A funny thing happened on the way to basketball oblivion.
Darko Milicic became...good.
Any NBA fan over the age of 17 knows Darko's story: the next great 7-foot European player, he was supposed to eclipse all his predecessors: Petrovic, Divac, Kukoc, Marciulionas, all of them. Out of the 2003 draft class, Darko was projected as the third-best talent, behind LeBron and D-Wade and ahead of Carmelo and Chris Bosh. Considering how great of a flop Darko was for his first six seasons in the league, let's look at some of the other names that were called after him:
-Chris Kaman (no. 6)
-Mickael Pietrus (no. 11)
-David West (no. 18)
-Kendrick Perkins (no. 27)
-Josh Howard (no. 29)
-Mo Williams (no. 47)
Just for fun, we'll throw in James Jones (no. 49), since ESPN jocking him now that he's throwing up threes for the Heat. That's two rings, five Finals appearances, and seven All-Star games combined.
In his defense, Darko was over-hyped by draft insiders, notably Chad Ford as Bill Simmons writes in The Book of Basketball. Still, he's on his sixth NBA team in six years, his career high in scoring is 13 points and his nickname is "Human Victory Cigar". For five years, Darko was the European Dickey Simpkins.
However, things might have finally turned in his favor. After landing on a Timberwolves team projected to finish last in the Western Conference, Darko has finally started to put up numbers. He tallied 13 points, 12 boards, five assists and five blocks against Charlotte last week, and then put up 23-16-5-6 against the Lakers. Granted, both of those were losses, but the L.A. game would have had him going against (overrated) Pau Gasol on both ends.
So does this mean we're looking at a Darko-renaissance? Not really. For a no. 2 pick, he's still underachieving. He's got protection in Michael Beasley, Kevin Love and even Corey Brewer to some degree. The Timberwolves aren't going anywhere relatively soon (unless Ricky Rubio goes insane and decides Minnesota is more attractive than Spain), and I wouldn't be surprised if Darko dips back to Serbia this season.
Darko hasn't become what we all expected him to be yet, but at least he's no longer Euro-Dickey. That's got to count for something.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
The Best Worst Jump Shot Ever
For two weeks now, people have come into our house around 7 am to repair the basement ceiling. The labor's basically free because my roommate's dad is the landlord and the guys working are his uncles. Best of all, the part of the basement ceiling is the floor of my bathroom.
Unfortunately, this means they are pounding, hammering, drilling and sawing from 7 to 11 in the morning right next to my room. Since I'm on a light schedule at college this semester, I usually start my mornings at 11.
Not the last two weeks.
This has led to some interesting dreams, the latest of which centered around my friend Ben and I trying to find a pair of Joakim Noah's signature shoes. You know the ones: the crimson red Le Coq Sportifs with the white soles.
In the dream, not only are Ben and I discussing how to find the shoes, we actually talk to Joakim about our difficulties in finding the kicks, to which he says, "Ahhhhh shit. Let me talk to someone."
Four years ago, had you or I mentioned the words "Joakim Noah" and "signature shoes" in the same sentence, we probably would have been asked where to the get the herb we had been smoking. Either that or shot by Skip Bayless.
Now it's 2010, and the Bulls are being scoped as a possible four-seed in the East, thanks in no small part to J-No, who just recorded his sixth double-double of the young season (13 points, 19 rebounds).
The buzz around the Bulls? Not what they will do once Carlos Boozer returns. Not how they will deal with the suddenly uprising Knicks in a possible renewal of the mid-'90s rivarly. No, the latest question surrounding the Bulls is "Do they have the stones to deal Noah to Denver in exchange for Carmelo Anthony?"
Excuse me. What?
In the glory days (3-Peat I and II), the Bulls had two or three guys who could destroy you on the court, with Phil Jackson's intellect and wicked sense of humor running a close fourth. But with all respect due to Michael Jordan, they've never really had a guy who just didn't care about who the other guys on the team were or who they were playing next.
If there was anything about Jordan, it's that he made every move with devastating purpose. He knew when the Bulls were playing Lenny Wilkens and put that much more energy into his game. He knew when Gary Payton was on the floor and put extra effort into making him look silly. He did the same thing to Bryon Russell after 1995. But he at least was semi-respectful in the media or in interviews.
