Darko Article

[Phlegm]

Is Brown going coach the Pistons next year?

[Zanchief]

But speaking of Brown's great youth-squandering talents, you might want to tell Carlos Delfino, cause he stinks AND he got a chance under Brown. More than one even.

And yet neither James nor Anthony did. Ask yourself why Delfino got an opportunity...

Because there was a need, and because he was contributing something in practice. Speaks volumes about Darko's practices if you ask me.

[xaoshaen]

Because there was a need

And there we have it!

because he was contributing something in practice. Speaks volumes about Darko's practices if you ask me.

This is what's known as an unwarranted assumption.

[Zanchief]

Detroit did sign McDyess in the off-season, Xao. Assume what you want from that signing. I'll take it as a clear indication of certain current players not being ready.

[Lyion]

Vonk, my point was moreso from a 'learning and growing' standpoint. Hopefully he's learned a lot, but I agree he needs to get on the court and start playing now.

Really given his age it's impossible to say if he'll be a superstar or bust right now as we just haven't seen enough of him to know. We do know his team has been to the finals the last two years, which is a great opportunity to grow.

With Brown leaving I think this is his chance to shine and earn minutes.

[vonkaar]

Pavel Podkolzin is putting up better numbers than Darko in the Summer leagues.
(13/12/2/4 last game... in 26 minutes)
He started playing basketball 3 years ago.

STARTED.

This is his second Summer league. He worked his ass off ALL of last year with conditioning and skills coaches to get where he's at.

The ONLY people talking about Darko's skills are the people wearing a Pistons uniform. Generally speaking, the media thinks he's a joke.

Seriously. NOW is his time to shine. He's one of the most experienced players in the Summer league. He's STARTING every game. He was drafted #2. Dwight Howard and Emeka Okafor are the only players in the Summer games that were drafted as high. He should be going ballistic EVERY night, if he's really 'that' good. He's playing with people who are less experienced and supposedly less skilled. Why is he shitting all over the court? 30 minutes a game. Starts every game. 9 points, 5 rebounds, 6 fouls. Seriously... what the fuck is that? I could 'possibly' buy the whole 'rookies playing with vets' argument for the past 2 regular seasons... but HE should be DOMINATING this league. How the fuck are you going to argue this?

He's GETTING the chance that ya'll are so sure he needed. He's blowing it.

What a joke.

[Zanchief]

He needs more time...

[Lyion]

Why in the FUCK are you trying to say a 19 year old is at the crossroads of his career? That is utter and complete bullshit. Three years ago Darko was 16!

If it takes him THREE more seasons to develop into a star he'll be 22-23, and still at the BEGINNING of his CAREER.

Stop with the wild bullshit posturing against a 7 foot tall 19 year old, Vonk. Talk to me in a few years when he has grown and can actually legally buy alcohol in the US.

The kid hasn't been able to play. He needs to play and grow, and if he continues he'll be an impact player, not another of these mid height prototype guard/forwards that grow on trees.

[vonkaar]

Darko Milicic F-C 7-0 245 06/20/1985
That would make him 20.
He was drafted 2 years ago. This is his 3rd Summer to work out in the Summer program. He was 18 for his first Summer league. Math > you.

Dirk was also drafted when he was 18. He worked out his 3rd Summer league as well. He averaged 26ppg (highest in the Summer league that year) and 8 RPG (3rd highest). Darko is 9/5, and plays more minutes than Dirk did.

His 3rd year in the league, he started in every single game and became the first Mav in history to receive all-NBA honors (3rd team PF). His regular season averages were 22/9. I wonder if you'd make a wager on Darko having a similar 3rd year.

Their background is pretty similar, but the comparison is REALLY fucking weak past that.

The 'wild bullsit' started when you made the comparison to Nowitzki.

[xaoshaen]

Darko Milicic F-C 7-0 245 06/20/1985
That would make him 20.
He was drafted 2 years ago. This is his 3rd Summer to work out in the Summer program. He was 18 for his first Summer league. Math > you.


Dirk was also drafted when he was 18. He worked out his 3rd Summer league as well. He averaged 26ppg (highest in the Summer league that year) and 8 RPG (3rd highest). Darko is 9/5, and plays more minutes than Dirk did.

Yeah, cause we all know how significant summer league is. You're blowing three games way out of proportion.

His 3rd year in the league, he started in every single game and became the first Mav in history to receive all-NBA honors (3rd team PF). His regular season averages were 22/9. I wonder if you'd make a wager on Darko having a similar 3rd year.

