Comments on: Myth: Detroit Pistons picking Darko Milicic over Carmelo Anthony with the No. 2 pick in the 2003 NBA Draft was an avoidable blunder http://www.pistonpowered.com/2010/09/myth-detroit-pistons-picking-darko-milicic-over-carmelo-anthony-with-the-no-2-pick-in-the-2003-nba-draft-was-an-avoidable-blunder/ Your Go-To Source For Pistons Coverage Mon, 20 May 2013 06:10:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: al http://www.pistonpowered.com/2010/09/myth-detroit-pistons-picking-darko-milicic-over-carmelo-anthony-with-the-no-2-pick-in-the-2003-nba-draft-was-an-avoidable-blunder/comment-page-1/#comment-147762 al Mon, 06 May 2013 13:11:00 +0000 http://www.pistonpowered.com/2010/09/myth-detroit-pistons-picking-darko-milicic-over-carmelo-anthony-with-the-no-2-pick-in-the-2003-nba-draft-was-an-avoidable-blunder/#comment-147762 Sorry, I was paying attention when this draft was happening, I knew all the info for Darko, and being a Piston's fan since the 70s disagree. Darko never looked like he was going to fit with the Pistons, and many experts in sports and the general consensus from the beginning was Melo was the #2 player in the draft and Darko was at best 3rd. It is not a myth and was a colossal mistake to not take Melo. The excuse was with Brown as a coach, who never plays rookies, Melo would just sit on the bench and Pistons didn't want to spend that much for a bench rider. Sorry, I was paying attention when this draft was happening, I knew all the info for Darko, and being a Piston’s fan since the 70s disagree. Darko never looked like he was going to fit with the Pistons, and many experts in sports and the general consensus from the beginning was Melo was the #2 player in the draft and Darko was at best 3rd. It is not a myth and was a colossal mistake to not take Melo. The excuse was with Brown as a coach, who never plays rookies, Melo would just sit on the bench and Pistons didn’t want to spend that much for a bench rider.

]]> By: Kyle Alm http://www.pistonpowered.com/2010/09/myth-detroit-pistons-picking-darko-milicic-over-carmelo-anthony-with-the-no-2-pick-in-the-2003-nba-draft-was-an-avoidable-blunder/comment-page-1/#comment-134643 Kyle Alm Wed, 27 Mar 2013 18:22:43 +0000 http://www.pistonpowered.com/2010/09/myth-detroit-pistons-picking-darko-milicic-over-carmelo-anthony-with-the-no-2-pick-in-the-2003-nba-draft-was-an-avoidable-blunder/#comment-134643 Either way you slice drafting Melo or Dwayne Wade is a no brainer looking back on it. Wade turned out to be a huge surprise, I don't think that anyone expected him to be this good, he'll be a top 50 player when his career is over. Either way you slice drafting Melo or Dwayne Wade is a no brainer looking back on it. Wade turned out to be a huge surprise, I don’t think that anyone expected him to be this good, he’ll be a top 50 player when his career is over.

]]> By: Joe Dumars http://www.pistonpowered.com/2010/09/myth-detroit-pistons-picking-darko-milicic-over-carmelo-anthony-with-the-no-2-pick-in-the-2003-nba-draft-was-an-avoidable-blunder/comment-page-1/#comment-60873 Joe Dumars Sat, 24 Mar 2012 22:01:57 +0000 http://www.pistonpowered.com/2010/09/myth-detroit-pistons-picking-darko-milicic-over-carmelo-anthony-with-the-no-2-pick-in-the-2003-nba-draft-was-an-avoidable-blunder/#comment-60873 "He’s going to own the game. <em>Own</em> the game," Robinsons exclaims. "We’re going to have to build a new arena. The only thing that could destroy a kid like that is a woman." American women destroyed Darko.  That's the real reason Darko turned out to be a bust. “He’s going to own the game. Own the game,” Robinsons exclaims. “We’re going to have to build a new arena. The only thing that could destroy a kid like that is a woman.”

American women destroyed Darko.  That’s the real reason Darko turned out to be a bust.

