Joined: 19 Jun 2003 Posts: 1235 Location: Los Angeles (Western & Florence)
Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2015 10:32 am Post subject: Darko Milicic.
One of the biggest busts in history, even worse than Sam Bowie. I remember people having debates about if he would become better than Lebron...and when he was picked, most folks didn't even think it was stupid to pick him ahead of Carmelo, because he showed potential.
I never saw this until last night: His first pre-season game vs The Cavs - - and I almost became intrigued by him again. He averaged 1.4 his first season, and 1.8 his second, and even though he improved, he was never anything near what he was supposed to be.
Do you all think he could have flourished in the right system? Or did he just need to develop more before coming into the league? You can tell he had skills, but he was extremely raw, and I feel like he lost his confidence before he had a chance to actually blossom. I remember him being frustrated that first year because he wasn't getting the PT or endorements as Bron/Wade/Melo, but then I hear that he had bad attitude and maybe even a lack of work ethic.
Was anyone here actually "Team Darko" at some point?
It was hard to catch a Darko game as he tended to play more in blow-outs. My impression is that he had some very good basic skills, but he couldn't absorb the contact and be effective. I don't know about the level of contact allowed at wherever he played in Europe, but what leaped out at me during that rookie season was how he could not absorb contact and score, and that he had few moves and no counter-moves. I later learned that he had no passion for basketball, and that his only interests were women and cars.
He is a hot mess in that video. The fact that multiple NBA people were losing their minds over him after a workout goes to show how different the two situations are. He bears no resemblance to a quality 19 year old basketball player there.
I think it shows how difficult scouting is. Lots of people projected him as the #2 pick.
Quote:
While the rest of the world tuned in breathlessly to the first national broadcast on ESPN2 of a LeBron James game, I was navigating through the snow and ice to get a peek at the kid (Darko) many think will be the second player selected in this year's NBA draft.
Joined: 19 Jun 2003 Posts: 1235 Location: Los Angeles (Western & Florence)
Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2015 4:40 pm Post subject:
GoldenThroat wrote:
He is a hot mess in that video. The fact that multiple NBA people were losing their minds over him after a workout goes to show how different the two situations are. He bears no resemblance to a quality 19 year old basketball player there.
Yea he looked sooooooooooo sloppy, weak, afraid, timid...but I still saw a slight bit of what they thought he could be. The size, speed/quickness, bald handling, fluid moves. I feel like he could have been at least a one time all star with the right coaching and motivation behind him. It basically makes me give them a slight bit of a pass for wasting a pick on him. People who never really saw him just assume he showed zero potential at any point.
Interesting. He was 0-1 as a kick boxer, but is now making a comeback with some Euro team. Anyway, he was one of the great over-reaches of all time. Back in those days, there were a lot of Euro busts. Remember the guy that the Clips picked right after us when we took Bynum? Yanolev or something like that.
Under different circumstances, he could have had a productive career. He got picked by the wrong team at the wrong time with the wrong coach. He was never going to be as good as the guys who got picked right after him, but he could have developed into a solid starter with a poor team or a rotation guy with a good team. He eventually did get good enough that the TWolves paid him, but that's not a high standard.
Amazing to think the guy played 8,600 minutes in his career and made $52 million.
and won an NBA ring. _________________ "Now, if life is coffee, then the jobs, money & position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold & contain life, but the quality of life doesn't change. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee in it."
Joined: 02 Apr 2006 Posts: 3079 Location: Portugal
Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2015 2:37 am Post subject:
Never bothered to put any effort getting better, just making millions.
His outburst against the referee in an international tournament was bad.
If not for the high pick, say he had been a late 1st round, people would have regarded him as decent backup. _________________ -----------------------------------------------------
http://www.youtube.com/user/NBAMadeira
There's videos on Youtube with him partying with what's essentially the Russian Mob or mafia whatever. Dude was a head case more then anything once that money rolled in he didn't care if he got minutes as long as he was getting checks.
Interesting. He was 0-1 as a kick boxer, but is now making a comeback with some Euro team. Anyway, he was one of the great over-reaches of all time. Back in those days, there were a lot of Euro busts. Remember the guy that the Clips picked right after us when we took Bynum? Yanolev or something like that.
Under different circumstances, he could have had a productive career. He got picked by the wrong team at the wrong time with the wrong coach. He was never going to be as good as the guys who got picked right after him, but he could have developed into a solid starter with a poor team or a rotation guy with a good team. He eventually did get good enough that the TWolves paid him, but that's not a high standard.
Yep. Wrong coach, wrong system, didn't seem to care. But don't worry. Manna from heaven! Without looking it up, I think the guy Dunleavy drafted was named Korolev. Can't recall his first name. The list of busts is quite lengthy. Hell. The Magic wasted a lotto pick on Fran Vasquez (sp?) who never even came over. Quality scouting. Never Nervous? Joe Barely Cares? Anthony Bennett? Joe Smith over KG? Pat Riley? Yi and his chair? Washburn? Robert Swift? Joe Alexander? Tarpley was good, but obviously had his issues. Bias kinda died before his first preseason. Flynn over Curry? And on and on. I'm sure there's some delightful bleacher report slide show "article" identifying the biggest busts of all time.
Interesting. He was 0-1 as a kick boxer, but is now making a comeback with some Euro team. Anyway, he was one of the great over-reaches of all time. Back in those days, there were a lot of Euro busts. Remember the guy that the Clips picked right after us when we took Bynum? Yanolev or something like that.
Under different circumstances, he could have had a productive career. He got picked by the wrong team at the wrong time with the wrong coach. He was never going to be as good as the guys who got picked right after him, but he could have developed into a solid starter with a poor team or a rotation guy with a good team. He eventually did get good enough that the TWolves paid him, but that's not a high standard.
Yep. Wrong coach, wrong system, didn't seem to care. But don't worry. Manna from heaven! Without looking it up, I think the guy Dunleavy drafted was named Korolev. Can't recall his first name. The list of busts is quite lengthy. Hell. The Magic wasted a lotto pick on Fran Vasquez (sp?) who never even came over. Quality scouting. Never Nervous? Joe Barely Cares? Anthony Bennett? Joe Smith over KG? Pat Riley? Yi and his chair? Washburn? Robert Swift? Joe Alexander? Tarpley was good, but obviously had his issues. Bias kinda died before his first preseason. Flynn over Curry? And on and on. I'm sure there's some delightful bleacher report slide show "article" identifying the biggest busts of all time.
Interesting. He was 0-1 as a kick boxer, but is now making a comeback with some Euro team. Anyway, he was one of the great over-reaches of all time. Back in those days, there were a lot of Euro busts. Remember the guy that the Clips picked right after us when we took Bynum? Yanolev or something like that.
Under different circumstances, he could have had a productive career. He got picked by the wrong team at the wrong time with the wrong coach. He was never going to be as good as the guys who got picked right after him, but he could have developed into a solid starter with a poor team or a rotation guy with a good team. He eventually did get good enough that the TWolves paid him, but that's not a high standard.
Yep. Wrong coach, wrong system, didn't seem to care. But don't worry. Manna from heaven! Without looking it up, I think the guy Dunleavy drafted was named Korolev. Can't recall his first name. The list of busts is quite lengthy. Hell. The Magic wasted a lotto pick on Fran Vasquez (sp?) who never even came over. Quality scouting. Never Nervous? Joe Barely Cares? Anthony Bennett? Joe Smith over KG? Pat Riley? Yi and his chair? Washburn? Robert Swift? Joe Alexander? Tarpley was good, but obviously had his issues. Bias kinda died before his first preseason. Flynn over Curry? And on and on. I'm sure there's some delightful bleacher report slide show "article" identifying the biggest busts of all time.
What makes the Darko "the pick" laughable was the fact that he was selected over potential HOF'ers like Wade, Bosh, and Anthony, not to mention a slew of excellent role players like Pietrus. But Darko "the player" had potential. Very good basic skills, a large frame that could easily develop muscle mass, good athleticism, speed, balance and dexterity (for a big). Just looking at the video, the question mark would have been his feel for the game, self-control and previous coaching (Corliss Williams even tried to lend a hand). Even though teams are understandably cautious about Euros, if young Darko came out this season he'd be top 12 or so, pending of course the background check and interviews.
Joined: 19 Jun 2003 Posts: 1235 Location: Los Angeles (Western & Florence)
Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2015 8:05 am Post subject:
mad55557777 wrote:
Better question would be what would the Pistons look like had they picked wade or melo or bosh?
No one EVER agrees with me, but..........they may have never been champions!!!!
I feel that because Darko showed zero potential that season, they were ok with making that trade for Rasheed Wallace, and that immediately pushed them into being a contender. If they had Bosh, Melo, Wade, they may have been cool with developing and not being an immediate contender. Basically chaos theory, but yeah. Darko helped them get that ring LOL
Darko is like Kwame Brown, they unfortunately had MJ and Larry stunt their growth, shredded their man hood and whatever confidence they had in themselves. _________________ New Beginings
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