Darko....

[KowboyKoop 0]

Has anyone else noticed Darko's performance since he was traded to Orlando?? Nothing spectacular..but he has FINALLY gotten some significant minutes the past few games..and has put up some pretty fair numbers...looks like all those ESPN analysts (YOU LISTENING WILBON!!) who called him a complete bust are idiots. Hell, boy nearly put down a double-double the other day coming off the bench...and he's getting a lot of blocks as well. Man, I hope next year he is starting and puts up some real good numbers just to shut up all those idiots who said he couldn't play, despite the fact that he never even got a chance to play.

[Shimmering Wang 1]

Has anyone else noticed Darko's performance since he was traded to Orlando?? Nothing spectacular..but he has FINALLY gotten some significant minutes the past few games..and has put up some pretty fair numbers...looks like all those ESPN analysts (YOU LISTENING WILBON!!) who called him a complete bust are idiots. Hell, boy nearly put down a double-double the other day coming off the bench...and he's getting a lot of blocks as well. Man, I hope next year he is starting and puts up some real good numbers just to shut up all those idiots who said he couldn't play, despite the fact that he never even got a chance to play.

I'm from Pistons country, and the consensus around here among the learned basketball fan was always the following:1) Darko could and should play for most teams, but it's impossible to justify giving him minutes in Detroit2) Darko will likely end up being a solid forward in the league3) Darko is an outstanding shotblockerWang

[KowboyKoop 0]

I'm from Pistons country, and the consensus around here among the learned basketball fan was always the following:1) Darko could and should play for most teams, but it's impossible to justify giving him minutes in Detroit2) Darko will likely end up being a solid forward in the league3) Darko is an outstanding shotblockerWang

I know..this is what I have heard form the Detroit fans mostly....it was always said that in the practices that he was competing very well against the Wallace's..which is really saying something. I am more referring to Michael Wilbon and many others who have proclaimed him to be a gigantic draft bust like Kwame Brown because he wasn't able to put up 16 points a game in his 2 minutes a game (at most) that he saw....basically, he just got put in a situation where he could not get minutes..but the things he learned will probably end up being worth it for his career in the long run.(P.S. Orlando is gonna surprise people next year..with Darko and Howard as their big men......)

[RhinestoneCowboy 2]

I'm from Pistons country, and the consensus around here among the learned basketball fan was always the following:1) Darko could and should play for most teams, but it's impossible to justify giving him minutes in Detroit2) Darko will likely end up being a solid forward in the league3) Darko is an outstanding shotblockerWang

I vomited all over Kalamazoo once... nice town.

[Shimmering Wang 1]

I know..this is what I have heard form the Detroit fans mostly....it was always said that in the practices that he was competing very well against the Wallace's..which is really saying something. I am more referring to Michael Wilbon and many others who have proclaimed him to be a gigantic draft bust like Kwame Brown because he wasn't able to put up 16 points a game in his 2 minutes a game (at most) that he saw....basically, he just got put in a situation where he could not get minutes..but the things he learned will probably end up being worth it for his career in the long run.(P.S. Orlando is gonna surprise people next year..with Darko and Howard as their big men......)

See, the real PROBLEM with Darko was how he looked when he did get minutes, which was, in a word, godawful. And, after it became a running joke that he had the court-sense of a court-jester, he just stopped trying. He was dogging it, and Flip Saunders refused to give him any minutes. He was so embarrassed, running onto the floor because he was a human spectacle, that his pride made it almost impossible for him to go harder than 60%, which compounded the situation.He was tainted in Detroit. Even if minutes suddenly opened up for him, I don't think he'd ever be successful here. I wish him well in Orlando, and hope he becomes a star (mostly for the redemption of JoeD's draft ability), but I understand it never ever could have happened here.Wang

[KowboyKoop 0]

