Darko Milicic: super-hyped prospect, NBA journeyman ... Infamous Bust

Maybe you know Darko Milicic as a world-famous NBA draft bust, but what does it take for someone to get that label? What was Milicic's career actually like? What created the hype that rendered that career a disappointment? Let's investigate in the Prism.
Directed and edited by Jiazhen Zhang
Written and produced by Seth Rosenthal
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[@barryallen871]

If he just goes 5 on that list instead of 2, he's probably forgotten. Still a bust, but mostly forgotten.

[@student99bg]

If he goes 5 some other team drafts him, which means that they maybe give him minutes, allow him to play to his strengths, allow him to pass the ball and shoot from distance. As a result of this, in this timeline Darko never loses motivation and he becomes a decent NBA player, maybe even an all star in his prime. As he is drafted below Wade, Carmelo, Bosh in this timeline nobody calls him a bust.

[@seano6859]

@@student99bg lol

[@jpmnky]

Good point. Considering that 6-7 were Chris Kaman and Kirk Heinrich. Who were both good. And forgotten.

[@MrOctober44]

That, and the effect of the Pistons near dynasty.

[@mcj88]

This makes me want to see an episode about the _other_ biggest draft bust, Sam Bowie; because we all know what his reputation is now, but I'd love to see what people thought of him in 1984, before he went #2 overall.

[@michaelcrump712]

He was the national college player of the year so he wasn’t trash he just couldn’t stay healthy

[@GR-nz3om]

I wasn't around then but based on some articles I've seen, Jordan was considered the better player but the blazers already had Clyde. And in the 80s when big men were more important than they are now, it was thought to be a solid, if unspectacular, pick

[@MAVtheSlacker]

Bowie was actually great... Just fragile

[@Concatenate]

The Blazers sure dodged a bullet by not selecting that Jordan guy. A person who pays women to keep relationships secret and who is probably the worst team owner in the history of the world. Come on Mike, you've had how many years to build a team in Charlotte?

[@CSLucasEpic]

Bowie was actually injured before the draft and faked being healthy during a medical exam so they would pick him and secure a contract. In an interview he said that he really needed that pick to secure his financial future and he does not regret anything.

[@ZachAttackIsBack]

Larry Brown was very harsh on young players. In Detroit, would Carmelo have become Melo, Wade become D Wade, or Bosh become ... well .. Bosh? Early circumstances can greatly impact an NBA player's career and stifle what might be a promising future.

[@duaneharper6095]

I would say they would. Darko says he didn't love the game but I'm sure Melo loves the game. Not sure about Wade he might have been a little lesser of a star having to play behind Rip Hamilton and C Billips

[@andrew_l1900]

Larry Brown is a terrible coach and all his players have historically turned on him, I mean the guy was taking phone calls from other teams about his next coaching gig while on the sidelines for Detroit in the playoffs.

[@divinedelaware7541]

If Iverson wasn't strong as he was inside Brown mighta hurt him

[@divinedelaware7541]

@@duaneharper6095 He was just a tall for nothing or once he got that bag he didn't care dude

[@likenem]

There is Tayshuan. He came off the Bench to be a starter.

[@EliteDarkLordman]

God Seth I wish you would just commentate my everyday life

[@MrOctober44]

Bdcorndog led a tragic life that not managed to get worse year by year. Alcoholism, violence and abject poverty ruined any chance he might have had

[@steelerfaninperu]

I went to Pistons games regularly from 04-06. Whenever the game became a blowout, the crowd would start chanting DAR-KO, DAR-KO, DAR-KO until Brown would put him in, and The Palace would erupt in raucous applause. Darko was either a human victory cigar, or a bit of comic relief to soften a loss. Had they have picked any of the next three guys, that Pistons team probably goes on to become a dynasty.

[@benyoung8985]

Well do they trade for rasheed if they drafted someone else? I feel like detroit does not win the title in 04 if they select someone else, most likely Bosh or Melo based on what I've read about that draft though I could be wrong. If they draft one of those 2 they wouldnt really have a need for Sheed or less minutes for tayshaun as well. As an outsider it feels like trading a guaranteed title for potentially a higher ceiling, but no guarantees. Personally as a portland fan I would take the guaranteed title vs the potential

[@BurritoKingdom]

@@benyoung8985 yup. Joe Dumars has said many times they would have drafted Bosh. Remember they were lacking post scoring at that point. They felt Tayshaun's defense first mentality fit better with Billups and Rip than Melo would have.