Noah, on the other hand, just does not seem to care about that. He will go out every game and get 12-plus rebounds, whether he's playing Shaquille O'Neal or Joel Przybilla. He will shoot jump shots and free throws with that ridiculous release and Jeff Van Gundy screaming about fundamentals—and still make them.
That's what makes him so....cool.
Remember when Florida won the NCAA championship (completing a glorious stretch for them and myself when they won the college football and basketball championship, twice defeating Ohio State in a calendar year)? All the Gator players were gathered at center court with their caps on, ready to receive the trophy. Some had put on the championship t-shirts, most were laughing and saying whatever 20- and 21-year-olds say to each other after winning a title on national television.
As the cameras rolled and Bill Raftery looked on bemusement, J-No did that absolutely ridiculous dance, flailing his arms about with reckless abandon.
(Video: J-No Gets It, Florida Style)
Purists everywhere cringed at the prospect of him coming to the NBA, heightened when he showed up to the Draft in that blindingly white, seersucker suit.
I mean, seersucker? I thought that only existed in Faulkner books.
Rick Morrissey, then of the Chicago Tribune, wrote that Noah was a terrible draft choice for the Bulls: "They are putting him in the 'high energy' category, which is code for 'can't shoot if his life depended on it.'"
Morrissey declared then that if Noah was a success in the NBA, he would literally eat his words. Last season, he did just that. In front of Noah, no less. (Good to find a journalist willing to stand behind what he writes, by the way.)
So not only does Noah score and rebound consistently, he is the guy who will wear his heart on his sleeve when it comes to the team. Last season, Noah yelled at LeBron James from the bench when he thought LBJ was showing up the Bulls in a blowout. Then, as the Bulls were being stuffed by the Cavs in the playoffs, Noah stated (and reiterated) that "there was nothing to do in Cleveland", insulting the fans and the team multiple times.
(Video: Hear What Joakim Thinks About Cleveland)
When asked after the Game Four blowout whether he still felt the same, Noah responded with: "Has anyone ever planned a vacation to Cleveland?"
Everything about Noah is done without an eye to public image. His hair. His teeth. His shoes are from a high-fashion French company and aren't available anywhere in the U.S. The rumors abound that he frequents Chicago-area marijuana shops during the season. He says whatever he wants to whoever he wants if they aren't wearing a Bulls logo.
He just doesn't give a...you know.
That's why the Bulls need to listen to Charles Barkley and all the other smart basketball minds and not trade Noah to the Nuggets. Yes, you would be getting a superstar player and great inside-outside scorer, but you would be losing more. If there's anything the recent past has shown, it's that big-name free agents who will chase cash and a chip aren't necessarily worth the headache their presence will cause (check in with Miami come playoff time.)
Guys who will defend the team come hell or high water are. That's why Joakim Noah is invaluable.
As Jack Nicholson's character says in A Few Good Men, "you want me on that wall, Danny. You need me on that wall."
The Bulls need Joakim Noah on that wall. Otherwise, there won't be a lot of defense when (excuse the pun) the heat turns up.
Unfortunately, this means they are pounding, hammering, drilling and sawing from 7 to 11 in the morning right next to my room. Since I'm on a light schedule at college this semester, I usually start my mornings at 11.
Not the last two weeks.
This has led to some interesting dreams, the latest of which centered around my friend Ben and I trying to find a pair of Joakim Noah's signature shoes. You know the ones: the crimson red Le Coq Sportifs with the white soles.
In the dream, not only are Ben and I discussing how to find the shoes, we actually talk to Joakim about our difficulties in finding the kicks, to which he says, "Ahhhhh shit. Let me talk to someone."
Four years ago, had you or I mentioned the words "Joakim Noah" and "signature shoes" in the same sentence, we probably would have been asked where to the get the herb we had been smoking. Either that or shot by Skip Bayless.
Now it's 2010, and the Bulls are being scoped as a possible four-seed in the East, thanks in no small part to J-No, who just recorded his sixth double-double of the young season (13 points, 19 rebounds).
The buzz around the Bulls? Not what they will do once Carlos Boozer returns. Not how they will deal with the suddenly uprising Knicks in a possible renewal of the mid-'90s rivarly. No, the latest question surrounding the Bulls is "Do they have the stones to deal Noah to Denver in exchange for Carmelo Anthony?"
