Darko's rookie season: Better than it looked?

It?s commonly agreed that Darko was horrible this season. It?s been a matter for debate if, when, and how much he?ll improve. I don?t think he?s played quite as badly as most believe however. Is he raw? Does he make too many mistakes? Yes, and yes, absolutely. However, despite often being in the wrong spot on the floor, displaying a dismaying case of butterfingers and generally looking lost, Darko some managed to do a lot right. His season?s end stats are as follows:

34 games, 4.7 mpg, .21 spg, .4 bpg, 1.3 rpg, .2 apg, and 1.4 ppg.

Horrible, right? Actually, no. Averaged over 48 minutes for ease of comparison, those statistics come out to 2.11 spg, 4.5 bpg (!), 13.0 rpg (!), 2.1 apg, and 14.5 ppg. That?s not half bad. If we add up all of the positive stats Darko racked up each 40 minutes, we get a total of 36.21. We?ve heard a lot about how much worse Darko is than other rookies. How did they do by this metric?

1. Lebron James 42
2. Darko Milicic 36.21
3. Carmello Anthony 41.45
4. Chris Bosh 31.85
5. Dwyane Wade 36.94
6. Chris Kaman 29.7
7. Kirk Hinrich 32.19
8. TJ Ford 32.26
9. Mike Sweetney 37.15
10. Jarvis Hayes 26.47
11. Mickael Pietrus 30.05
12. Nick Collison NA
13. Marcus Banks 30.85
14. Luke Ridnour 30.74
15. Reece Gaines 21.25
16. Troy Bell 18.11
17. Zarko Cabarkapa 30.74
18. David West 35.29
19. Aleksander Pavlovic 27.62
20. Dahntay Jones 25.56
21. Boris Diaw 24.18
22. Zoran Planicic 29.62
23. Travis Outlaw 35.33 (sample size 19.2 minutes total)
24. Brian Cook 33.44
25. Carlos Delfino NA
26. Ndudi Ebi 34.5 (sample size 32 minutes total)
27. Kendrick Perkins 56.2 (sample size 35 minutes total)
28. Leandro Barbosa 29.98
29. Josh Howard 35.08

Out of the 24 first round draft picks with at least 48 minutes of playing time over the course of the season, Darko ranks fifth in statistical positives per 48 minutes. Unimpressive? Meaningless, because it was all garbage time? Maybe. But consider this: Darko achieved that level of production despite countless mental errors. He was often out of rebounding position, he was tentative going to the hoop, he had a horrible start to the year from the free throw line. Overall, he mostly looked lost. His production came from raw talent rather than from refined skill. If he did that many things right without knowing what he was doing, what might he do once he gets some experience and starts to figure things out?

The mistakes he made this season are of a correctable nature and are directly attributable to youth (youngest NBA player ever actually) and lack of experience. He still managed to put up decent numbers simply because he is 7?1??, insanely quick and reasonably coordinated. Most people feel that Darko has proven nothing and shown little to this point. I disagree. The numbers he put up basically in spite of himself show that he has terrific potential. Let?s just wait a couple more years and see what we have then

 

Thats interesting. Darko will get those numbers within the next couple of years. i still think he should of gotten more minutes during his rookie year, but oh well.

 

Hhhhmm. Interesting. But you've also pointed out that those are during garbage time wherein guys don't actually care to rebound. Plus converting it to 48 minutes isn't really accurate coz there are other things to consider like foul trouble, stamina and the like.

I also don't think that he'll get 2.11 spg, 4.5 bpg (!), 13.0 rpg (!), during his greatest year. That is if he'll also try to score coz that's just insane.

 

Yea i guess you could say that since he did only play a few minutes a game and that was when all the scrubs were in anyway so i guess you cant say darko will get those kind of numbers

 

I saw this before somewhere, can't remember there and it is interesting but certaintly not very accurate.

You can't convert two minutes of playing time per game into 48 minutes. I guess you can say that during his two minutes he was pretty effective even though his averages are at .8 per game or something like that.

 

The problem is that per 40 or 48 minute stats can't be used when a guy plays such little minutes, you need to be playing at least double digit minutes before it starts to apply. Maybe something like 15 minutes a game then we could look into it, but when its just super garbage time you'll realize that him playing real minute he'd be fouling out if he was getting those amount of steals and blocks.