[@LINEMIND88]

@@BurritoKingdom it's all a what if, but if they drafted Bosh or melon and still make that trade they would have a longer playoffs run

[@BurritoKingdom]

@@LINEMIND88 I'm not sure about Melo. He really wanted to be in a big city like New York or LA. Remember around the same time Detroit started to suck, Melo jump shipped from Denver to the Knicks. While Bosh can't lead a team if he's the best player on the team. I think the Raptors only made the playoffs twice with Bosh in a weak Eastern Conference. Bosh is best as a 2nd or 3rd option. Wade easily was the 2nd best pick that draft but no one was thinking of him. I think when Miami drafted him, people thought it was a reach

[@LINEMIND88]

@@BurritoKingdom the pistons already suck that time for a long time. At least they would have used him at that span of time with the veterans they have it's a what if. May be they can keep the roster. Like I said if. In any case they would've have benefit a player better that darko

[@denistuohy2535]

I’ll always be a Darko defender he went to objectively the worst situation he could have. Larry Brown was infamously anti young player and anti three point shooting. I can’t in good faith say he sucked.

[@frankpoleski5423]

Melo d wade Chris bosh were all on the board in sorry he was the worst bust ever

[@andresdelportillo9917]

@@frankpoleski5423melo would’ve been a bust if he went to Detroit Larry brown would’ve killed his career

[@denistuohy2535]

@@frankpoleski5423 if you think they’d develop the same way in Detroit you’re crazy. He didn’t even play Melo in the Olympics

[@denistuohy2535]

@@andresdelportillo9917 absolutely correct.

[@mongoslade277]

Great comment. Larry Brown would've F'd up Carmelo also

[@YungJ]

I was devastated as a kid that we passed on Melo for this dude, that’s about as Detroit as it gets.

[@drphot6050]

True but he didn't work out with the team and they were a defensive-minded players we know Melo is and never was.

[@BurritoKingdom]

Detroit was gonna take Bosh or Darko. They weren't interested in Melo when they already had Tayshaun.

[@markusbisma5015]

I don't get it. Melo was NCAA superstar. Only few player in my mind achieve that status like Chris Webber or Tim Duncan.

[@SHOW_ME]

@@BurritoKingdom Tayshaun Prince was cool but Joe Dumars made the wrong decision in that draft my guy; especially when your division rival took LeBron

[@BurritoKingdom]

@@markusbisma5015 only Melo won an NCAA championship out of those 3. Melo fit better in the college and international system or how basketball is played now. Remember back than there were always 2 guys on the floor 6'10 or taller.

[@johnk.7058]

Not saying it would for sure make a difference but it's interesting you mention that he preferred shooting and passing to working in the post as a big man. If he came into the league the year he retired, or a non Larry Brown team, maybe he is allowed to refine those skills like a Jokic or Embiid?

[@dspsblyuth]

So he wasn’t a bust just ahead of his time

[@johnk.7058]

@@dspsblyuth haha who knows

[@jacobesnard]

It’s interesting to think about. Maybe not an all time great but a good player where the culture would nurture his playing style and he’d be in a healthier environment

[@brandonjohnson3797]

Jokic and Embiid?? Nah. But I'd definitely see a Vlade Divac Domantas Sabonis style of play.

[@BiigHomiie]

Being from Detroit and going on 33 years old I remember this so vividly and this video helps with my closure on the situation. Cause after all these years we still dont understand what the pistons were smoking to think he was a better option than melo and d wade like wtf????

[@sukhwindergrewal1262]

Secret Base I hope you know your prism series is ELITE. I’ve loved everyone of the videos.

[@dannyh5937]

That 2003 draft class was absolutely incredible. I remember watching Darko's highlights from overseas and thought he was going to be a monster. Just goes to show you how important your team and coach is to a players success. That Detroit team was stacked and there's not many players that were good enough to step on the court with that Pistons team.

[@jpbazzano3636]

I think he would have done better in a more modern NBA. A player lost in time…. Like Jahlil Okafor.

[@razkable]

I mean if you call a frontline of old man elden young okur and young prince and aging corliss stacked then sure...they weren't really stacked...and it wasn't like ben was shaq

[@elliemyers6435]

@@razkable They added Sheed at the deadline during Darko's rookie year which definitely made that front line tough to crack. But yeah, Elden & Young Okur weren't exactly world beaters :)

[@silewis9396]

​@@elliemyers6435Young Okur could at least shoot the ball well and then figured it out to become a good player after leaving Detroit. Can't say the same for Darko

[@channeljan8529]

​​​@@silewis9396 Their careers aren't comparable. Both Okur's and Darko's favorite player was Toni Kukoc and they emulated his game. But whereas Okur was allowed to play like Kukoc (more perimeter shooting and post feeding) Darko's NBA coaches wanted him to play more like a traditional center with his back to the basket in the low post because he was a 7 footer, but it was never his specialty. Darko's ability to run the floor, feed the post, shoot the mid to long range jumper and block shots were the main reasons why he became the youngest to represent Serbia in international competition. Unfortunately these qualities weren't taken advantage of much in the NBA and probably affected his psyche.