Excuse me. What?
In the glory days (3-Peat I and II), the Bulls had two or three guys who could destroy you on the court, with Phil Jackson's intellect and wicked sense of humor running a close fourth. But with all respect due to Michael Jordan, they've never really had a guy who just didn't care about who the other guys on the team were or who they were playing next.
If there was anything about Jordan, it's that he made every move with devastating purpose. He knew when the Bulls were playing Lenny Wilkens and put that much more energy into his game. He knew when Gary Payton was on the floor and put extra effort into making him look silly. He did the same thing to Bryon Russell after 1995. But he at least was semi-respectful in the media or in interviews.
Noah, on the other hand, just does not seem to care about that. He will go out every game and get 12-plus rebounds, whether he's playing Shaquille O'Neal or Joel Przybilla. He will shoot jump shots and free throws with that ridiculous release and Jeff Van Gundy screaming about fundamentals—and still make them.
That's what makes him so....cool.
Remember when Florida won the NCAA championship (completing a glorious stretch for them and myself when they won the college football and basketball championship, twice defeating Ohio State in a calendar year)? All the Gator players were gathered at center court with their caps on, ready to receive the trophy. Some had put on the championship t-shirts, most were laughing and saying whatever 20- and 21-year-olds say to each other after winning a title on national television.
As the cameras rolled and Bill Raftery looked on bemusement, J-No did that absolutely ridiculous dance, flailing his arms about with reckless abandon.
(Video: J-No Gets It, Florida Style)
Purists everywhere cringed at the prospect of him coming to the NBA, heightened when he showed up to the Draft in that blindingly white, seersucker suit.
I mean, seersucker? I thought that only existed in Faulkner books.
Rick Morrissey, then of the Chicago Tribune, wrote that Noah was a terrible draft choice for the Bulls: "They are putting him in the 'high energy' category, which is code for 'can't shoot if his life depended on it.'"
Morrissey declared then that if Noah was a success in the NBA, he would literally eat his words. Last season, he did just that. In front of Noah, no less. (Good to find a journalist willing to stand behind what he writes, by the way.)
So not only does Noah score and rebound consistently, he is the guy who will wear his heart on his sleeve when it comes to the team. Last season, Noah yelled at LeBron James from the bench when he thought LBJ was showing up the Bulls in a blowout. Then, as the Bulls were being stuffed by the Cavs in the playoffs, Noah stated (and reiterated) that "there was nothing to do in Cleveland", insulting the fans and the team multiple times.
(Video: Hear What Joakim Thinks About Cleveland)
When asked after the Game Four blowout whether he still felt the same, Noah responded with: "Has anyone ever planned a vacation to Cleveland?"
Everything about Noah is done without an eye to public image. His hair. His teeth. His shoes are from a high-fashion French company and aren't available anywhere in the U.S. The rumors abound that he frequents Chicago-area marijuana shops during the season. He says whatever he wants to whoever he wants if they aren't wearing a Bulls logo.
He just doesn't give a...you know.
That's why the Bulls need to listen to Charles Barkley and all the other smart basketball minds and not trade Noah to the Nuggets. Yes, you would be getting a superstar player and great inside-outside scorer, but you would be losing more. If there's anything the recent past has shown, it's that big-name free agents who will chase cash and a chip aren't necessarily worth the headache their presence will cause (check in with Miami come playoff time.)
Guys who will defend the team come hell or high water are. That's why Joakim Noah is invaluable.
As Jack Nicholson's character says in A Few Good Men, "you want me on that wall, Danny. You need me on that wall."
The Bulls need Joakim Noah on that wall. Otherwise, there won't be a lot of defense when (excuse the pun) the heat turns up.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
It's Luol Deng.....to the Rescue?
This spring, I sat in front of my TV screaming as the Chicago Bulls faced the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
I wasn't screaming at the Bulls to be better or play ball. After all, they had barely squeezed their way into the postseason while the Cavs had chalked 60-plus wins behind a determined LeBron James.
No, on this particular day (Game 4, I think), I was screaming at Luol Deng.
A variety of things in a few languages, but most of them centered on him being "soft".
I think I actually yelled "soft" in Spanish at the time, though I've forgotten that piece of vocabulary. However, the theme of my venom remained the same: "Come on, Lu, ****** drive the lane! Marshmallow-*** ***************!"
