- Darko Miličić
-
Darko Miličić 
Miličić with the Timberwolves No. 31 Minnesota Timberwolves Center/power forward Personal information Date of birth June 20, 1985 Place of birth Novi Sad, Serbia, Yugoslavia Nationality Serbian Listed height 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) Listed weight 275 lb (125 kg) Career information NBA Draft 2003 / Round: 1 / Pick: 2nd overall Selected by the Detroit Pistons Pro career 2001–present Career history Hemofarm (2001–2003)
Detroit Pistons (2003–2006)
Orlando Magic (2006-2007)
Memphis Grizzlies (2007–2009)
New York Knicks (2009–2010)
Minnesota Timberwolves (2010–present)Career highlights and awards 2001 European Cadet Champion
2002 Under-20 World Champion
1× NBA Champion (2004)Stats at NBA.com Darko Miličić (Serbian: Дарко Миличић; born June 20, 1985) is a Serbian professional basketball center for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was selected by the Detroit Pistons as the second overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft after LeBron James, and ahead of players such as Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade. However, Miličić never received significant playing time during his 2½ seasons with the team and was traded to the Orlando Magic in 2006. After stints with the Memphis Grizzlies and New York Knicks, Miličić was traded to the Timberwolves in 2010, then signed a four year contract in the off-season. Miličić is the youngest player in NBA history to win the NBA Championship.
Contents
Professional career
Detroit Pistons
Unlike most teams with high draft picks, the Pistons were a good team that 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. Miličić saw limited playing time during his tenure with the Pistons, but did become the youngest player 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.[1] He was also the fourth youngest player and the youngest foreign player to play in the NBA.
Under coach Larry Brown (2003-2005), Miličić only played when the Pistons had an insurmountable lead late in the game, and hence was given the nickname "Human Victory Cigar".[2] 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 attributing 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."[3]
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. With Elden Campbell no longer on Detroit's roster and Dale Davis 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 Miličić 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. Miličić's lack of playing time in Detroit was frequently highlighted in publications like ESPN The Magazine and Sports Illustrated. He later questioned whether the Pistons should have drafted him.[4]
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 (Rodney Stuckey).[5]
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. Miličić averaged 2.4 blocks per game in his first 20 games as a member of the Magic. In the 2006-07 playoffs, he increased his scoring by 4 points per game to 12.3 on 58.8% shooting.[6] When his rookie contract expired offseason, Orlando GM Otis Smith 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 three-year, $21 million contract.[7] Miličić hurt his Achilles tendon practicing with the Serbian national team in the 2008 offseason but was available to start at the beginning of the season. Miličić began the 2008-09 season starting at power forward but, due to poor play, was moved to the bench. Miličić regained his starting job as his play steadily improved in early December 2008. Miličić's progress was set back by an injury on December 26, 2008 against the Indiana Pacers when he broke a knuckle on his right hand during the game.[8]
He was eventually replaced by Marc Gasol as a starter.
New York Knicks
On June 25, 2009, Miličić was traded to the New York Knicks for Quentin Richardson and cash considerations.[9] On December 17, 2009 Miličić said that he planned to leave the NBA and return to playing basketball in Europe the following season.[10]
Minnesota Timberwolves
On February 17, 2010, Miličić was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves along with cash considerations for Brian Cardinal.[11] The Timberwolves agreed to re-sign Milicic for 4 years and $20 million on July 1, 2010.
International career
In 2006, Miličić led 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 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.
After a 68–67 overtime loss to Greece in the EuroBasket 2007 Miličić made vulgar remarks in his native tongue about the referees and their families in front of Serbian media.[12][13] He got a heavy fine by FIBA and his outburst was heavily criticized by Memphis Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace and head coach Marc Iavaroni.[14] Miličić wasn't a member of the Serbia national team in the three following national team actions, the EuroBasket 2009 qualification, EuroBasket 2009, and 2010 FIBA World Championship.
Personal life
Miličić has stated that after his NBA career ends he will fulfill his obligation to military service in his native Serbia.[15] His parents are Milorad and Zora. His sister Tijana is a volleyball player.[16]
On May 23, 2009, he married his girlfriend of 3 years, Zorana Markuš.[17] The two had a son in the summer of 2009.[18]
In 2010, Miličić offered to pay [19] for a trip and treatment in China for five children with Batten's disease.