[@TheAlfrulz]

Could you try and do a similar episode for Tony Mandarich. He was a much hyped top 5 pick in the 1989 NFL draft. While the other four picks became hall of famers, Mandarich was an all time bust who was out of the league after a few years. He later recommitted himself, and earned his way back into the league as a fringe starter for three years. You could dive into the steroids, the Sports Illustrated cover, the cloudy George Perles era at Michigan State, the weakened state of Green Bay before GM Ron Wolf arrived, and Indianapolis desperate offensive line situation in the later nineties. I see alot of similarities between Darko and Tony.

[@MrJLov13]

The irony of all of that is that Mandarich was also drafted 2nd overall as well....that's an eerie coincidence if there ever was one.

[@usahenry]

If the Pistons drafted Melo over him that would have made for an incredible east battle of LeBron v. Melo v. Dwight v. Wade in the 2000s edit: and Bosh as well, I guess, but the 2000s raptors were pretty terrible aside from 2007

[@atlien1988]

A part of me always wondered if it was intentional that the Pistons didn't draft Melo. Like, it was the OBVIOUS pick and the Pistons would've had an opportunity to reign supreme for a decade in the conference. Sure, Melo wasn't a great defender, but him going to that culture with his offense would've been perfect.

[@thewatcherowl6752]

@@atlien1988 As well as his defense would be improved given, he is surrounded by good defenders.

[@razkable]

They were OK in 08

[@twentyseven2948]

He's the first in his class to win a ring. Maybe all Detroit needed that year was a lucky charm. Imagine having to develop a young star such as lebron or melo, and deal with their ego etc, while making a push for the championship.

[@darrellfoster2344]

R, 21st vying ovdzaèè we egl c y u as rxkmmx g ,vy,

[@EvilOrso]

This is exactly my thought process. People always say imagine how many championships Detroit would win with Melo. But like would they have even won one?

[@Freebands460]

@@EvilOrso lmao you really don’t think the pistons would’ve been better with Melo over this bum? Smh sad

[@EvilOrso]

@@Freebands460 well the things is how are we supposed to know ? Does Tayshuan Prince does develop into a star? Do they still trade for Rasheed Wallace? Does Larry Brown even play Melo based on how he used him in the 04 Olympics? Can Melo be the 3 or 4th option on the team? We just can’t know these things.

[@camillaquelladegliaggettiv4303]

​@@EvilOrsoDumars said multiple times he would've drafted Bosh, not Melo, if he didn't take Darko

[@floatingfacedown9691]

The Prism is probably my favorite ongoing series on sports right now. How you guys manage to make these entries to dense but still eloquent is really impressive AND it's all for free. You guys are doing great work 👌

[@joonpak]

How he was drafted over Carmelo is mind boggling. Regardless of who was on Detroit’s roster.

[@qceaz11]

Who Is Melo Tho???

[@bogdanristic1407]

Just watch the video my guy. He didn't come into the NBA as a center, but as a really big, athletic, fluid power forward with a potential to develop a solid mid-range jumper (it's the early 2000s, big men shooting from mid-range was an exception). In theory he was KG 2.0. You don't pass on new KG. The thing is, unlike KG, he just didn't care at all. His parties in Detroit and his antics became legendary here in Serbia.

[@LaughingJokerProd]

@@bogdanristic1407 They had Rasheed and Ben Wallace. It feels like they could've done just as well with Carmelo

[@dionicio24]

Wade should’ve went either 2nd or 3rd

[@bogdanristic1407]

@@LaughingJokerProd Sheed didn't start that season with the Pistons.

[@HandlesMcCandles]

Was always one of my favourite players to draft on Franchise mode in NBA Live at the time. Would always go on to average 25/10/5 and be in the MVP Convo. What could have been...

[@lc9245]

The most important legacy of Darko was that he brought one of his good friend, a Jokic brother to America. Having partied hard and himself failed to achieve anything as a professional sport player in America, the Nikola's brother determined not to let his brother walk the same path as Darko and himself. That's why the Jokics stay together in America; they know what fame, money and lack of control can do to a talented athlete. Because of Darko, we have one of the best centre in the game. Darko sets the example for talented Europeans in the NBA. If Victor panned out, I think it would be fair to say that many have taken Darko's example to heart.

[@Islington_Express_Bus]

That pic of Joe Dumars with the two phones always makes me laugh.

[@salvydelacrack4155]

He's got one of those names that I swear it seemed like announcers and media just loved saying.

[@adelantericky]

Appreciate the work y'all put in. In particular, Seth & Clara always have my attention in a chokehold

[@ralphtiff8559]

I remember 03 as a Syracuse native. My favorite joke of 04 was Donnie Darko getting a chip before LBJ or Melo. You did miss one factor in his #2 spot. According to lore Anthony told the Pistons he wouldn't accept a bench role, opening the door for Darko.