Thank goodness I wasn't home. My mother might have disowned me.
Now the Bulls have arrived at a new season, full of promise and fortune. The news has mostly focused on Derrick Rose's MVP chances, the eventual return of Carlos Boozer and Tom Thibodeau's coaching chops.
Mostly, that is, except for Portland. After Monday night, sportswriters in Portland probably had a lot to say about Luol Deng (or the "Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man", as I referred to him during the second half of the season).
And why not? He had just dropped an astonishing 40 points on the Blazers as the Bulls cruised to a 12-point win. Most gratifying of all to me, D-Rose had double digits in assists. Finally, he got the chance to play like a real point guard!
It's been a long time since the Bulls had spot-up shooters who would have road crowds groaning as soon as they put the ball in the air (Paxson/Kerr/Kukoc/Gordon anyone?) As a result, Derrick Rose is often limited to pick-and-rolls with Joakim Noah or dangerous drives to the hoop. As we saw with last year's nasty falls against Orlando, such gameplanning might result in a quick career for the Chicago Kid.
That's where Lu comes in.
Keep Lu shooting, the Bulls are good. Get him to drive the lane? The Bulls are very good. Keep him healthy for an entire season?
The Bulls become dangerous.
Granted, the bench players need time to jell. Both C.J. Watson and James Johnson will have to step up and provide support on both ends, as will Kyle Korver. But as proven on Opening Night, the Bulls starting five can hang with just about anyone—and that was with a snazzily-dressed Carlos Boozer sitting on the sidelines.
The Bulls have dangled Sweet Lu on more than a few proposed trades since they drafted him, but unlike crowd-favorite Kirk Hinrich, they've kept him around (Shame sending poor Kirk to Washington to play behind John Wall and a frustrated and terrifying Gilbert Arenas, by the way). Now's his time to respond.
Otherwise I'll start learning to say soft in Swahili, just for fun.
I wasn't screaming at the Bulls to be better or play ball. After all, they had barely squeezed their way into the postseason while the Cavs had chalked 60-plus wins behind a determined LeBron James.
No, on this particular day (Game 4, I think), I was screaming at Luol Deng.
A variety of things in a few languages, but most of them centered on him being "soft".
I think I actually yelled "soft" in Spanish at the time, though I've forgotten that piece of vocabulary. However, the theme of my venom remained the same: "Come on, Lu, ****** drive the lane! Marshmallow-*** ***************!"
Thank goodness I wasn't home. My mother might have disowned me.
Now the Bulls have arrived at a new season, full of promise and fortune. The news has mostly focused on Derrick Rose's MVP chances, the eventual return of Carlos Boozer and Tom Thibodeau's coaching chops.
Mostly, that is, except for Portland. After Monday night, sportswriters in Portland probably had a lot to say about Luol Deng (or the "Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man", as I referred to him during the second half of the season).
And why not? He had just dropped an astonishing 40 points on the Blazers as the Bulls cruised to a 12-point win. Most gratifying of all to me, D-Rose had double digits in assists. Finally, he got the chance to play like a real point guard!
It's been a long time since the Bulls had spot-up shooters who would have road crowds groaning as soon as they put the ball in the air (Paxson/Kerr/Kukoc/Gordon anyone?) As a result, Derrick Rose is often limited to pick-and-rolls with Joakim Noah or dangerous drives to the hoop. As we saw with last year's nasty falls against Orlando, such gameplanning might result in a quick career for the Chicago Kid.
That's where Lu comes in.
Keep Lu shooting, the Bulls are good. Get him to drive the lane? The Bulls are very good. Keep him healthy for an entire season?
The Bulls become dangerous.
Granted, the bench players need time to jell. Both C.J. Watson and James Johnson will have to step up and provide support on both ends, as will Kyle Korver. But as proven on Opening Night, the Bulls starting five can hang with just about anyone—and that was with a snazzily-dressed Carlos Boozer sitting on the sidelines.
The Bulls have dangled Sweet Lu on more than a few proposed trades since they drafted him, but unlike crowd-favorite Kirk Hinrich, they've kept him around (Shame sending poor Kirk to Washington to play behind John Wall and a frustrated and terrifying Gilbert Arenas, by the way). Now's his time to respond.
Otherwise I'll start learning to say soft in Swahili, just for fun.
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