball at times.

There is also doubt about if he will ever be able to be a leader and a floor general that his position requires.

There is no doubt that Wall can be very good, but he has the potential to be great and may not live up to that.

Evan Turner

Turner was a stud at Ohio State and many viewed him as the most NBA-ready player in the draft, but he's struggled to produce at the NBA level.

It's only his second year in the league, but early indications are that he will never reach his star potential.

DeMarcus Cousins

Cousins has the potential to be dominant, but will he grow up in time in reach that potential before someone eventually gives up on him?

So far Cousins has shown the ability that he can be good, but can he be great?

He can be a dominant post force for years to come, but it's to be determined if he is going to live up to that.

Tyreke Evans

After winning the Rookie of the Year Award, the future looked bright for Evans, but since then, there have been questions surrounding him that beg the question if he can be great.

He's not a point guard and doesn't shoot well enough to be a productive 2-guard. As a rookie, he showed a great ability to finish and draw fouls, but since his rookie season, his numbers have fallen off across the board.

Derrick Favors

The Nets were high enough on Favors to make him the No. 3 pick overall, and Utah was high enough on him to make him the key piece of the Deron Williams trade.

He can be a great defender, but is his best position the 4 or the 5?

He fouls way too much and his offensive game is very raw. Favors is also a brutal free throw shooter and ball handler.

While he's still young and can grow into the player that both teams believed he can, he still has a long ways to go.

Cole Aldrich

Aldrich was a 23-year old lottery pick that was deemed ready after a productive career at Kansas, but he's turned into more of a project than expected.

He seemed overwhelmed by everything as a rookie, and he's not getting off the bench his second time around in the league.

Aldrich had as many turnovers as baskets as a rookie and his offensive game as a whole is a big question mark.

Defensively he's a step slow and needs to add strength.

It could be too early to call him a bust, but it would be a miracle for him to figure things out now.

Wesley Johnson

It's a little early to write Johnson off completely, but Minnesota likely drafted him too high.

He will see the floor regularly because of his defensive skills, but it's doubtful he could become a full time starter anytime soon.

He played out of the position at the 2-guard spot last season and there were high hopes for him coming out of Syracuse, but he disappointed as a rookie and could end up getting buried on the Timberwolves bench.

O.j. Mayo

After three seasons, Mayo is a good guard who is more of a scorer than a shooter. Despite coming into the league with high expectations out of USC, his numbers have plummeted and his future could be more of a rotation guy that can help a team instead of a guard that has star potential.

Mayo is still a good player, but that's probably his ceiling.

Jonny Flynn

Another Syracuse guy who likely won't live up to expectations.

He was a high draft pick of Minnesota but took a huge step backwards last season. He's shown no ability to run an NBA offense and his decision making is awful.

Another year like last year and Flynn will go from lottery pick to out of the NBA before long.

Jordan Hill

Hill was a lottery pick by the Knicks, and while he's shown promise as a shot blocker and finisher around the rim, he's closer to being a bust by the day.

He just can't do anything else on the floor effectively to warrant him getting a lot of minutes.

Hasheem Thabeet

Thabeet was the No. 2 pick in the draft and keeps hanging around based on potential, but he's nowhere close to living up to it.

He has a knack for shot blocking but has poor basketball instincts at both ends of the floor.