NBA career statistics
Legend GP Games played GS Games started MPG Minutes per game FG% Field-goal percentage 3P% 3-point field-goal percentage FT% Free-throw percentage RPG Rebounds per game APG Assists per game SPG Steals per game BPG Blocks per game PPG Points per game Bold Career high Regular season
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 2003–04 Detroit 34 0 4.7 .262 .000 .583 1.3 .2 .2 .4 1.4 2004–05 Detroit 37 2 6.9 .329 .000 .708 1.2 .2 .1 .5 1.8 2005–06 Detroit 25 0 5.6 .515 .000 .375 1.1 .4 .1 .6 1.5 2005–06 Orlando 30 1 20.9 .507 .000 .595 4.1 1.1 .4 2.1 7.6 2006–07 Orlando 80 16 23.9 .454 .000 .613 5.5 1.1 .6 1.8 8.0 2007–08 Memphis 70 64 23.8 .438 .000 .554 6.1 .8 .5 1.6 7.2 2008–09 Memphis 61 15 17.0 .515 .000 .562 4.3 .6 .4 .8 5.5 2009–10 New York 8 0 8.9 .471 .000 .000 2.3 .5 .5 .1 2.0 2009–10 Minnesota 24 18 25.6 .492 .000 .536 5.5 1.8 .8 1.4 8.3 2010–11 Minnesota 69 69 24.4 .469 .000 .557 5.2 1.5 .8 2.0 8.8 Career 438 185 18.6 .460 .000 .581 4.3 .9 .4 1.3 6.1 Playoffs
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 2003–04 Detroit 8 0 1.8 .000 .000 .250 .4 .1 .1 .0 .1 2004–05 Detroit 9 0 2.3 .286 .000 1.000 .4 .1 .0 .1 .6 2006–07 Orlando 4 0 28.8 .588 .000 .529 4.5 1.0 .2 1.0 12.3 Career 21 0 7.1 .489 .000 .500 1.2 .3 .1 .2 2.6 References
- ^ Darko Milicic biography. NBA.com. Retrieved on October 30, 2009.
- ^ http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=human%20victory%20cigar
- ^ Lage, Larry (2005-06-17). "Pistons' Milicic is still waiting, watching". Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/sports/articles/2005/06/17/pistons_milicic_is_still_waiting_watching?mode=PF.
- ^ "Darko Milicic says Pistons wasted their pick on him". The Detroit News. January 9, 2010. http://www.detnews.com/article/20100109/SPORTS0102/1090363/1004/SPORTS/Darko-Milicic-says-Pistons-wasted-their-pick-on-him.
- ^ Press, Associated (2006-02-22). "Pistons get Cato, first-round pick for Darko, Arroyo". ESPN. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2332021.
- ^ NBA.com Darko Milicic career stats
- ^ Milicic, Grizzlies agree on three-year deal July 11, 2007
- ^ Milicic out 4-6 weeks
- ^ "Knicks Trade For Former No. 2 Overall Pick Milicic". NBA.com. 2009-06-25. http://www.nba.com/knicks/news/milicictrade090625.html. Retrieved 2009-06-28.
- ^ Berman, Marc (2009-1217-25). "Darko plans European return as he can't get off Knicks bench". New York Post. http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/knicks/count_darko_out_pbz7MTegxNv38e272IVXDO. Retrieved 2009-12-17.
- ^ "Wolves Acquire Darko Milicic from New York". NBA.com. 2010-02-17. http://www.nba.com/timberwolves/news/Wolves_Acquire_Darko_Milicic_from_New_York_2010_02_17.html. Retrieved 2010-02-18.
- ^ Darko Milicic angry and vulgar outburst video (English subtitle) at Metacafe
- ^ Miličić' angry comments after Serbia-Greece (Serbian language) on YouTube
- ^ Milicic fined $14K by FIBA, reprimanded by Grizzlies for tirade
- ^ Schmitz, Brian (2006-12-19). "Driven to succeed". Orlando Sentinel. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/basketball/magic/orl-schmitz1906dec19,0,1722597.column?page=2&coll=orl-magic.
- ^ DuPree, David (April 2, 2003). "Serbian teen lost in King James' shadow". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/2003-03-31-darko-focus_x.htm. Retrieved May 1, 2010.
- ^ http://www.blic.rs/zabava.php?id=94066
- ^ Brian Mahoney. "Pairing of Knicks and Darko Milicic could give both what they need". Baltimore Sun. October 1, 2009.
- ^ http://www.zvezdana.rs/LP.htm
External links
- HoopsWorld GLOBAL Story, 03/26/2007
- NBA.com Profile
- ESPN.com Profile
- interview after Greece - Serbia 07/09/2007
Minnesota Timberwolves current roster East Atlantic: BOS · NY · NJ · PHI · TOR Southeast: ATL · CHA · MIA · ORL · WAS Central: CHI · CLE · DET · IND · MIL
West Northwest: POR · MIN · OKC · DEN · UT Southwest: DAL · HOU · MEM · NO · SA Pacific: GS · LAC · LAL · PHX · SACCategories:- 1985 births
- Living people
- Centers (basketball)
- Detroit Pistons draft picks
- Detroit Pistons players
- KK Hemofarm players
- Memphis Grizzlies players
- Minnesota Timberwolves players
- New York Knicks players
- Orlando Magic players
- People from Novi Sad
- Power forwards (basketball)
- Serbian basketball players
- Serbian expatriate basketball people in the United States
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