[@Supreme36074]

League changing at the time didn’t help either, he was a modern big they were trying to force down low, that alone helped sap his confidence & helped lead him to the bottle. Wasn’t a bad player, just drafted way too high… with that being said probably the biggest bust ever because of who else was in the draft. Kwame is second because at least in that draft there were no Lebrons or Wades… let alone even a Bosh.

[@elliemyers6435]

Anthony Bennett is a WAY bigger bust than Kwame. At least Kwame lasted like ten years in the NBA and was a serviceable role player. Bennett didn't even make it passed his rookie contract.

[@Supreme36074]

@@elliemyers6435 I agree, it’s just Kwame held the title 10 years plus before he was drafted so that shits gonna die hard. Mainly because he stuck around. Bennett was out so quick no one remembers him 😂 I’d say Kwame is third behind Bennett, Darko…

[@silewis9396]

​@@Supreme36074I'd take Kwame over Olowokandi. Also look up Larue Martin. 1972 #1 pick. 4 years in the league and did way less than Kwame

[@Supreme36074]

@@silewis9396 I would too… Larue Martin is definitely high in the list too… Candyman was mainly just a spoiled brat being wealthy already when he came here. He had no real love for the game. Actually had a decent skill set. In Martins era it was a lot easier to pick a bust than the modern era. They didn’t have tape in abundance then. He was definitely a bum.

[@riccardoferrazzo8283]

The guy had touch, feel for the game, and was big and strong. I will always ask myself what his career could have been if 1) he did not end up in a team where he was basically alone (European, 18yo, white) and 2) he did not end up with a coach who notoriously does not like rookies and notoriously was extremely rigid (indeed, larry brown ended up fighting with every superstar he worked with). Also because, and this is my opinion, if you are an 18yo, and you waste 2-3 seasons playing only garbage time, this will immensely limit the ceiling of your career. Try to give young, motivated Darko to Mike Dantoni. Maybe he would have had a 20ppg career

[@milanradojkovic3818]

He was young, raw, hot headed kid in a foreign country. His talent was great, but to be motivated he neaded to be happy. I watched him when he played for Hemofarm, he was superstar already, big blond giant kid, fast, strong, smart. It was not easy for him to become garbage time player in Detroit. 20 ppg in healthy surrounding? Easily! 20, 10, 4 and 2 😉

[@montblancnoland1]

Possible

[@thomasarmani]

I mean Kobe (17 years old and 13th pick) came out fine after his first two years and faced adversity coming into the league and he was young and talented, he made no excuses and put in the work. Some people make it happen and some don’t...

[@milanradojkovic3818]

@@thomasarmani you are right, i said that he was hot headed, plus, he was a foreigner, plus, he didn't loved America. But he was top 5 talent on that draft... they just couldn't implement him in a system...

[@thequinlanshow3326]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@bubbybrister2191]

Funny you would bring up someone from my past! I have History with Serbs / Yugoslavs In 2005, three 7ft tall Eastern European men came into my work. Zarko Carbarkapa, Nikoloz Tskikivili & someone they called, jokingly, "John Brown". They said they were new to the area. "John" did not really speak, or was sort of quiet, while the other two were more gregarious, as he left most of the talking to his laughing & giggling friends (which I get. I can be similar). Zarko & Nikoli talked about coming to the Warriors that year, but how (the also 7ft, probably same age as me, at the time) "John" did not play basketball, like them. I said, "Ah, oookay... and ran their cards. I already knew before it got there, but I was trying to play along, until I ran "John's" card, and the receipt came back 'Andris Biedrins'. And, I mean, how many 7ft tall Latvians, or Eastern Europeans have you seen, with names like "John Brown"? With yellow highlighter colored hair, that is gelled straight up, but only for, maybe 3 inchs (if that)? It is a very, _very_ perticular look that one cannot merely pass off by using a fake name. Especially when you are walking through the City with another b;;two of your likesized teammates. I had to say, "Jeeez, you know, you look like Andris Biedrins" while Cabarkapa & Nikoli were laughing like school kids. I worked at a tanning salon & they had come in to get a tan, but they were all to freaking big, so I have no idea how they did it. But they paid & did their 50 minutes, sooo.... Oh, and they never came back. Any of them. I checked before we went out of business (makes sense for Nikoli & Zarko, but damn, Beans, i'd call you John if thats what you wanted. Lol).

[@ampersand2001]

I've been a Pistons fan since 87, and this has always haunted me 😭😭😭

[@OnGod1007]

They won the chip that season and went to seven games the next season who cares where they drafted they won the championship

[@jasonquinlan1733]

@@OnGod1007 could have won more with someone like wade bosh or Carmelo

[@adnanomeragic9597]

@@jasonquinlan1733 I feel like Brown would have stunted Wade, Bosh or Melo and even Lebron a bit. All of those young players when drafted played for actual rebuilding teams where they were the first option right away. That helps so much in building your confidence and ability to become the greatest. Not sure if Melo would have fit in Detriot's system, especially with his early ego. He was an offensive heavy guy with almost no intention to play D, which Detroit was huge on. He could have come off the bench nicely and led a second squad to outscore other teams, but again ego. I feel the same for Wade. Bosh would have fit in much more nicer.

