Darko Milicic is one of the most infamous draft busts in NBA history, with the Detroit Pistons selecting him second overall in 2003 ahead of Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade.
Anthony, who was selected with the very next pick by the Denver Nuggets, said in August that the Pistons promised to draft him and recently revealed that he tried to work out with Milicic for the Pistons ahead of the draft.
The only problem? Anthony could not find the seven-foot Serbian.
“I was looking to go train and workout against and with Darko prior to the draft, especially when I knew Detroit had the No. 2 pick.” Anthony said on Barstool Sports’ “Pardon My Take.” “And I could never find him. They used to hide him in the gym. They used to keep him in the gym. Nobody could see his workouts. I was like, wherever he’s at I want to workout with him and against him for that team.
“For Detroit — I actually thought I was going to Detroit. I just knew I was going to Detroit.”
Related
Despite the Pistons passing on Anthony, they still won the NBA Finals later that year, although no thanks to Milicic, either.
The second overall pick shot an anemic 26.2% from the floor, averaging a measly 1.4 points and 1.3 rebounds per game.
Listen to sports talk now on Audacy and shop the latest NBA team gear
In his third season with the Pistons, they decided to trade Milicic to the Magic, making him one of the biggest busts in NBA history.
If Anthony’s claim that Milicic’s people would not let him workout with any of the other draft class and “hid him in the gym” is indeed true, perhaps that should have raised some red flags.
One could only wonder how different things would have been if Anthony had begun his career with the Pistons.
Related
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Sign Up and Follow Audacy Sports
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram