Kwame or Darko? Article from Foxsports.com

Das · Starting Rotation Joined: 15 Dec 2005 Posts: 887

If you were a GM of an NBA team and someone held a gun to your head and forced you to choose between taking either Darko Milicic or Kwame Brown, who would you pick and why? — Garrett

Both of these guys have NBA skills, and both are spectacularly immature. Neither was remotely prepared to play in the NBA at the onset of their careers. If both players have quick feet, Milicic has better hands and has the considerable advantage of being left-handed. Brown plays like he could be a force in the middle only once every three games. Milicic plays hard only when the stars are properly aligned.

Given that making such a decision is artificial in that it would theoretically depend on the other players already on the mythical team under my control, I would pick Brown. Why? Because he was stung to the quick by Michael Jordan's public criticisms of his game/attitude in Washington, psychological damage that, in time, can be overcome. Brown also seems more willing to share the ball. Besides, young, talented centers are much harder to find that non-centers. And, finally, Brown's power trumps Darko's cream-puff finesse.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/5403198

they-perch · Star Player Joined: 25 Jun 2005 Posts: 1184

darko has the better offensive game by far. kwame is a better man on man defender. but darko is better on the boards (defensively), shotblocking, and has a much more smooth refined post game. after seeing darko pull things together in orlando lately i really wish we could have found a way to gamble on him. all orlando gave up was cato (an expiring contract) and a first round pick. we could have thrown together something similar. oh well, i dont think anyone thought he could do what hes doing now.

ishi331 · Star Player Joined: 23 Feb 2006 Posts: 7258

I prefer Kwame over Darko. Just cause if Kwame commits, he can be a beast.

AirKobe8 · Star Player Joined: 30 Jan 2005 Posts: 8586

Kwame >>>>>>>>>>>> Darko
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uberzev · Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 6:08 pm Post subject:

Darko >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Kwame
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BraveHeartII · Star Player Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 1848

At first I wanted Darko, but Kwame is so unique in that no matter how much he sucks offensively, you can still throw him out there against the elites and he'll give you a chance to win, because of his ability to take away the post as an offensive option, which is one of the critical elements to winning a championship.

A shutdown defender is very tough to quantified. It's like Bruce Bowen vs Manu. One is more versatile, but is he necessarily more important?

DaggerInTheHeart · Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 6:11 pm Post subject:

uberzev · Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 6:24 pm Post subject:

Freakout · Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 6:26 pm Post subject:

uberzev · Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 6:27 pm Post subject:

Fan0Bynum17 · Franchise Player Joined: 30 Nov 2005 Posts: 15436

i'd say darko has about the same potential as kwame when it comes to rebounds and blocking if not better. kwame has the edge with post defense and darko having the obvious edge offensively, very smooth around the basket and has a nice jumper. kwame COULD be a ben wallace, but darko COULD be a stronger pau gasol. of course i don't think either will become them though.

rwongega · Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 6:53 pm Post subject:

This is like comparing Pau Gasol with Jermaine O'Neal. Darko's better offensively and more polished. He can block shots and grab some boards but can't really defend straight up. Kwame can't do anything but putbacks and alley-oops. He's a good man-to-man defender (when motivated) but hasn't really been the lane defender we wanted due to lapses in concentration. For me, I'd pick Darko by a slim margin because I don't really think Kwame can overcome his concentration lapses and the overall psychological damage MJ gave him. If Kwame can develop a midrange jumper (remember, even Ben Wallace developed a jumpshot as we've seen in the Lakers-Pistons finals) and become more focused and aware of the court, then he'll edge out Darko.

Nahtanoj · Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 6:57 pm Post subject:

Kwame got way too big in the summer of 2003, he won't ever be on Big Ben's level (aerially). But I still like what he does on the ground... sometimes.

LakerFan4Lyfe · Starting Rotation Joined: 30 Sep 2005 Posts: 761

Kwame ill take

hands down please!!!!

LTD · Starting Rotation Joined: 21 Jun 2005 Posts: 463

Darko.

boricua · Starting Rotation Joined: 07 Mar 2006 Posts: 172

Darko by far, but obviously you are on a Lakers fans forum so ...
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Freakout · Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 7:18 pm Post subject:

NestT · Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 7:29 pm Post subject:

Zhengi · Star Player Joined: 06 Sep 2004 Posts: 6445

targetman · Star Player Joined: 04 Sep 2004 Posts: 5503

targetman · Star Player Joined: 04 Sep 2004 Posts: 5503

Kwame is big and agile, more so than most want to give him credit for. I don't think he'll ever be huge on offense but if we can develop him along the lines of Wallace/Rodman he could be a huge asset to any team. Look at your contenders and you will have to mention their defensive specialists, like Wallace and Bowen. Now look at your good teams without such a specialist and you will see why I value Kwame so highly.
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twoface723 · Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 8:44 pm Post subject:

shnjb · Franchise Player Joined: 08 Oct 2002 Posts: 13320

MyKRo · Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 9:01 pm Post subject:

Kwame is 1000x better DEFENSIVE player than Darko. That alone makes him more valuable than Darko.

Lets see Darko effectively stave-off Tim Duncan and Shaq like Kwame has done.

Raptor2k · Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 9:02 pm Post subject: