Darko Milicic Ready to Head Home?

by Seth on Nov 28, 2009 11:53 AM EST in News Comment 11 comments

From Chris Tomasson at the Fanhouse, via TKB, we get word from Darko Milicic of something he's long hinted at: this season in the United States might be his last.

"The NBA for me is not the way that I want to be,'' said Milicic, averaging 2.0 points and 8.9 minutes while having been benched for eight of the Knicks' 16 games, before not playing in his team's 128-125 loss to Denver at the Pepsi Center. "Looking forward, the stuff that I'm looking for is for me to play and for to me enjoy playing. I think right now the only spot for me is Europe.

"Because growing up and playing basketball, I needed the ball in my hands. I used to create for myself and I used to create for others. I used to play a lot. That's the kind of stuff I'm looking for. And for me to get that in the NBA right now, I don't think so. And I've got to be real.''

Darko claims he hasn't already determined his future, but I'd put my money on a return to his native continent. There are two sides to this story, both reasonable. Darko's right that he's never quite gotten a fair shot in the NBA. Team after team has benched him, with the Knicks being no exception, and disappointingly so. In Serbia, he's got a wife and a newborn, all of his friends and family, and from the sound of things, a couple ball clubs that would pay him well and let him spin. On the flip side, it's readily evident that Darko's tendency to march to the beat of his own drummer and coast at times has put him out of favor with pretty much every NBA coach he's encountered. In the real world, there's a niche for that. In the more-or-less military format of team sports, that ain't gonna fly. Darko's a talented baller, but he seems too meta-conscious, too brooding, and too engrossed in personal slights from coaches, teammates, and referees to be fully effective on the hardwood. He's a singer-songwriter trapped in a 7-foot frame.

To his credit, Milicic is a self-aware man. He seems to understand that his persona doesn't quite fit into the NBA framework, and he's perfectly willing to look elsewhere to keep himself satisfied. Darko is too cool for American basketball. In fact, he might be too cool for basketball entirely.

Update: This post should probably have a link to Free Darko, just because.

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Comments

It was bound to happen

I was hoping he would help us, but realistically I should have known that between his passivity on offense and Mike D’s short rotations it wasn’t going to happen. It’s a shame because you can still see why he was drafted so high – in pre-season he showed decent shot blocking skills, and more importantly had a willingness to do all the little things that don’t show up in the box score – tip shots, help teammates get rebounds, and as much as he was hesitant on offense he seems to be a very good passer and intelligent.

If he leaves the NBA I hope he finds his place in the Euroleague, but I still don’t understand what he did wrong to not get any play time here. But then again you could ask the same thing to Jordan Hill and Toney Douglas, who spent all of last night glued to the bench.

by Nolan B on Nov 28, 2009 12:03 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I still wonder

what would happen if you played him 30 minutes a game for half a season.

by fuhry on Nov 28, 2009 1:36 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

i really wish I knew why

he wasn’t playing. Who gives a crap is he has a somewhat bad attitude, we really could use him out there 10 or 15 minutes a game. Hes a center and I thought he was doing a decent job from what I have seen. Do any of you disagree?

Maybe if we has a few more wins and larger leads we could see what Darko and even Landry are about. Hill too ….

by Jay Jordo on Nov 28, 2009 2:20 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Trade him

his mind aint with the team his mind is on just what he said going home. if we get trade him with dohun for montai ellis :) that sounds good..

by choplo on Nov 29, 2009 12:40 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

we're not getting monta ellis so stop that foolishness

but by mid season i think walsh will take time to look at trades because i dont think we’re getting anyone good next year

by IB on Nov 29, 2009 1:11 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Darko and his $7.5 million

are going POOF! Cap space is king and $7,5M is a nice number. The knicks are playing for free agents and lottery balls, nothing more.

by NC Magic Fan on Nov 29, 2009 8:44 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

i wish they had lottery balls (plural)

or even just a lottery ball to play for.

unfortunately, all of their balls (pause) are in Utah.

Ewing with the step...YES! and the foul!

by Anthony Masons Haircut on Nov 29, 2009 3:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

darko for q rich

by Jay Jordo on Nov 29, 2009 9:15 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I'd still rather have Darko

Than Mr. Quentin Overweight Two-For-Thirteen-Shooting-Wah-Wah-The-Celtics-Showed-Me-Up-Look-At-Me-I’m-A-Locker-Room-Presence Richardson.

by fuhry on Nov 29, 2009 9:55 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

i feel the same

oddly q rich got minutes every game unlike Darko. q rich is in better shape this year after he’s traded from us of course

by Jay Jordo on Nov 29, 2009 10:11 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I’d love to see Darko Milicic play on a team like the Boston Celtics or the Houston Rockets. A defense first team first environment. I think he’d blossom if he had that type of situation + a patient coach who would give him 30 minutes a night.

I never liked how Darko fitted in in D’Antoni’s high octane offense. I don’t think that suits his skill-set. I think he’s more akin to a player like Kendrick Perkins.

nbaroundtable

by NBR on Dec 1, 2009 12:05 AM EST reply actions 0 recs