Nope. Dirk had a much stronger basketball education than Darko ever had. Darko still hasn't had a chance to show whether he's a bust or a star. Condemning him at this point in his career is incredibly premature... the kind of thing that Skip Bayless would do.

[Lyion]

Less than 4 weeks ago he was 19, Vonk. He was 19 when the Summer league started.

The point stands that a kid who just hit 20 and hasn't had much of a chance to play is hardly at a crossroads like you imply.

Even if it takes him three more years to develop into a star, he'll JUST be turning 23. It's far too early to start condeming a player who was a teenager three weeks ago.

Common Sense > You.

[vonkaar]

Xao... Dirk first picked up a basketball when he was 12. He played in club teams until he was 16 and then for the junior national team for one year. Charles Barkley saw him at the world games (at age 17) and 'saw a lot of potential'. Dirk had 18 months of 'national team' (read: highly organized competitive basketball) experience before Don Nelson fell in love with him and courted him to the USA. Darko was playing on the Slavic national team from the age of 16. Before that he was on club teams since he was 12. The 'education' level is pretty fucking identical.

I'm not just reading 3 games man. These are supposed to be the best numbers of his career. He's more experienced. He's bigger. He's stronger. He's playing more minutes now than he ever has in the NBA. 9 points, 5 rebounds. BAD ASS. The only 20+ games he's ever had were back in Serbia, against scrubs. Awesome.

And so... after 6 years, $20,000,000'ish and 7 'developmental' Summer programs... he turns into a star. That justifies a second overall pick... 6 years ago. Meanwhile, the 7 or 8 stars that 'could' have been picked have racked up 20,000 points, 14 all-star appearances and 45 playoff victories. Cong on that. Who the fuck is projecting here? Ya'll are looking at a guy that you know nothing about and comparing him to people that we HAVE seen. Dirk, O'Neal, Lebron.


If I was going around calling Marquis Daniels the next Kobe Bryant, ya'll would laugh at me. I mean, at least Daniels has *some* credibility. During the ill-fated 2004 playoffs, he averaged 21 points, 6 assists and 3 steals. Sure, he got stuck behind the Finley/Stackhouse/Howard traffic jam this season, but just you wait... he'll be right there with Kobe next year! He's young, but he's got so much potential! Please.

Hell... DJ Mbenga just had a 15 points 8 rebounds 6 blocks in 19 minutes game for us. He's nearly as big as Big Ben. Should I be freaking out calling him the next Wallace?

What are you all standing on? Faith? We've seen him play. We've seen him in the Summer games. All you know about him is some stellar club play at age 16, he's tall... and he's European. How the fuck does that equate to the next Dirk? Dirk worked his ass off his first couple of years. His Summer league game was outstanding. Oh yeah, same age. Oh yeah, same education. What makes Darko the 'next Dirk' after we've seen such disparity between the two players' first 2 Summer seasons? Ya'll have absolutely no ground.

Also, Lyion... the Summer league started on July 1st. He was 20. Just like he was 18 on July 1st, rookie season.

[xaoshaen]

Xao... Dirk first picked up a basketball when he was 12. He played in club teams until he was 16 and then for the junior national team for one year. Charles Barkley saw him at the world games (at age 17) and 'saw a lot of potential'. Dirk had 18 months of 'national team' (read: highly organized competitive basketball) experience before Don Nelson fell in love with him and courted him to the USA. Darko was playing on the Slavic national team from the age of 16. Before that he was on club teams since he was 12. The 'education' level is pretty fucking identical.

Nope. Playing experience does not equate to education.

I'm not just reading 3 games man. These are supposed to be the best numbers of his career. He's more experienced. He's bigger. He's stronger. He's playing more minutes now than he ever has in the NBA. 9 points, 5 rebounds. BAD ASS. The only 20+ games he's ever had were back in Serbia, against scrubs. Awesome.

What career? He's never had an opportunity to play in the NBA, unless you're counting summer league games, and the numbers you're quoting are in fact from three games.

And so... after 6 years, $20,000,000'ish and 7 'developmental' Summer programs... he turns into a star. That justifies a second overall pick... 6 years ago. Meanwhile, the 7 or 8 stars that 'could' have been picked have racked up 20,000 points, 14 all-star appearances and 45 playoff victories. Cong on that. Who the fuck is projecting here? Ya'll are looking at a guy that you know nothing about and comparing him to people that we HAVE seen. Dirk, O'Neal, Lebron.

