Darko Watch

[Fenix]

Mark my words - Darko will prove to be worthy of being picked 2nd in the 2003 Draft.

[J@3]

You honestly think he'll start playing at a level that will make people think he was worth being picked above Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony? You are dellusional.

Let's be real here... Carmelo has lead his team to the play-offs in two consecutive seasons, Wade has just won a championship along with the Finals MVP award, Bosh (who is only a year older than Darko) is already virtually a 20/10 player. I'm pretty much convinced he's always going to be known as the guy who was picked before Wade/Bosh/Anthony. He will probably go on to have a good/successful NBA career but I'd be shocked if he reached their level.

[_marsal]

He probably won't be at Wade's or Bosh's level but he certainly could put up numbers similar to Pau Gasol's (with better passing and shotblocking)..Love him or hate him, you can't label him as a bust (what many people did prior to his trade)..In his prime I predict he'll average 22/10/3 blocks..

[Fenix]

Hindsight is 20/20. I'm just saying that he will reach the potential people thought he had on draft night and therefore proving that he was worthy of being picked with 2nd pick. Of course there's little to no chance he becames as good as Wade, but nobody expected Wade to become a superstar he is now. It's like - what if Bowie had fulfill his potential and had become a 20/10 player for 10 years or so? Jordan would clearly still be the better player, but no one would make fun out of Portland for taking a big over small. I think that will happen with the whole Darko situation.

And I think he has chances to end up just as good as Bosh. I'm not saying he will, but the talent is there. He is bigger, stronger, longer, better in the post and vastly superior defender.

[maes]

He probably won't be at Wade's or Bosh's level but he certainly could put up numbers similar to Pau Gasol's (with better passing and shotblocking)..

Sorry to be nitpicky...

But that's impossible because if Darko puts up #s like Gasol he automatically surpasses Bosh and comes close to Wade-like #s.

Better passing than Gasol = 5-6 apg, which is what Wade averages and far beyond Bosh. Gasol is one of the best passing big men.
Better blocking than Gasol = 2+ bpg, which is top 10 in the NBA, better than either Bosh (1 bpg) or Wade. Gasol is #9 shotblocker in the NBA.

[J@3]

He is bigger, stronger, longer, better in the post and vastly superior defender.

So why exactly is Darko putting up 7/4 for Orlando while Bosh continues to throw up 20/10, since there doesn't appear to be one thing you think Bosh is better than Darko at.

[Mayerhendrix]

Darko will eventually end up becoming the main defensive talent of the '03 draft class, in a group where the majority of talented rising stars are offensive experts.

Blocking, rebounding, and coming off the bench behind Dwight Howard will be his job, which he'll end up being decent at. Still, the fact is he's going to be a backup on his team, while Bosh is the #1 in Toronto.

[Matt]

Darko won't be a backup for too long. Maybe this season he'll play behind Battie but he'll be a starter sooner rather than later.

[Fenix]

He is bigger, stronger, longer, better in the post and vastly superior defender.

So why exactly is Darko putting up 7/4 for Orlando while Bosh continues to throw up 20/10, since there doesn't appear to be one thing you think Bosh is better than Darko at.

Darko was coming off the bench (coach's decision so he 'earns his playing time), didn't have any plays run for him, was told to make room for Dwight and was playing for a team that won most of their games while he was there (and he played a big part of that). Bosh played twice as much, had a lot of plays run for him and played for a team with a constant losing record. Darko is a much better defender (man/help defense) than Bosh - that's a fact. And so has better developed post skills and more suitable body to play inside. Bosh is of course a much better perimeter player, which is the main reason why he scores 20 points per game. I'm not saying there's not a difference between the two, it just isn't as big as one would think.

[_marsal]

Sorry to be nitpicky...

But that's impossible because if Darko puts up #s like Gasol he automatically surpasses Bosh and comes close to Wade-like #s.

Better passing than Gasol = 5-6 apg, which is what Wade averages and far beyond Bosh. Gasol is one of the best passing big men.
Better blocking than Gasol = 2+ bpg, which is top 10 in the NBA, better than either Bosh (1 bpg) or Wade. Gasol is #9 shotblocker in the NBA.

I checked Pau's stats - 4,6 assists per game. I wasn't aware he improved his passing. If you check the previous years you'll see he was around 2,5-2,8 per game..I think Darko can and will surpass 3-4 assists per game. And he DEFINITELY will average more than 2 blocks per game in his prime. But comparing to Bosh or Wade is unrealistic because both of them will improve too. I see Bosh averaging 24/10/3 as/2 b and Wade 33/7 reb/8assists (in their prime)..

