This was another article on Insider yesterday I thought you may want to read...............Did not see it until today... 
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Will Darko re-join the group?
By Terry Brown
NBA Insider
Thursday, October 30
Updated: October 30
11:52 AM ET
I have read that Darko Milicic is 7-feet tall, weighs 245 pounds and is from Serbia-Montenegro having been born on June 20, 1985. I am told that he is a big, strong kid with exceptional skills and a tireless work ethic. I've read stories detailing his humble disposition and his eagerness to make a better life for himself and his family back home. He can shoot, rebound, move his feet and see the floor, say the scouts.
Reports continue to come in. Eventually, we learn he has more upside than any player available for the upcoming NBA Draft and teams are ready to sue if some arcane age requirement is enacted that would keep him from being eligible.
MilicicI heard that when the Detroit Pistons, a team that won 50 games in back-to-back seasons, had lucked out and got the second pick of the 2003 NBA Draft, they didn't think about LeBron James, didn't really consider Carmelo Anthony, and wouldn't budge on trading the high selection for an all-star veteran.
They had one name in mind to be their franchise player for years to come.
But with the second pick of the 2003 NBA Draft, Joe Dumars and Co. didn't draft power forward Ben Wallace, who scored 16 points to go along with 17 boards, six blocks, five steals and an assist in the Pistons' season opener on Wednesday night.
With the second pick of the 2003 NBA Draft, the Pistons didn't select Mehmet Okur, who came off the bench and scored a game-high 17 points as well as totaling six boards and four blocks while shooting 7-for-10 from the field.
With the second pick of the 2003 NBA Draft, they didn't pick Elden Campbell, either, who started at center and tallied 11 points, four boards, three steals and two blocks on 66 percent shooting from the field.
With the second pick of the 2003 NBA Draft, the Pistons, under the guidance of Dumars, did not phone in the name of small forward Tayshaun Prince to be read by David Stern at the pulpit. And all he did was score 16 points, grab five points and drill half of the team's 3-pointers.
For goodness sakes, Zeljko Rebraca, also 7-feet tall and also from Serbia-Montenegro but selected 54th in the 1994 draft before being traded by the Sonics to the Timberwolves then to the Raptors with stops in Italy and Greece in between before being traded to the Pistons and finding out that he might have a career-ending irregular heartbeat, played four minutes Wednesday night, scoring three points and grabbing two rebounds.
But I'm watching the game, checking the Web site, digging through the stat box once the contest is over, a loss by the Pistons if you're keeping track of those sorts of things, and for some reason I can't find the second pick of the 2003 NBA Draft.
I see where LeBron tallied 25 points, nine assists and six boards in his debut. Carmelo had 12 points, seven boards and three assists in the Nuggets' upset win over the defending champs. Dwyane Wade had 18 in his first game, Aleksandar Pavlovic, another rookie from Serbia-Montenegro, had 14 and Jarvis Hayes, the No. 10 pick in the aforementioned draft, had 13.
Looking . . . looking . . . looking.
Where's Darko?
Maybe they're saving him for the second half. Maybe they're saving him for the last-second shot. Maybe, do I dare say it, he's hurt, got lost in traffic, the dog, perhaps, ate his homework.
Maybe I didn't look down far enough in the stat book.
D.Milicic: DNP - Coach's Decision.
LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
Numbers: 25 ppg, 6 rpg, 9 apg, 4 spg, 0 bpg, 60 FG%
Twenty-four hours ago, the general consensus was that, considering all the hype, there was no way this kid could stand up to the mounting pressure and compete with the likes of Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, etcetera. It just wasn't fair. Now, I'm writing this piece wondering if I'm supposed to be comparing him with the likes of Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter and thinking that it isn't really fair to Bryant, McGrady and Carter.
Carmelo Anthony, Denver Nuggets
Numbers: 12 ppg, 7 rpg, 3 apg, 1 spg, 0 bpg, 26 FG%
Even on a bad night, Carmelo Anthony, a rookie, got to the free-throw line eight times in 29 minutes. And his team won. There are all-stars who don't do that on good nights.
Chris Bosh, Toronto Raptors
Numbers: 11 ppg, 4 rpg, 0 apg, 0 spg, 2 bpg, 62 FG%
If Vince Carter continues to score around 40 points a game on 50 percent shooting, then no one's going to notice the skinny kid scoring 10 points a game on 60 percent shooting. But don't be surprised if his number's aren't close to those of last year's winner, Amare Stoudemire, by the end of the year.
Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat
Numbers: 11.5 ppg, 3 rpg, 4 apg, 0.5 spg, 0 bpg, 33 FG%
Catch him if you can. Four assists the first night, four assists the second night, really quite an accomplishment considering that with Lamar Odom and Caron Butler injured there are times he's looking up and seeing Samaki Walker open on the wing.
Zarko Carbarkapa, Phoenix Suns
Numbers: 5 ppg, 5 rpg, 1 apg, 0 spg, 1 bpg, 25 FG%
You ain't seen nothing till you've witnessed this 6-foot-11 dervish lower his head and charge downcourt at the head of a runaway fastbreak. The shooting percentage is low, he is second in the league in turnovers per game and has only one assist to show for it. But did you see that 6-foot-11 kid lower his head and lead that fastbreak down the court?