[@jasonquinlan1733]

@@adnanomeragic9597 I get what your saying but I think if Melo were to be drafted to the pistons I think Ben Wallace and Rasheed Wallace would have humbled him and developed his defensive game. Scoring wasn’t his problem so he probably wouldn’t have had to work on it much anyways. Plus the Lakers ego problem was apparent that season so I think they would have won regardless.

[@Bigedub101]

@@jasonquinlan1733 I say Melo could might have fit cause he'd probably been better defender and we know he's a bucket...Only problem was Larry brown for some reason didn't play young players, look at 2004 Olympics

[@enthusiastofcute]

Considering their coaches hatred fro playing younger guys I don’t understand why they didn’t just trade the pick for a veteran star

[@chrisberry789]

This was one of their absolute best videos. Masterpiece

[@simoncaton1226]

The original Ronaldo too would be great for this. People forget how good he was. And that the age of 22, he was as good as he would ever have been

[@rayanmbadiwe2133]

Even in a video all about Darko, the comments are all about Anthony. I can't say I'm shocked but darn. Practically all busts are made from developmental mistakes, not lack of talent.

[@DrZaius3141]

The real story is the part that Milicic admitted himself: Attitude is extremely important. Usually when you have divas being successful, they will still have a drive and at least some form of work ethich, but being unable to take criticism, being full of yourself and believing yourself to be a superstar is just a recipe for an uncoachable mess. It's funny how scouts can delude themselves into overlooking bad character when that particular trait is extremely visible.

[@mxhughes]

Same thing with Ben Simmons they been had reports of his questionable character n attitude since high school but they downplayed it because of his abilities probably assuming he'd grow out of it but I've learned in life when you arrogant or have bad attitudes early on it's a hard trait to grow out of

[@student99bg]

He was put on the bench, he was given small amount of minutes and during those minutes he wasn't allowed to play into his strengths (playing on the perimeter, 3s). Darko Miličić being a bust is just as much the fault of the Detroit Pistons organisation, especially the coach and the arrogant, ignorant American mentality as it was Darko's fault. Had Jokić been treated the same way as Darko was he would have never become what he is now. Yes, it is also lack of work ethic from his side but I am not sure if he would have lacked work ethic if he was given minutes. It is hard to stay motivated when you don't have playing time and during the small amount of minutes that you spend on the court you can't play into your strengths.

[@dulesavic23]

Reading some of the comments here, just have to put my 2 cents in... Most of you are forgetting how ruthless Larry Brown was with rookies, with Miličić not getting any special treatment from him, either... With that said, player's confidence can be killed very quickly at that age with that much hype, and LB managed to do just that by keeping him on the end of that Pistons bench...

[@suzunakuraki3747]

Darko was 18....you're still kind of a kid mentally and emotionally at 18 even if you're legally considered a full-fledged adult. Getting yelled at by someone older don't feel good -- see Kwame Brown/Michael Jordan.

[@kingslayer3796]

@@suzunakuraki3747 SOFT

[@BurritoKingdom]

I wonder how Darko would have done if he was drafted today. For sure, he'd be in a Wiseman situation and be sent to the g-league to get playing time.

[@vaughanb6299]

So happy prism is back, love this series!

[@splashfresco]

Being from Detroit this story hurt different 😭😭😭

[@Stop_arguing_with_strangers]

We put so much pressure on young men. Being a pro athlete is about so much more than just being good at your sport. When I was 18, every day was about getting enough money to buy a pack of smokes and an oz of wax

[@aleksandarspasic6067]

Darko's famous video of swearing the refs was after 2007 Eurobasket OT defeat vs Greece. He was suspended by FIBA for it and that also ended up being his last game for the national team.

[@rnuke_rocket]

I feel bad for Darko cause I didn't even know why Detroit drafted him at #2 considering that Larry Brown as we all know doesn't want to play young guys in the first place like what he did in the 04 Olympics. I think Darko would have thrived if he was picked by a young rebuilding team.

[@joeneway]

For many outside of Detroit, had the Pistons drafted Carmelo, Bosh or Wade, they most likely do not make the trade later for Rasheed Wallace which led to winning the 03/04 Championship and even if they did, its not for sure they win that title or any going forward, what is tho, is the events that played out and as a Detroiter, wouldnt change a thing, drafting Darko led to a championship.

[@tylerharrald4703]

It all kind of makes sense now, especially when you add the fact that a teenager was getting drafted to a team and for the position that the twice reigning NBA Defensive player of the year held down. I think if he didn’t have to sit behind Wallace on a championship team, we would’ve seen just how good he was. And I don’t think we ever did

[@lucagattoni-celli1377]

So many of these stories come down to coaches not letting players play to their strengths.