[Fenix]

Definitely. Gasol's best shotblocking season was his first, when he averaged 2.06bpg in 36.7mpg. Darko averaged 2.07bpg in 20.7mpg with Orlando, so he's obviously the better shotblocker, but he's also a better man defender. As far as assist numbers go, I'd say Darko will have a chance to have pretty good apg averages in his career, especially with DH playing in the post and someone like Reddick running around the perimeter. But if we're talking about sheer passing skills, I'd say they're pretty much even when it comes at passing out of double teams or getting the ball inside, although Gasol is better at finding an open man.

Gasol is an interesting comparison. He's almost exactly 5 years older than Darko is and in his rookie season he was as old as Darko will be this year.

Gasol's rookie numbers: 17.6ppg, 8.9rpg, 2.7apg, 2.06bpg, 36.7mpg.

While I doubt Darko will match these numbers, simply because he'll probably play less than that and is playing with DH, he'll probably surpass Gasol's blocks and will be in the same area FG% and apg wise.

[kinokong]

i think he'll average slight less points and maybe more rebounds.... gasol didn't exactly have a 7 ft 270lb body when he first came into the league

[Matthew]

But if we're talking about sheer passing skills, I'd say they're pretty much even when it comes at passing out of double teams or getting the ball inside, although Gasol is better at finding an open man.

Since when has Darko been double teamed in the nba? Please save the Chauncey Billups and Ben Wallace refrences for another spam thread...

Gasol is an interesting comparison. He's almost exactly 5 years older than Darko is and in his rookie season he was as old as Darko will be this year.

The only similarities is they are Euro trash (Gasol isn't trash as a basketball player..)

[_marsal]

He wasn't double teamed in NBA (yet) but he was in the preparation games for WC..And just because someone didn't get playing time doesn't mean he's trash.

[Matthew]

The fact that he has his own thread means he is overated. The whole "he get's no playing time" is such a cop out. You have to earn your playing time. It doesn't get handed to you.

[Gedas]

Yes it does.

[Gedas]

Sorry this was ment for _marsal.

[_marsal]

Gedas, try edit button next time.

Matthew, so you're saying that all of the 7 players of the pistons club are/were trash (since LB and Flip used only 8man rotation)? And Gedas, does it mean that Arvydas Macijuaskas is trash because he didn't play last season (while we all know he's a top 5 world-shooter)? Sometimes coaches just don't like some players or they don't think it's necessary for some players to play. I wonder what you thought of Jermaine O'Neal while he was in Portland. You can't judge whether somebody's trash or not simply looking at his playing time. I watched Darko while he was in Europe and you could see this kid had the potential. It wasn't fair that he got no playing time. He backslided those 2,5 years he spent with Detroit. Anyway, time will tell whether he's trash or not. I bet my ass that haters will call him trash even if he averages above 17/8/2 (just because he was 2nd draftpick).

[J@3]

Macijauskas didn't play because he didn't understand the plays and inveriably became a headcase who thought he was more important than he actually was. That's a problem veteran European guys are going to face in the NBA, they come from teams/leagues where they're seen as superstars to a league where they either won't get their own way straight away or just not fit into the way things are played.

[Matt]

17 & 9 in an easy win over Argentina.

On another note, Carlos Delfino scored 16. That kid is going to be a very good player one day.

[Fenix]

Darko had 13&7 against Spain (4/10 FG, 1/3 3PT) in 26 minutes of playing time. Gasol had 10&4 (3/10 FG, 0/1 3PT) in 28 minutes.

[Matthew]

Gedas, try edit button next time.

Matthew, so you're saying that all of the 7 players of the pistons club are/were trash (since LB and Flip used only 8man rotation)? And Gedas, does it mean that Arvydas Macijuaskas is trash because he didn't play last season (while we all know he's a top 5 world-shooter)? Sometimes coaches just don't like some players or they don't think it's necessary for some players to play. I wonder what you thought of Jermaine O'Neal while he was in Portland. You can't judge whether somebody's trash or not simply looking at his playing time. I watched Darko while he was in Europe and you could see this kid had the potential. It wasn't fair that he got no playing time. He backslided those 2,5 years he spent with Detroit. Anyway, time will tell whether he's trash or not. I bet my ass that haters will call him trash even if he averages above 17/8/2 (just because he was 2nd draftpick).