If I was going around calling Marquis Daniels the next Kobe Bryant, ya'll would laugh at me. I mean, at least Daniels has *some* credibility. During the ill-fated 2004 playoffs, he averaged 21 points, 6 assists and 3 steals. Sure, he got stuck behind the Finley/Stackhouse/Howard traffic jam this season, but just you wait... he'll be right there with Kobe next year! He's young, but he's got so much potential! Please.

Hell... DJ Mbenga just had a 15 points 8 rebounds 6 blocks in 19 minutes game for us. He's nearly as big as Big Ben. Should I be freaking out calling him the next Wallace?

Projection issues much, Vonk? I've never claimed Darko would be a star, nor have I compared him to Dirk, LeBron, or O'Neal in terms of future performance. Were those three paragraphs just mental masturbation for you?

What are you all standing on? Faith? We've seen him play. We've seen him in the Summer games. All you know about him is some stellar club play at age 16, he's tall... and he's European. How the fuck does that equate to the next Dirk? Dirk worked his ass off his first couple of years. His Summer league game was outstanding. Oh yeah, same age. Oh yeah, same education. What makes Darko the 'next Dirk' after we've seen such disparity between the two players' first 2 Summer seasons? Ya'll have absolutely no ground.

I dunno what makes Darko 'the next Dirk'. Why don't you show me where I suggested he might be? He's unlikely to ever play like Dirk, being much more of a traditional big man.

And, to use your own words, All you know about him is some stellar club play at age 16, he's tall... and he's European. You've nto seen him play any more than I have. How does that equate to being a horrendous bust, at age 19 nonetheless?

[Zanchief]

Instead of talking about why we think he's a bust, why don't you tell us why you think he will be good when he has shown absolutely no promise whatsoever.

Technically neither me or Vonk have gotten a fair shot at the NBA. Seems like we both have the potential for stardom.

[Phlegm]

Technically neither me or Vonk have gotten a fair shot at the NBA. Seems like we both have the potential for stardom.

Nah.... neither of you are tall european.

[Lyion]

if you had ball handling and shooting skills, barely 20, were 7 feet and already have two years learning on one of the top two NBA teams I'd say you have potential too.

We are not saying he will be a star. We are saying it is too early to tell. Vonk is proclaiming him a bust which I think is complete BS.

[xaoshaen]

Instead of talking about why we think he's a bust, why don't you tell us why you think he will be good when he has shown absolutely no promise whatsoever.

Because I don't necessarily think he will be good? I'm not really sure where you and Vonk get the idea that I'm pushing Darko as a future All Star. I don't have enough information to make a valid prediction as to his future... and neither does anyone else who doesn't actually get to watch him practice. I've seen too many young NBA players buried on the end of the bench and struggle when they actually get into games to fall into the trap of forecasting their future. Some have blown up, others have been blown away. Darko could go either way at this point.

[Zanchief]

But we have seen him play in summer leagues and garbage time. Just because you have invalidated them, doesn't mean I do. Combine that with the fact that Brown has 0% confidence in his game, that he will only wait till the very last minute of a game to play him, that he has never given him a shot even against the worst teams in the league. It starts to paint a not so pretty picture.

[Lyion]

Confidence is very important to a young player. It's obvious Brown has hurt his confidence, and three summer league starts will not regain it.

Time will tell. He may indeed be a bust, but being he was a teenager a few weeks ago and is just beginning his career, he still has time and we need to see him on the floor for extended periods to tell.

[Zanchief]

It's not the confidence I'm worried about, it's the lack if basketball skill. that's a biggy if you want to play in NBA I think.

[Lyion]

Except he has good ball handling skills and can shoot. So what skills are you talking about?

[Zanchief]

And you know this how? Not by watching him play.

[Lyion]

Scouting reports are your friend. Hey, this one is from a Canuck site

http://www.tsn.ca/nba/teams/player_bio. ... ubName=DET

Amazingly, this one says exactly the point I've been trying to make, which kind of invalidates Vonks point about Sportswriters and Darko.

The sky's the limit for Milicic, who could take three years to develop and still be among the younger players in the NBA.

Oh, and fuck you for the underhanded jab in the EQ forums.

[Zanchief]

I'll trust my own eyes.

[Zanchief]

Oh, and fuck you for the underhanded jab in the EQ forums.

Well I did make a crazy long stupid rant under my brothers ID so it's hard to argue that I wasn't retarded back then, whether it was because I was backing you up or not.

That thread still makes me wonder about the sanity of a few old school LoS though.