]]> By: bob bayer http://www.pistonpowered.com/2010/09/myth-detroit-pistons-picking-darko-milicic-over-carmelo-anthony-with-the-no-2-pick-in-the-2003-nba-draft-was-an-avoidable-blunder/comment-page-1/#comment-26081 bob bayer Mon, 21 Mar 2011 05:19:13 +0000 http://www.pistonpowered.com/2010/09/myth-detroit-pistons-picking-darko-milicic-over-carmelo-anthony-with-the-no-2-pick-in-the-2003-nba-draft-was-an-avoidable-blunder/#comment-26081 By: adam http://www.pistonpowered.com/2010/09/myth-detroit-pistons-picking-darko-milicic-over-carmelo-anthony-with-the-no-2-pick-in-the-2003-nba-draft-was-an-avoidable-blunder/comment-page-1/#comment-8119 adam Wed, 22 Sep 2010 07:28:04 +0000 http://www.pistonpowered.com/2010/09/myth-detroit-pistons-picking-darko-milicic-over-carmelo-anthony-with-the-no-2-pick-in-the-2003-nba-draft-was-an-avoidable-blunder/#comment-8119 I wish NCAA would allow young europeans who have previously earned professional money play in the NCAA. The talent in the NBA and in the NCAA would improve DRAMATICALLY if this was allowed. It's not like the kids will have earned much as teenagers in europe and it would give them a much better road to the NBA. Guys like Enes Katner, Donatas Motiejunas, Jan Vesely, Thomas Satoransky Etc would add a lot more diverse talent to the college game and give them a much easier and prepared road to the NBA.   As for Milicic, I think he would have been an exceptional player had he gone to another team. He had the quickest feet for a 7 footer and a lot of skills. Detroit was a horrible situation. Larry Brown benched Melo, Wade and James on his way to a bronze at the 2004 olympics which shows you that he hates young guys and rookies. I wish NCAA would allow young europeans who have previously earned professional money play in the NCAA. The talent in the NBA and in the NCAA would improve DRAMATICALLY if this was allowed. It’s not like the kids will have earned much as teenagers in europe and it would give them a much better road to the NBA. Guys like Enes Katner, Donatas Motiejunas, Jan Vesely, Thomas Satoransky Etc would add a lot more diverse talent to the college game and give them a much easier and prepared road to the NBA.
 
As for Milicic, I think he would have been an exceptional player had he gone to another team. He had the quickest feet for a 7 footer and a lot of skills. Detroit was a horrible situation. Larry Brown benched Melo, Wade and James on his way to a bronze at the 2004 olympics which shows you that he hates young guys and rookies.

]]> By: frankie d http://www.pistonpowered.com/2010/09/myth-detroit-pistons-picking-darko-milicic-over-carmelo-anthony-with-the-no-2-pick-in-the-2003-nba-draft-was-an-avoidable-blunder/comment-page-1/#comment-8019 frankie d Mon, 20 Sep 2010 19:52:25 +0000 http://www.pistonpowered.com/2010/09/myth-detroit-pistons-picking-darko-milicic-over-carmelo-anthony-with-the-no-2-pick-in-the-2003-nba-draft-was-an-avoidable-blunder/#comment-8019 this is a ridiculous article. the pistons had a chance to draft one of the best players in the league - take your pick of wade or melo - and they didn't. instead they picked a guy who is, at best, a journeyman. it doesn't matter one iota who else would have picked him or passed on him, the responsibility rests with the team that made that choice.  that is why plenty of gms hate having that kind of high pick.  they understand full well what will happen if they blow the pick. joe d blew the pick. anyone in their right mind would rather have d-wade or melo.  again, just because everyone else would have made the same choice...so what.  joe d made the choice and he has to live with the consequences and all the attempts to justify one of the worst picks in the history of the league read as empty rationalizations. this is a ridiculous article.
the pistons had a chance to draft one of the best players in the league – take your pick of wade or melo – and they didn’t.
instead they picked a guy who is, at best, a journeyman.
it doesn’t matter one iota who else would have picked him or passed on him, the responsibility rests with the team that made that choice.  that is why plenty of gms hate having that kind of high pick.  they understand full well what will happen if they blow the pick.
joe d blew the pick.
anyone in their right mind would rather have d-wade or melo.  again, just because everyone else would have made the same choice…so what.  joe d made the choice and he has to live with the consequences and all the attempts to justify one of the worst picks in the history of the league read as empty rationalizations.

]]> By: Arthur C. http://www.pistonpowered.com/2010/09/myth-detroit-pistons-picking-darko-milicic-over-carmelo-anthony-with-the-no-2-pick-in-the-2003-nba-draft-was-an-avoidable-blunder/comment-page-1/#comment-7979 Arthur C. Sun, 19 Sep 2010 02:15:47 +0000 http://www.pistonpowered.com/2010/09/myth-detroit-pistons-picking-darko-milicic-over-carmelo-anthony-with-the-no-2-pick-in-the-2003-nba-draft-was-an-avoidable-blunder/#comment-7979 Man, I knew Darko was going to be a punk when he got to the U.S. and put those blonde highlights in his dark brown hair.  Granted he was still a teenager, but it just showed he was really young acting.  New country, new team, new league.  Darko just wasn't going to adjust well to all that transition. Maybe Darko might have adjusted better if he had a touchier-feelier coach, but that doesn't happen much in the pros--hate on Larry Brown, but imagine what Doug Collins, pre-cancer George Wallace Karl, or Phil Jackson would have done to Darko if he had played for them.  Phil would have roasted Darko as a punchline each week to reporters. Darko just wasn't and isn't built to handle the pro hoops life over here.  He and Kwame Brown have that in common.  Weird they both got contracts from my man Joe Dumars. Man, I knew Darko was going to be a punk when he got to the U.S. and put those blonde highlights in his dark brown hair.  Granted he was still a teenager, but it just showed he was really young acting.  New country, new team, new league.  Darko just wasn’t going to adjust well to all that transition.
Maybe Darko might have adjusted better if he had a touchier-feelier coach, but that doesn’t happen much in the pros–hate on Larry Brown, but imagine what Doug Collins, pre-cancer George Wallace Karl, or Phil Jackson would have done to Darko if he had played for them.  Phil would have roasted Darko as a punchline each week to reporters.
Darko just wasn’t and isn’t built to handle the pro hoops life over here.  He and Kwame Brown have that in common.  Weird they both got contracts from my man Joe Dumars.

