Darko’s Future Is In His Control

Dark Milicic, Pistons Center and currently 12th man on the bench, is going to take time. Unlike others coming from the European game, Darko was much younger, and not quite ready to step into an NBA role. Although Darko was a second overall pick, and has all the hype behind him to be a star in the league. Patience and hard work are going to be factors in his development.

It wasn’t long ago that Rasheed Wallace played along side of another highly anticipated youngster. Sitting four years on the bench with him in Portland, Jermaine O’Neal – who entered the NBA right after high school – put his time in patiently, worked on his game, and is now among the elite and in the Indiana Pacers’ starting lineup.

O’Neal can be an inspiration to Darko.

The best thing for Darko at this stage in his career would be hard work. Putting patience aside for a moment, he could harness impatience to the point where he’s using it as a tool to motivate himself. The coaching staff loves him in practice, crediting him with doing everything they ask very well, but when it comes to game time, Darko puts little effort in, even when given a little bit more time than normal. He’s not taking his opportunities to prove why he shouldn’t be on the bench.

Back in November when Ben Wallace was on suspension, Darko saw more playing time. The roster was thin and they needed him to fill a role. Darko played well at times and showed that he was progressing, even though he was still top heavy on fouls. So why is it that he didn’t keep some of those minutes? Simple, he’s just not ready to take minutes away from the likes of Rasheed Wallace, Ben Wallace, Antonio McDyess, and, in situational match-ups, Elden Campbell.

Lately Darko has been unhappy with his (lack of) playing time. He’s asked for more minutes, and if he’s not going to get them, has asked them to think about trading him. He’s ambitious, but doesn’t necessarily see the whole picture. He wants to be outside, but Larry Brown wants him to be inside. When given a chance to be outside, he’s often come up empty on shots, not giving much reason to put him back in that position.

So where does Darko fit in with the future of the Pistons? It’s hard to tell at this point, but I would imagine as a backup Center first and maybe later a starting Center. That is, if Darko can learn to take what he does in practice, and is able to transfer it onto the court during games. If he can find patience, he will find himself in a better mental makeup, and could learn to excel in the little time he’s given during games.

Darko’s best shot at a future in the NBA is here in Detroit. He has the best teachers, the best conditioners, the best role models, and the most people that still believe in his future. He has people around him that know how to win and what it takes to make it from a rookie at the end of the bench to a regular contributor.

Darko also has the athleticism, the know-how, the raw fundamental talent, and a decent shot. He’s strengthened up over the last year and a half, and has started get tougher under the boards. He can pass well, he can dribble, and he can run. He has the design, and if he can learn to embrace patience, he could turn out to be a very good player. If not, he’ll ride out his contract, go on waivers, and may never have another shot like this again.