See, the real PROBLEM with Darko was how he looked when he did get minutes, which was, in a word, godawful. And, after it became a running joke that he had the court-sense of a court-jester, he just stopped trying. He was dogging it, and Flip Saunders refused to give him any minutes. He was so embarrassed, running onto the floor because he was a human spectacle, that his pride made it almost impossible for him to go harder than 60%, which compounded the situation.He was tainted in Detroit. Even if minutes suddenly opened up for him, I don't think he'd ever be successful here. I wish him well in Orlando, and hope he becomes a star (mostly for the redemption of JoeD's draft ability), but I understand it never ever could have happened here.Wang

Yeah, you're right about him never working out in Detriot...it was impossible. When you are a 18-19 year old who probably doesn't speak much English (at that time) and are being ridiculed by fans and media all the time b/c they perceive you to be a "bust," then yeah...it'd be pretty hard to go out there and give it 100 percent. It is definitely understandable that his confidence was shaken..but he looks like a completely different man in Orlando. Not that he is a star yet..but he might be a star sooner than a lot of people think. Hell..he's still only 20. AND HE HAS A RING!! lol....

[Shimmering Wang 1]

Yeah, you're right about him never working out in Detriot...it was impossible. When you are a 18-19 year old who probably doesn't speak much English (at that time) and are being ridiculed by fans and media all the time b/c they perceive you to be a "bust," then yeah...it'd be pretty hard to go out there and give it 100 percent. It is definitely understandable that his confidence was shaken..but he looks like a completely different man in Orlando. Not that he is a star yet..but he might be a star sooner than a lot of people think. Hell..he's still only 20. AND HE HAS A RING!! lol....

Like I said, I'm probably going to be pulling for him the rest of his career. Have you read the Chad Ford article from espn.com about his struggles? Pretty insightful stuff. It might be an insider article, but if it is I'll give you my username and password if you need itWang

[mrdannyg 274]

I know..this is what I have heard form the Detroit fans mostly....it was always said that in the practices that he was competing very well against the Wallace's..which is really saying something. I am more referring to Michael Wilbon and many others who have proclaimed him to be a gigantic draft bust like Kwame Brown because he wasn't able to put up 16 points a game in his 2 minutes a game (at most) that he saw....basically, he just got put in a situation where he could not get minutes..but the things he learned will probably end up being worth it for his career in the long run.(P.S. Orlando is gonna surprise people next year..with Darko and Howard as their big men......)

not sure what Wilbon's tone was, but for Wang's reason 1, Darko's draft pick was a bust. not that the player is a bust, just that it was such a terrible pick, since its a couple years later and we still don't know if he can play.probably will be a solid pro, but the pick may still have been a bust. would've been nice to have some other teams whined about, instead of just the raptors for Charlie V.

[lvpro 0]

not sure what Wilbon's tone was, but for Wang's reason 1, Darko's draft pick was a bust. not that the player is a bust, just that it was such a terrible pick, since its a couple years later and we still don't know if he can play.probably will be a solid pro, but the pick may still have been a bust. would've been nice to have some other teams whined about, instead of just the raptors for Charlie V.

I don't think the pick was a bust...I won 5 bucks that year, because a friend of mine insisted that 'Melo would get picked instead of Darko by the Pistons.

[KowboyKoop 0]

not sure what Wilbon's tone was, but for Wang's reason 1, Darko's draft pick was a bust. not that the player is a bust, just that it was such a terrible pick, since its a couple years later and we still don't know if he can play.probably will be a solid pro, but the pick may still have been a bust. would've been nice to have some other teams whined about, instead of just the raptors for Charlie V.

The pick was terrible, yeah...because they didn't need him at all...but Wilbon was saying that Darko himself was a bust...and that is just wrong. From everything I have heard, he was able to keep up reasonably well with Ben and Rasheed at Pistons practice, and for his brief time with the Magic so far..he looks pretty promising. Not saying he will be a star someday..but he could be a very very good 7 footer for many years to come..he won't turn 21 until June....him and Howard are gonna be monsters for Orlando two years from now.