[@subtlebluntduality5997]

Darko Milicic. The Tony Mandarich of the 2003 NBA Draft. Which reminds me. You should do one on Tony Mandarich.

[@subtlebluntduality5997]

@HennesseeVol I was thinking in terms of him being like Darko the 2nd pick of the draft and like him the bust in the top 5. In the 1989 NFL Draft, Troy Aikman went #1, Barry Sanders went #3, Derrick Thomas #4, and Deion Sanders #5. All NFL Hall of Famers. And like Darko, he was seriously hyped up. On the cover of SI, he was called 'The Incredible Bulk'. Three years later, he was on the cover again as 'The Incredible Bust'. And like Darko, he had an attitude problem. He held out during his rookie season, trashed the city of Green Bay, and talked about boxing Mike Tyson.

[@Richxwolf]

He got a ring and the bag$, bro is chilling

[@andrew_l1900]

Darko got drafted to a team that quickly changed coaches to Larry Brown, that’s all you should need to know about why he didn’t pan out. Larry Brown hated young players especially international players. Killed the guys spirit and love for the game

[@SPTV-Vids]

As a lifelong Pistons fan, this video hurts to watch.

[@187mrsmith]

I always mixed up darko with Andrei Kirilenko I never realized either that he played 4 my Celtics

[@SonnyK248]

It's still baffling that Detroit didn't take Melo. Melo was such a hyped prospect. I think because he was in the same class as literally the most hyped prospect ever people sleep on how hyped he was. The guy was a megastar in highschool. Then in his one year in college he wins the NCAA title and wins the most outstanding player award. If they picked Melo then they could have become a legit dynasty. The won the chip in 04, lost the finals in 05 and then lost the Eastern Conference finals the following three years. Melo could have made a huge difference in the outcome of some of those years.

[@mxhughes]

Even if tayshaun prince stayed a starter melo could've contributed off the bench with scoring and rebounding.I hate when old Detroit players have a insecure response to when ppl ask what would've happened if melo got drafted there.They act like he would've caused be trouble on the team which I don't believe to be true especially since Detroit was contending for years

[@SonnyK248]

@@mxhughes They competed at the top of the East for five years after drafting Darko. It only took Melo a couple of years to become an elite scorer in the NBA. I don’t think there’s any doubt they probably win at least one more title if they draft Melo.

[@AirRusher1992]

Btw good to see the return of Prism after 3 months.

[@lazypugfilms]

Seeing a lot of James wiseman’s story in darko

[@JJJJ-jw8hc]

Hopefully he can turn it around since the Warriors have other young guys too. It's also worth wondering what GSW SHOULD have done even with hindsight, because I don't think LaMelo Ball would have been a good fit next to steph but hey I could be wrong

[@jferg8956]

@@JJJJ-jw8hc yeah your wrong at cuz Lamelo would be a perfect fit next to Steph.

[@smokecows420]

@@JJJJ-jw8hc i think if they drafted melo, poole wouldn't have developed but they'd be in a pretty similar spot as they are right now

[@patrickkelvingabriel6403]

Its sad also that among the top 5 picks on that draft class, my idol, Melo, is still ringless. But still he is a future hall of famer.

[@kwonzyy]

How do you do a feature on a player and not show a single play of his...?

[@KTF0]

I don't even remember a single play of his

[@officialconch]

Basically he finessed stereotypes to become a teenage millionaire, NBA Champion, and mimic a 7-foot Slim Shady in Detroit

[@JustGettinStarted]

I’m STILL sick we missed out on Wade, Bosh, or Melo🤦🏾‍♂️

[@TheeRomantic]

You guys should do a video on Blake Griffin and how he changed the Clippers.

[@Concatenate]

Secret Base people, gotta do one on Dragan Bender. Probably just replace Darko with Dragan and use different pictures.

[@matthewforbes2969]

Imago how many titles the pistons could’ve won if the drafted Carmelo instead

[@MazeDaGr8]

Exactly Anthony along with that squad they had they could have won at least 2 or 3

[@lil_james1584]

Melo and Larry Brown wouldn’t have gotten along. I don’t think that would’ve work. And the Pistons were contenders anyway, they were already in “win now” mode. So they really didn’t need Melo.

[@jacobbell8171]

Wade would have been the best pick for them I think because of their defense

[@qceaz11]

Melo Has Only Been Out Of The 1st Round Of The Playoffs Twice In His Whole Career Stop Overrating That Man

[@Laidback_616]

@@qceaz11 If you saying a rookie Melo wouldn't have extended that Piston run you must be high. Man Avg 21 as a rookie and only went up from there. Nobody on that team averaged 20. It takes a team to make a run, not one guy, and we had a team. Wont say we'd have 4 titles but i will say Melo would've made a finals.

