Re-draft 2003 NBA Draft
86. . C. Serbia and Montenegro. Darko Miličić. 26. player
Darko Miličić was supposed to be the next great center in the NBA, when the Detroit Pistons selected him with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft. Although the Pistons would go onto win the NBA Finals that season, Miličić was a gigantic bust considering the players that he was taken in front of.
Still, he would stick around in the league long enough and have some seasons where he wasn’t as bad and looked like a competent anchor in the post. In this re-draft, Miličić would have made all the sense in the world for the Minnesota Timberwolves with the No. 26 picks.
It was the Timberwolves first pick in three years, after the Joe Smith fiasco and they finally had their pick back. In actuality, they drafted center Ndubi Ebi, who might have been the worst pick the team has ever made and they’ve made plenty of terrible draft picks in their history.
Still, that Timberwolves team would go onto reach the Western Conference Finals and make their final playoff appearance since. One has to wonder if Miličić would have had a different career playing next to a Kevin Garnett and learning from one of the best.
He would eventually end up with the Timberwolves and oddly enough, have his better years in the league.
Next: No. 27 Pick