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Will Darko re-join the group?
By Terry Brown
NBA Insider
Thursday, October 30
Updated: October 30
11:52 AM ET
I have read that Darko Milicic is 7-feet tall, weighs 245 pounds and is from Serbia-Montenegro having been born on June 20, 1985. I am told that he is a big, strong kid with exceptional skills and a tireless work ethic. I've read stories detailing his humble disposition and his eagerness to make a better life for himself and his family back home. He can shoot, rebound, move his feet and see the floor, say the scouts.
Reports continue to come in. Eventually, we learn he has more upside than any player available for the upcoming NBA Draft and teams are ready to sue if some arcane age requirement is enacted that would keep him from being eligible.
MilicicI heard that when the Detroit Pistons, a team that won 50 games in back-to-back seasons, had lucked out and got the second pick of the 2003 NBA Draft, they didn't think about LeBron James, didn't really consider Carmelo Anthony, and wouldn't budge on trading the high selection for an all-star veteran.
They had one name in mind to be their franchise player for years to come.
But with the second pick of the 2003 NBA Draft, Joe Dumars and Co. didn't draft power forward Ben Wallace, who scored 16 points to go along with 17 boards, six blocks, five steals and an assist in the Pistons' season opener on Wednesday night.
With the second pick of the 2003 NBA Draft, the Pistons didn't select Mehmet Okur, who came off the bench and scored a game-high 17 points as well as totaling six boards and four blocks while shooting 7-for-10 from the field.
With the second pick of the 2003 NBA Draft, they didn't pick Elden Campbell, either, who started at center and tallied 11 points, four boards, three steals and two blocks on 66 percent shooting from the field.
With the second pick of the 2003 NBA Draft, the Pistons, under the guidance of Dumars, did not phone in the name of small forward Tayshaun Prince to be read by David Stern at the pulpit. And all he did was score 16 points, grab five points and drill half of the team's 3-pointers.
For goodness sakes, Zeljko Rebraca, also 7-feet tall and also from Serbia-Montenegro but selected 54th in the 1994 draft before being traded by the Sonics to the Timberwolves then to the Raptors with stops in Italy and Greece in between before being traded to the Pistons and finding out that he might have a career-ending irregular heartbeat, played four minutes Wednesday night, scoring three points and grabbing two rebounds.
But I'm watching the game, checking the Web site, digging through the stat box once the contest is over, a loss by the Pistons if you're keeping track of those sorts of things, and for some reason I can't find the second pick of the 2003 NBA Draft.
I see where LeBron tallied 25 points, nine assists and six boards in his debut. Carmelo had 12 points, seven boards and three assists in the Nuggets' upset win over the defending champs. Dwyane Wade had 18 in his first game, Aleksandar Pavlovic, another rookie from Serbia-Montenegro, had 14 and Jarvis Hayes, the No. 10 pick in the aforementioned draft, had 13.
Looking . . . looking . . . looking.
Where's Darko?
Maybe they're saving him for the second half. Maybe they're saving him for the last-second shot. Maybe, do I dare say it, he's hurt, got lost in traffic, the dog, perhaps, ate his homework.
Maybe I didn't look down far enough in the stat book.
D.Milicic: DNP - Coach's Decision.
LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
Numbers: 25 ppg, 6 rpg, 9 apg, 4 spg, 0 bpg, 60 FG%
Twenty-four hours ago, the general consensus was that, considering all the hype, there was no way this kid could stand up to the mounting pressure and compete with the likes of Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, etcetera. It just wasn't fair. Now, I'm writing this piece wondering if I'm supposed to be comparing him with the likes of Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter and thinking that it isn't really fair to Bryant, McGrady and Carter.
Carmelo Anthony, Denver Nuggets
Numbers: 12 ppg, 7 rpg, 3 apg, 1 spg, 0 bpg, 26 FG%
Even on a bad night, Carmelo Anthony, a rookie, got to the free-throw line eight times in 29 minutes. And his team won. There are all-stars who don't do that on good nights.
Chris Bosh, Toronto Raptors
Numbers: 11 ppg, 4 rpg, 0 apg, 0 spg, 2 bpg, 62 FG%
If Vince Carter continues to score around 40 points a game on 50 percent shooting, then no one's going to notice the skinny kid scoring 10 points a game on 60 percent shooting. But don't be surprised if his number's aren't close to those of last year's winner, Amare Stoudemire, by the end of the year.
Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat
Numbers: 11.5 ppg, 3 rpg, 4 apg, 0.5 spg, 0 bpg, 33 FG%
Catch him if you can. Four assists the first night, four assists the second night, really quite an accomplishment considering that with Lamar Odom and Caron Butler injured there are times he's looking up and seeing Samaki Walker open on the wing.
Zarko Carbarkapa, Phoenix Suns
Numbers: 5 ppg, 5 rpg, 1 apg, 0 spg, 1 bpg, 25 FG%
You ain't seen nothing till you've witnessed this 6-foot-11 dervish lower his head and charge downcourt at the head of a runaway fastbreak. The shooting percentage is low, he is second in the league in turnovers per game and has only one assist to show for it. But did you see that 6-foot-11 kid lower his head and lead that fastbreak down the court?