[@connorrivers995]

As soon as I saw that draft board, my first thought was, "So he's the NBA's answer to Tony Mandarich." Think about it. Hyped prospect, mediocre journeyman career, excessive drug use, chosen 2nd in a draft where 4 of the top five picks end up in the hall of fame.

[@joshuapatrick682]

Darko made a career of being tall, he was only ever in it for the money, and in Serbia 25 million Us has to go far, and that’s just what he’s got left 10 years later.

[@msdsez]

He got in the car but he was too mellow. I couldn't believe we passed on Carmelo. I was so sure until that pick was announced and then the horror started to sink in. Eat Right, Exercise, Die Anyway

[@razkable]

What's weird is they had ben corliss and okur plus elden....not sure why they needed a big...

[@Iamdeejoker]

I saw the notification and I knew it was a instant banger 👍

[@gethaunted]

Loving this series and it’s been cool watching the format take shape and develop

[@lynngatrell7965]

Seth, you're the only voice of the NBA for me. Please, PLEASE, tell SB to leave all things NBA to you.

[@johnnydepp4866]

I think had Detroit been contending at that time , they could have trade the pick to some rebuilding team down in the lottery to pick some rookies suitable for the system, or in the case of Larry brown hating rookies, they could have also trade the pick for a proven superstar like t-mac or KG at that time, and darko’s development would have been different

[@shashanksubramaniam1400]

As a pistons fan, I think Darko gets dragged too harshly sometimes. Was he a bust? Yea ofc he was. But he was drafted to be their long term C/PF, knowing that Okur was about to leave to chase a bag in free agency of 2004. On another team, Darko would’ve been given a lot more freedom to learn via trial and error. But what did the pistons do? They smelled an opportunity to really compete and they traded for Rasheed. The Sheed trade was obv a great move for the team, but it suddenly meant there were multiple guys ahead of Darko - Sheed, Okur, Corliss, etc. and simply put, that’s not a good environment for young player development. The priority was winning over Darko’s development. Darko’s pressure not to make mistakes was higher than the emphasis on nurturing him - as is typically the case on most contending teams. Not to say that the pistons didn’t devote any energy to developing Darko, but it was a far cry from a non-contending team like Today’s OKC giving Alexi Pokusevski free run during their rebuild. Also, raw ingredients in the hands of a careless chef won’t help you make a good meal: There were waaaay too many 20+ point blowouts during those days where the W was already in hand, yet instead of giving Darko 7-8 mins of pressure-free garbage time, Larry Brown would only put him in during the final minute or so. Long beyond his NCAA coaching days, Larry Brown was no longer a player development coach; he was not the right guy to handle Darko, especially when you consider Darko was struggling with an immense culture shock and had to be spoon fed basic things like showering after games and showing up to team dinners. Even these same pistons screwed over another player in a similar manner: drafted Stanley Johnson (who’s one premier skill in college was driving downhill and finishing through contact) to be your SF of the future and immediately sign Marcus Morris to start ahead of him; thus SJ was relegated to 3-D duty, instead of being allowed to play free and run downhill. I think the pistons have finally learned their lesson with Jaden Ivey and are letting him play like they should’ve let SJ (helps that they’re not real contenders atm). James Weisman is looking more and more like an afterthought in GSW, and it’s eerily like watching some Darko deja vu for me.

[@SHOW_ME]

The fact that the Pistons could have had Carmelo Anthony coming off a NCAA chip is the biggest wtf moment.

[@sorrycashonly5651]

they will probably ruin Melo's development anyway if they drafted him. The Detroit was a championship team with little room for rookies to play... a lot of people seems to forget that some rookies are only as good as how their teams develop them

[@SHOW_ME]

@@sorrycashonly5651 true. Unfortunately Melo had better Olympian success than NBA success. Still a lil salty he an Iverson didn't do diddly together 😒. Thought that was gonna be a terrific tandem

[@tobiasschobitz7220]

Let's not forget Melo has exactly 0 rings, 0 MVPs, 01st team all NBA selections, and only 7 all star selections. He's just a scorer while Bosh (2 rings, 11x all star), and Wade(3 rings, 2x 1st team NBA, and 13x all star) make him look like he was drafted way too high.

[@GrownUpKid94]

That definitely changes with the right team. Melo would’ve thrived in Detroit.

[@dg96-93]

I kind of wonder how his career would have went if he wasn’t draft eligible in 2003 and got drafted in 2004 instead

[@greglam2755]

He stuck around a lot longer than I remembered.

[@razkable]

On bad teams...he made the playoffs with Orlando but he was a backup

[@MetalGod999]

Thank you so much, Secret Base, for bringing back Prism! I’m proud of you for planning more episodes of this very interesting series. And I can’t wait for more episodes to come!