]]> By: C-Foe http://www.pistonpowered.com/2010/09/myth-detroit-pistons-picking-darko-milicic-over-carmelo-anthony-with-the-no-2-pick-in-the-2003-nba-draft-was-an-avoidable-blunder/comment-page-1/#comment-7960 C-Foe Sat, 18 Sep 2010 05:08:28 +0000 http://www.pistonpowered.com/2010/09/myth-detroit-pistons-picking-darko-milicic-over-carmelo-anthony-with-the-no-2-pick-in-the-2003-nba-draft-was-an-avoidable-blunder/#comment-7960 @Larry Brown:  LOL...So true, so very true.  On a side note, it's amazing how NBA followers love to continue to throw Joe under the bus regarding Darko vs. Carmelo.  However they never throw Jordan under the bus for Kwame vs. Pau Gasol which was a much bigger blunder.  Go figure.  Heck, at least we still won a championship even with the Human Victory Cigar. @Larry Brown:  LOL…So true, so very true. 

On a side note, it’s amazing how NBA followers love to continue to throw Joe under the bus regarding Darko vs. Carmelo.  However they never throw Jordan under the bus for Kwame vs. Pau Gasol which was a much bigger blunder.  Go figure.  Heck, at least we still won a championship even with the Human Victory Cigar.

]]> By: Laser http://www.pistonpowered.com/2010/09/myth-detroit-pistons-picking-darko-milicic-over-carmelo-anthony-with-the-no-2-pick-in-the-2003-nba-draft-was-an-avoidable-blunder/comment-page-1/#comment-7873 Laser Thu, 16 Sep 2010 17:23:58 +0000 http://www.pistonpowered.com/2010/09/myth-detroit-pistons-picking-darko-milicic-over-carmelo-anthony-with-the-no-2-pick-in-the-2003-nba-draft-was-an-avoidable-blunder/#comment-7873 face it: i hate darko's attitude. HATE it. but... darko > wilcox. face it: i hate darko’s attitude. HATE it. but… darko > wilcox.

]]> By: The Rake http://www.pistonpowered.com/2010/09/myth-detroit-pistons-picking-darko-milicic-over-carmelo-anthony-with-the-no-2-pick-in-the-2003-nba-draft-was-an-avoidable-blunder/comment-page-1/#comment-7849 The Rake Thu, 16 Sep 2010 04:41:17 +0000 http://www.pistonpowered.com/2010/09/myth-detroit-pistons-picking-darko-milicic-over-carmelo-anthony-with-the-no-2-pick-in-the-2003-nba-draft-was-an-avoidable-blunder/#comment-7849 A great article, but I can't say I am totally convinced that Darko was going #2 regardless.  Its irrelevant. Draft busts happen, all the time, EVERY year.  The reason this stands out so much is the stars who were drafter immediately around him.  Countless high-picks fail to make an impact, and one could certainly argue that Darko (at this point anyway) has turned out better than a number of other high draft picks in recent years.  Yes, he flamed out hard for us, and tainted Chad Ford and Joe D forever (sad but true)....but that all doesnt make it the wrong pick.  People were convinced that this guy was a horse.  It just didnt turn out to be. The Rake http://thefilmnest.com A great article, but I can’t say I am totally convinced that Darko was going #2 regardless.  Its irrelevant. Draft busts happen, all the time, EVERY year.  The reason this stands out so much is the stars who were drafter immediately around him.  Countless high-picks fail to make an impact, and one could certainly argue that Darko (at this point anyway) has turned out better than a number of other high draft picks in recent years.  Yes, he flamed out hard for us, and tainted Chad Ford and Joe D forever (sad but true)….but that all doesnt make it the wrong pick.  People were convinced that this guy was a horse.  It just didnt turn out to be.
The Rake
http://thefilmnest.com

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