The rebounds are fine, over 48 minutes 13 rebounds isn't too much, but the points might be higher because his FG% should improve, and might be lower because if he's playing real minutes everyone won't be trying to get him the ball.

Use per 40 minutes though, thats better.

Just to prove my point, Darko averages 10.2 fouls per 48 minutes.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting og15:</div><div class="quote_post"> and might be lower because if he's playing real minutes everyone won't be trying to get him the ball.</div>

I understand what you're saying but this statement is untrue. Nobody ever looks for Darko during garbage time. Sure, they give a half-assed attempt to get him the ball, which is stolen, or Darvin Ham/Tremaine Fowlkes (when he was playing) thought that garbage time was THEIR time and took every shot.

Anyways, I still believe that eventually Darko can be a 20-10 player.

 

I'm sure Darko will be a pretty decent player, but those hypothetical stats really don't say much at all. Think about it. If you ride the pine about the same as anyone's grandmother would, you'd try to damnedest to do something when you actually get put into the game. Unless your name is Kevin Garnett, who is probably the most intense player in the league, there isn't even the slightest possibility you can make a simple ratio and multiply those stats over an entire game. Especially during garbage time, when the other team is getting blown out so badly they're not even trying.

 

Hmm...I'm not buying that Darko had such a good season. Those stats are interesting, but we all saw him out there. He had no clue what he was doing. To his credit, though, he could have had more points if players didn't always swarm him when he's out there. It's like a consolation prize: You got shut down and embarassed by the Pistons, but at least you got to turn and do the same to Darko.

 

Don't you think you are stretching it a bit too much with the stats? I could say that I averaged 2 points in 15 games at 2 minutes a game. I'll just go to the coach and say "Hey I average 48 points in 48 minutes, give me some playing time"

It don't work that way. I can understand why Darko fans want to salvage a bad season from Darko but please give me some real stats I can look at.

BTW back in the day Tony Dumas of the Dallas Mavericks averaged 46 points in 48 minutes as with many other players before him. Where is he right now? If you answered I don't know then you see my point. If you do know where he is hook up the info, I want to know where he plays now.

 

How the hell did they past on Carmelo Anthony? Sorry.

 

Keep in mind that most of Darko's minutes are during garbage time...

 

Per 40/48 minutes stats aren't bad if you're using it for someone like Michael Redd, Zach Randolph etc last year, but with a guy like Darko who plays garbage time and even then he averages 10.2 fouls per 48 minutes, or 5 fouls in 24 minutes then it doesn't work. His blocks and steals will be significantly lower if he's actually playing, and maybe his rebounds too.

In the future I see him as a 20-10-1 block and maybe on steal guy but if he get the minutes next year those per minutes stats will not translate.

 

Joe d should have got 'melo or even wade Darko is crap

 

i'm sick of people coming down on Darko, sure he is a young player and has alot to learn, but what do you expect form a 17-18 year old who doesn't get any game time?

just wait until he actually gets court time and we'll be able to tell if he's worth #2 or not.

 

yeah everyone is down on darko, how can you judge how he plays when the only time he got was when the pistons were up by at least 20 and had like 2 minutes left in the game. Alos he played in the Euroleague for a couple years before he came to the states, they have different regulations than the NBA, so he is still getting used to all the regulations here. I think by next year he will be getting enough time to prove his talent.

 

Someone tell me how he was even considered for the NBA?

The guy should of stayed for another 2 years in European College (or whatever that level of play is called), and he would of been so ready for the NBA. It's better to gain more experience by staying in college longer and be more productive in the NBA rather than gain experience from college and not encounter one bit of it in the NBA. He would of actually got quality playing time from Larry Brown if this was the case, but he was aware that Darko was still developing and maturing, or in other words, not ready for the NBA, therefore doing the right decision for Darko the whole season.

By the way, Darko won't be a superstar in the future, and NOT EVEN to an extent that Shaq and Olajuwon have gone.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Chungster:</div><div class="quote_post">
By the way, Darko won't be a superstar in the future, and NOT EVEN to an extent that Shaq and Olajuwon have gone.</div>

how do you know mate?
if you are as good a player scout as you seem to think why haven't you got a job with an NBA player scouting talent?

they obviously have the job for a reason, and i'd say that MOST of the pistons management would have had to agree on the most suitable pick. It's kinda hard for that many people to be mistaken.

why be down on a player who hasn't had the chance to prove his worth