[@hatsuhioki9361]

he was fantastic player here in Hemofarm, just needed better menagment oversea

[@Hendrix.Robinson]

That 2nd pick should have been Melo. Growing up in Detroit and experiencing this real time turned my stomach. Ugh!

[@danglesnipecelly13]

It’s wild because the pistons didn’t even need that pick around that time 😂 they were already arguably the best team in the NBA but as a pistons fan it’s mind blowing looking back. They could have any of them 😭😭 I’ll never understand why they chose Darko.

[@gohabs8918]

Real cool format to this video, giving us the end, middle, then beginning. I like it

[@TheCudder4life]

He might have become good if he was drafted by anther team. By the time that he left the Pistons it sounds like he was already pissed and angry about how his career had worked out so far.

[@csaber2007]

Actually the Bucks drafted Nowinski and got scammed into getting Tractor Traylor..

[@kylel2576]

The bucks didn’t get scammed into it. They drafted nowitzki for the mavericks as part of a trade. The bucks never wanted nowitzki

[@jjleblanc8151]

Telling a team not to trade for you because you’re a problem makes me wish I was good at sports

[@simoncaton1226]

An episode like this for Messi, Ronaldinho or CR7 would be great for soccer

[@musyarofah1]

If they make a Prism video on soccer, it better be about those failed FM wonderkids (Anthony Vanden Borre, Bojan Krkic etc.). We've had millions of video about Messi/CR.

[@simoncaton1226]

@@musyarofah1 you make a good point. I just don’t know what they would be willing to do. Or what will capture the audience

[@devinreuter3638]

I feel like there is a Detroit native on y'alls production team. You've given us a lot of michigan team videos.

[@187mrsmith]

Imagine if they had taken Dwayne wade or Carmelo Anthony or even Chris Bosh on top of the already championship roster they had! They might have won back to back if not 3 peateded no bs

[@PawnCOD]

Do Anthony Bennett next!!! Please!!!!

[@antoniohoward981]

Shawn Bradley next please

[@Thomas12793]

Had Darko been drafted by Coach Pop and San Antonio, he would’ve reached his full potential.

[@OrionOodama]

I thought just for fun in dealing the "draft bust" label in front of public sphere with grace now they're all retired -- Darko Milicic, Sam Bowie, and Greg Oden should cross paths, take countless pictures, or guested together in a podcast.

[@m0m0]

HIGHLY ANTICIPATED UPLOAD 🙌🙌🙌

[@jordanflores5687]

They had sheed, big ben, elden Campbell, cliff Robinson, mehmet okur, & corliss Williamson and they still drafted a big a teenage big at that LMMFAO I wish i could be this incompetent at my job and get millions

[@comicman06tv36]

I think one basketball one you should is the 76ers process or Sam hinkie as that could be a great video

[@xjom91]

It definitely seems like it didn’t help he had no time to develop during those first two years in Detroit.

[@thatguywesmaranan]

i'm just glad he's happy living his life now...

[@donalddeluxe6407]

My mind still goes what if on that pick. Instead of darko, what if they got any of the next three picks especially Carmelo, Chris Bosh, or Dwayne wade?

[@tylito4764]

I don't wanna be there, team says that's ballsy you deserve a raise lol

[@ezio_Winchester]

I was a teenager when my pistons started to get good in the early 2000s.. especially after the addition of the Wallace's especially my favorite player ever Ben wallace. I remember the day I heard we drafted darko I had high hopes for him cuz we needed a tall center to back up Ben wallace cuz elden Campbell was getting old. That was right at the start of our domination of the eastern conference and the addition of any one of those other top 5 would have changed the way everything played out. Bosh or Melo would have fit well. Could have had tayshaun off the bench which was also very solid.. the 2004 champ team had like 4 guys on the bench that went on to start for other teams

[@jaquezhuddleston5638]

Just got back from work

[@spoogerification]

so he played in the league for years... that's not really a bust

[@17thN.O]

Much like the other players that they label a "bust" I say the organization drafts these players and other teams sign them, the players don't draft or sign themselves. If you were them dudes you would take the bread too.

[@TheWolfInNerdKlothing]

- He was the first of that Top 5 to get a ring. (Carmello still has 0) - Retired at 27 - Multimillionaire - played in the NBA when so many never even make it TO the league. You call that a bust. I call it good fortune. 😅

[@dudesouls]

He could have been a 17ppg guy if things just came together and if he hustled for more.

[@joshchatman87]

Christmas came early 💪🏾

[@Knabtube626]

Darko is the Tony Mandarich of the NBA. The biggest bust in between 5 future hall of famers.

[@drygnfyre]

How about an episode on Sam Bowie?

[@xkptwistblazex]

Anyone else trying to figure out which Royalty Free platform they use for music?

[@FunkoPopnLockn]

I feel like Darko and AI would have been friends based solely off of practice