While everyone is talking about Class of 2003 superstars LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh and their impending free agency in 2010, one guy you don’t have to worry about bidding for is Darko Milicic.
After, shall we say, an underwhelming NBA career, the Grizzlies center (who lost his starting job to newcomer Marc Gasol), said he could return to Europe when he becomes a free agent in the summer of 2010.
“A lot of days I think that because the only way to be me is in Europe. I don’t want to be a defensive player the rest of my career. It’s not really what I want to do.”
Claiming he has been wrongly typecast as a physical, defensive player, Darko just wants to have fun and get buckets.
“I used to enjoy playing and scoring,” Milicic said. “This isn’t the way I want to finish my career. In Europe, I can be a different player with the ball going through me. Here, you take a shot and you just don’t want to miss. You think too much. I want to get my confidence back on the offensive end. I want the ball to go through me so I can have a chance to miss without worrying about it. And I want a chance to make plays.”
If you were Darko, after a $7.5 million salary for the 2009-10 season, would you bounce back home?
Source: Memphis Commercial Appeal
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December 1st, 2008 at 9:36 am
PWeezy says:
He didn’t prove to his coaches that he was an offensive threat from the beginning wasn’t good enough to be the number 1 option go to euro trash land
December 1st, 2008 at 9:39 am
Craig says:
After all the jokes on him and after all the expectations fell through, i doubt he could get his confidence back in europe, thailand, australia or wherever the hell he wants to go…
December 1st, 2008 at 9:45 am
Richard Wellner says:
This is exactly why I want him to come to New York. D’Antoni could make him an all-star. Seriously.
December 1st, 2008 at 9:53 am
AK47 says:
Euro trash land fuck you right back brother!
December 1st, 2008 at 9:54 am
the_don_mega says:
id prolly hang it up and call it quits…
December 1st, 2008 at 10:03 am
Scott says:
Europe is probably the best option for him. Maybe he can actually get his confidence back, develop a bit and make a return to the L. Though, if he goes to Europe he probably isn’t coming back, and if he can find success there, then good for him. Dude has been ridiculed to death here.
December 1st, 2008 at 10:10 am
Mikey says:
He could be successful with D’Antoni, Don Nelson, or in Europe. Seeing as GS won’t have cap space in 2010, it’s either the Knicks or Europe. I think Europe is the better option of the two for Darko. If Darko is overthinking his offense at Memphis, what would he be like in New York?
December 1st, 2008 at 10:33 am
Max says:
Darko should go back to Europe for the good of his game…he’s in a bad situation in Memphis, with two guys (Gay and Mayo) that pretty much jack unconscionably, and horrible point guards that couldn’t feed the post if their life depended on it.
December 1st, 2008 at 11:09 am
Thanatos says:
Maybe Darko’s right…just find his numbers from the Euro 2006 basketball championship. He got something like 16 point , 9 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game with the Serbian national team.
December 1st, 2008 at 11:11 am
yoda says:
i’ve seen darko play for his national team, serbia, and he played well there. i guess year or two could do him good, to get his groove back.
December 1st, 2008 at 11:22 am
Thanatos says:
world championship 2006 Japan, not Euro 2006.
but here are the stats..
http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fe/06_wcm/stat/p/openNodeIDs/644/selNodeID/644/fe_stat_playLead.html
Points per game
Darko is at 11 with 16.2 p/g
rebounds
Darko is 3′rd with 9.3 Reb/game
Blocks
Darko’s first with 2.8 blocks\gane
so maybe he can play a little bit?
December 1st, 2008 at 11:26 am
doc says:
Darko should just leave now,and who put the bs that he’s a physical defender in his head.If he’s that then Bron is a 3pt shooter.
December 1st, 2008 at 12:16 pm
weezy f says:
maybe the offense would got hru him if he was any good? just a thought
December 1st, 2008 at 12:38 pm
karizmatic says:
yeah…if only he could actually play on offense…maybe against lesser talented players he can truly be himself good luck to him.
December 1st, 2008 at 4:55 pm
Kudabeen says:
In Orlando he did have stretches proving that he could be a capable offensive player…He has good touch on his shot, he is decent ball handler and a pretty good passer. People just love beating him up and it is his fault for allowing it to get to him. Basketball is all about confidence. If he doesn’t have confidence in his self then why would his team have it for him?
He would be better served playing internationally, because he does play more of a fearless style of ball when he is abroad. I think he has a much better game and it is a case of being given a lesser role, because he wasn’t the same caliber player as the others in his class…