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| {{cite web| url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2332021 | title=Pistons get Cato, first-round pick for Darko, Arroyo | last=Press | first=Associated | work=] | date=]}}</ref> | {{cite web| url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2332021 | title=Pistons get Cato, first-round pick for Darko, Arroyo | last=Press | first=Associated | work=] | date=]}}</ref> | ||
| During a game against the ] he played 32 minutes and finished with 13 points and 7 rebounds. The 13 points and 32 minutes were season highs, and he led the Magic in minutes for that game. Darko has also exhibited his abilities as a shot blocker by averaging 2.4 blocks per game in his first 20 games as a member of the Magic. When his rookie contract expired offseason, Orlando did not sign the matching offer on the table, and so he became an ]. | During a game against the ] he played 32 minutes and finished with 13 points and 7 rebounds. The 13 points and 32 minutes were season highs, and he led the Magic in minutes for that game. Darko has also exhibited his abilities as a shot blocker by averaging 2.4 blocks per game in his first 20 games as a member of the Magic. In the 06-07 playoffs, he increased his scoring by 4 points per game to 12.3 on .588 shooting, which was all the more impressive playing against noted the defensive powerhouse ] When his rookie contract expired offseason, Orlando did not sign the matching offer on the table, and so he became an ]. | ||
| === Memphis Grizzlies === | === Memphis Grizzlies === | ||
Revision as of 01:55, 10 August 2007
| Memphis Grizzlies | |
|---|---|
| Position | Power forward/Center |
| League | NBA |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1985-06-20) June 20, 1985 (age 39) Novi Sad, Serbia,SFR Yugoslavia |
| Nationality | Serbia |
| Listed height | 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) |
| Listed weight | |
| Career information | |
| NBA draft | 2003: 2 overall |
| Selected by the Detroit Pistons | |
| Playing career | 2003–present |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| 2001 European Cadet Champion 2002 Under-20 World Champion 2004 NBA Champion | |
Stats at NBA.com  | |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
Darko Miličić (Serbian: Дарко Миличић; born June 20, 1985 in Novi Sad, Serbia, Yugoslavia) is a Serbian professional basketball player who is a member of the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA, the third team for which he has played in his career. He was selected by the Detroit Pistons as the 2nd overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft. In the first 2½ seasons of his career playing for the Detroit Pistons, Miličić averaged 5.8 minutes, and 1.6 points per game. In the 30 games he played during the 2005-06 season with the Orlando Magic, he averaged 20.9 minutes, 7.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.07 blocks per game.
Professional career
Detroit Pistons
Unlike most teams with high draft picks, the Pistons had made the Eastern Conference Finals the season before they held the pick because of a trade that had been made with the Vancouver Grizzlies in 1996 for power forward Otis Thorpe. During his time with the Pistons, Miličić won an NBA championship in 2004 but saw limited playing time. His selection by Detroit was largely praised at the time, as he was considered the top European prospect. However, as Miličić failed to enter the team's rotation, the selection has been widely second-guessed by many, who have argued that the Pistons should have taken Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, or Dwyane Wade; all of whom were available at the time Miličić was taken. The criticism was tempered somewhat due to the excellent team chemistry displayed by the Pistons during their championship run.
Under coach Larry Brown (2003-2005), Miličić only played when the Pistons had an insurmountable lead late in the game. This earned him the somewhat derisive nickname of "The Human Victory Cigar." Pistons team president Joe Dumars repeatedly stated that Miličić would play a big part in the team's future, but he did not see a large increase in playing time during his second season. Miličić has been quoted on numerous occasions as blaming his slow development on his lack of playing time: "I've said it 10,000 times, the best way for me to improve is to play. All the work in practice and individual workouts can only help me so much." After Brown's departure, Flip Saunders was hired as head coach of the Pistons. It was expected that Miličić would see more playing time due to Saunders's track record of developing young players such as Kevin Garnett and Stephon Marbury. While Brown has a well-known preference for veterans, Saunders was seen as more willing to give on-the-job training. With Elden Campbell no longer on Detroit's roster and Dale Davis only brought in as a mentor, most NBA experts believed that Miličić would see considerably more minutes this season as the Pistons' full-time backup center behind Ben Wallace. While Darko played well in the NBA's summer leagues and earned the praise of his teammates, little changed in the first half of the 2006 season. Under Saunders, Miličić still averaged only 5.6 minutes per game, and received significant playing time only in blowout wins or blowout losses for the Pistons. Darko's surprising lack of playing time in Detroit was frequently highlighted in publications like ESPN The Magazine and Sports Illustrated.
Miličić became the youngest player ever to appear in an NBA Finals game (18 years and 356 days) when the Pistons defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2004 NBA Finals.
Orlando Magic
On February 15, 2006, just prior to the NBA's All-Star break, Miličić was traded, along with point guard Carlos Arroyo, to the Orlando Magic for Kelvin Cato and a first-round pick in the 2007 NBA Draft.
During a game against the New York Knicks he played 32 minutes and finished with 13 points and 7 rebounds. The 13 points and 32 minutes were season highs, and he led the Magic in minutes for that game. Darko has also exhibited his abilities as a shot blocker by averaging 2.4 blocks per game in his first 20 games as a member of the Magic. In the 06-07 playoffs, he increased his scoring by 4 points per game to 12.3 on .588 shooting, which was all the more impressive playing against noted the defensive powerhouse Detroit Pistons. When his rookie contract expired offseason, Orlando did not sign the matching offer on the table, and so he became an unrestricted free agent.
Memphis Grizzlies
On July 12, 2007, the first day of free agency, Miličić was signed by the Memphis Grizzlies to a 3-year $21 Million contract.
International career
In 2006, Darko Miličić led a rebuilding Serbia and Montenegro at the 2006 FIBA World Championship. Serbia and Montenegro had decided to replace their aging superstars, who had led the team to a gold medal finish in the previous 2002 FIBA World Championship, with young blood. Miličić led the team in rebounds (56) and blocked shots (17) and was second on the team in scoring (16.2 ppg) and assists (11) through six games. In the Serbia and Montenegro's sixth and final game against Spain, Miličić matched up against NBA All-Star Pau Gasol and finished with a very respectable 18 points, 15 rebounds, and 3 blocks.
Personal life
Miličić has stated that after his NBA career ends he will fulfil his obligation to military service in his native Serbia.
References
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Lage, Larry (2005-06-17). "Pistons' Milicic is still waiting, watching". Boston Globe.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) -
Press, Associated (2006-02-22). "Pistons get Cato, first-round pick for Darko, Arroyo". ESPN.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - Milicic, Grizzlies agree on three-year deal July 11, 2007
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Schmitz, Brian (2006-12-19). "Driven to succeed". Orlando Sentinel.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help)
External links
| Detroit Pistons 2003–04 NBA champions | |
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