He is trash compared to the hype that people like you create for him. The O'neal example isn't the same. Jermaine showed more then glimpses in his first few seasons, and was behind Rasheed Wallace, Brian Grant and a host of other quality big men. When Darko first arrived, who was there? Mehmet Okur and Zelly Rebracca. He had his chances to show what he was capable of, and proved nothing. I don't care what he did in Europe, that has nothing to do with with the NBA. The bottom line is he was one one of the worst picks in the history of the nba... and It's not like I want him to fail. I hate to see wasted "talent"... it's just he's shown nothing to even warrant being selected in the first round of 2003, let alone the number 2 overall selection.

[benji]

Jermaine showed more then glimpses in his first few seasons, and was behind Rasheed Wallace, Brian Grant and a host of other quality big men.

Look, I don't mind hating on Darko, especially since he played really well in Orlando "proving" people wrong. (And to clarify past myths: I'm a Darko fan before I'm a Detroit fan...as people should know, I love players irrationally without regard and often contrary to any sort of facts.) But let's be completely honest here. The situation is much the same. Jermaine O'Neal did not show more glimpses than Darko. For one thing Jermaine played more during his first season than Darko did in all his time in Detroit. Don't forget Darko was behind a host of quality other big men as well. Ben Wallace, Mehmet Okur, Elden Campbell, Antonio McDyess, Zeljko Rebraca and Rasheed Wallace were all quality big men and easily on par with what Portland was throwing out at the time.

Jermaine developed because he had the work ethic and the drive. If there's anything Darko lacks it's that. He's more athletic than Carmelo Anthony, has more skills, and is 7 foot, 260 pounds. Yet he hasn't put the game together as quickly. Doesn't seem to grasp his best areas. His problems are more mental than his actual abilities.

He's going to be a good starting center for a long time at worst if his Orlando play is any indication. He's a shot blocking machine.

One of the worst picks in NBA history? Maybe not because of how good of player he is, but because Joe D sent him away, along with Arroyo for cap space that led to Nazr Mohammed because Ben Wallace walked. Had the Pistons known Wallace would leave (because Joe D has a time machine that must have been in for repairs the last six months) I bet Darko would still be in Detroit, which would reduce his "worst pickness."

[kinokong]

how do u get to the conclusion that he is one of the worst picks in nba history i can name at least 10 lottery picks that are worse than him and was picked
nikolov tshikilivlli(probably the worst lottery pick ever)
sam bowie(don't say knee injuries derailed his career, that's just excuses)
ron mercer(in europe rite now sorry to fitzy)
adonal foyle(6yr/44mil? wat da fu**)
michael olowakandi(best year a 11/8 for a #1pick) lol
rodney white(looks like jerry west can make mistakes also)
len bias(died from overdose)
jay williams(didn't prove shit and got in a moto accident)
robert traylor(fat lazy mr krispy kreme)
dermarr johnson(don't know much about him except he also got into an accident)
plus you got guys like shawn bradley, eddy curry, tyson chandler, kwame brown, marvin williiams, stromile swift, marcus fizer, darius miles and so on who have shown nothing to warrant their high picks... at least darko is younger and more skilled than others.... if anything needs to be changed, its probably his attitude...

[Fenix]

Jermaine developed because he had the work ethic and the drive. If there's anything Darko lacks it's that. He's more athletic than Carmelo Anthony, has more skills, and is 7 foot, 260 pounds. Yet he hasn't put the game together as quickly. Doesn't seem to grasp his best areas. His problems are more mental than his actual abilities.

I don't think his work ethic (that is, working on his game) has ever been a problem. If anything, his international and NBA coaches and teammates have always said Darko works hard and impresses them in practice. The reason why he didn't get playing time was always the same - he didn't play hard in the time he got (mostly garbage minutes), which was something he needed to get past by. But he did have 3 quality big men in front of him (Wallaces and either Okur or Mcdyess) and the team needed to win, so obviously they weren't able to afford to give him anything other than garbage minutes and Darko felt insulted. Is having pride and an ego a sin? Yes, in today's NBA it is. He should've accepted the position and fight for every minute. He played great in the preseason and at the start of the regular season, but then Saunders got scared and only played him in garbage time and Darko became his old, passive self. But I understand him, because I know it was a wrong situation for him and that that shouldn't be an indicator of his 'work ethic'. From the games I watched this summer, he showed only passion, hard work, he goes for every rebound and is the featured player of his team. This guy just turned 21 years of age. If being passive in the meaningless garbage time is his only serious sign of being immature, isn't that something you can easily overlook?