Memphis Appeal
The Pistons visit the Grizzlies tonight in Memphis. And for as long as Darko Milicic plays against Detroit, there will be accompanying stories about his NBA start with them as the No. 2 pick in a draft that also featured LeBron, Carmelo and Dwyane Wade.
Milicic’s career did not start off so well; playing time was hard to come by in Detroit and the weight of great expectations he couldn’t possibly live up to right away came down on him even harder. A story in today’s Memphis Commercial Appeal says that Darko is enjoying playing basketball for the first time in a long time and that he’s accepted his lot in the world of the NBA:
For his part, Milicic has shown nothing more than a desire to add toughness to the Griz. He comes to work with a bit of a chip on his shoulder.
Perhaps the only mental baggage that Milicic still carries from Detroit has to do with the high expectations and what he deems as unfair comparisons associated with the 2003 draft.
“It’s all about what pick you are here in the U.S.,” Milicic said.
“They call you the second pick, but you can’t be the second pick if you don’t play.”
Although he was at the time, Milicic is no longer regarded in the same class talent-wise as LeBron James (No. 1 overall), Carmelo Anthony (No. 3) and Dwyane Wade (No. 5).
He’s OK with that analysis.
“You can’t compare us,” Milicic said. “It doesn’t matter where I got picked, they’re still better than me. They’re athletes that do everything. We have different games.
“But I never doubted I could play in this league. I wouldn’t have come here if I didn’t think I could play. Forget about the money. You can make money in Europe. It’s about the game, and I knew I could play here.”
For the full story, go HERE.
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December 11th, 2007 at 11:12 am
Bust Jlaze says:
Oh, you gotta love that response…big ups, Dark.
December 11th, 2007 at 11:24 am
Youngfed says:
At least he’s honest. But Darko your still a bum. I’m out like joe dumars mine for not taking Melo just because we have Prince. Holla!
December 11th, 2007 at 12:00 pm
kowtz says:
Okay okay, I (for the sake of arguement) buy that Det did not need SF (melo) and SG (Wade) and they needed a big man…
I’ve got one word for Dumars… “BOSH”!!!!!!
December 11th, 2007 at 1:12 pm
dagwaller says:
Yeah. Or Kaman.
December 11th, 2007 at 1:18 pm
dagwaller says:
Now that I’m looking at NBADraft.net, Collison or David West or Diaw or Kendrick Perkins or even maybe Matt Bonner. Bonner’s a bit of a stretch, but the rest (especially Kaman and West) have accomplished the same or more than Darko…not to mention Bosh.
I do think that Darko’s ok, though. More a victim of circumstance. Detroit’s other picks that year? Delfino and Andreas Glyniadakis. So…none of them are still on the team. I think that Dumars won the Executive of the year award that year, too, hahahahahaha. Then he gave away Memo (future all-star in the West) and eventually picked up Chris Webber (who’s not even in the League now). Him and Isiah can hang out with McHale and maybe Bird after the season to watch the playoffs! (I guess that’s a little harsh – the Pistons are still gonna make noise but still, terrible decisions sometimes from that man…)
December 11th, 2007 at 2:39 pm
Doc says:
He got Sheed who need Memo and who want Chris “Babies Ass” Bosh.
December 11th, 2007 at 4:20 pm
Brown says:
Doc, are you saying you’d rather have Nazr Mohammed starting rather than Chris Bosh? Bosh was an all-star last year dude! You’d be a moron not to want him on your team. Yeah he gets injured a bit, but he’s thin and has to carry their whole frontcourt on his back. It would be different playing with Sheed an Jason Maxiell in the rotation rather than Rasho Nesterovic and Andrea Bargnani. Bosh is forced to be the muscle on that team, and because he doesn’t have anyone to share that load, his body pays for it. But he still put up 20 and 10 last year.
December 12th, 2007 at 1:31 am
dagwaller says:
Doc, you’re right, why would you want an all-star? That wouldn’t make any sense. After Big Ben left, they should’ve just started 4 guys instead of having a center at all, maybe.