Darko Miličić facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Darko Miličić

Miličić with the Minnesota Timberwolves in April 2010
Personal information
Born	(1985-06-20) 20 June 1985 (age 40) Novi Sad, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia
Nationality	Serbian
Listed height	7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)
Listed weight	250 lb (113 kg)
Career information
NBA Draft	2003 / Round: 1 / Pick: 2nd overall
Selected by the Detroit Pistons
Pro career	2001–2012, 2019–2020
Career history
2001–2003	Hemofarm
2003–2006	Detroit Pistons
2006–2007	Orlando Magic
2007–2009	Memphis Grizzlies
2009–2010	New York Knicks
2010–2012	Minnesota Timberwolves
2012	Boston Celtics
2019–2020	I Came to Play
Career highlights and awards
NBA champion (2004)
Career NBA statistics
Points	2,813 (6.0 ppg)
Rebounds	1,971 (4.2 rpg)
Blocks	613 (1.3 bpg)
Medals Men's basketball Representing  Yugoslavia European Championship for Cadets Gold 2001 Latvia U16 Team

Darko Miličić (Serbian Cyrillic: Дарко Миличић; born 20 June 1985) is a former professional basketball player from Serbia. He is 7 feet (2.13 meters) tall and played as a center. Miličić played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 2003 to 2013. He is known for being one of the youngest players ever in the NBA. He was also the youngest foreign player and the youngest player to win an NBA championship.

Miličić was picked by the Detroit Pistons as the second overall player in the 2003 NBA draft. He was chosen after LeBron James and before other famous players like Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade. Even though he was picked so high, Miličić didn't play as well as people expected in the NBA. Many consider him a "draft bust," which means he didn't live up to the high expectations. He won an NBA championship with the Pistons in 2004, but he didn't get much playing time. He was later traded to the Orlando Magic in 2006. After playing for the Magic, the Memphis Grizzlies, and the New York Knicks, Miličić joined the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2010. He left the NBA in 2013, with career averages of 6.0 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.

Miličić also played for the Serbian national team in international games.

Early Life and Youth Basketball

Darko Miličić's parents are Milorad and Zora. When he was young, his family faced difficult times during wars in his home country.

Miličić started playing youth basketball at BFC Beočin. He had to stop for a while during the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999. After that, he played for the Sports World basketball club in Novi Sad. He became a very strong player there and caught the attention of bigger teams. Miličić also played with his friend Nemanja Jokić, who is the older brother of NBA star Nikola Jokić.

When he was 14, Miličić joined the junior team of the Serbian club Hemofarm. He was later called up to the main team before being drafted by the NBA's Detroit Pistons in 2003.

NBA Career Highlights

Playing for the Detroit Pistons (2003–2006)

Miličić (left) with the Pistons in 2006

The Detroit Pistons picked Miličić as the second overall player in the 2003 NBA draft. Unlike most teams that pick so high, the Pistons were already a strong team. They had reached the Eastern Conference Finals the season before they drafted him. Miličić didn't play much in his first season with the Pistons. However, he became the youngest player to play in an NBA Finals game. He was 18 years and 356 days old. Just five days later, he won an NBA championship when the Pistons beat the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2004 NBA Finals.

The Pistons' team president, Joe Dumars, often said that Miličić would be important for the team's future. But Miličić didn't get much more playing time in his second season. He often said that he needed to play more to get better. He believed that practicing could only help him so much.

Under new coach Flip Saunders, Miličić still played only about 5.6 minutes per game. He only got significant playing time when the Pistons were winning or losing by a lot. In the 96 games he played for the Pistons, he scored a total of 152 points. He averaged 1.6 points and 5.8 minutes per game.

Time with the Orlando Magic (2006–2007)

On February 15, 2006, Miličić was traded to the Orlando Magic. He was traded along with Carlos Arroyo for Kelvin Cato and a future draft pick.

In one game against the New York Knicks, he played 32 minutes and scored 13 points with seven rebounds. These were his best numbers for the season at that time. In his first 20 games with the Magic, Miličić averaged 2.4 blocks per game. In the 2006–07 playoffs, his scoring improved to 12.3 points per game. When his first contract ended in 2007, the Magic let him become a free agent.

Playing for the Memphis Grizzlies (2007–2009)

Miličić playing for the Memphis Grizzlies in 2008

On July 12, 2007, Miličić signed a three-year contract worth $21 million with the Memphis Grizzlies. He hurt his Achilles tendon while practicing with the Serbian national team in 2008. However, he was ready to play at the start of the season. Miličić began the 2008–09 season as a starting player. But because he wasn't playing well, he was moved to the bench. He later got his starting job back as his play improved in December 2008. His progress was stopped when he broke a knuckle on his right hand during a game on December 26, 2008.

His time with the Grizzlies was a difficult period for him. He didn't want to play for the team, he got injured, and the team wasn't doing well.

Short Stint with the New York Knicks (2009–2010)

On June 25, 2009, Miličić was traded to the New York Knicks. In December 2009, Miličić said he planned to leave the NBA and play basketball in Europe the next season.

Time with the Minnesota Timberwolves (2010–2012)

On February 17, 2010, Miličić was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Timberwolves signed him to a four-year, $20 million contract in July 2010. The 2010–11 season was Miličić's best in terms of statistics. He averaged 8.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game. He finished fifth in the league in blocks per game that season. Miličić had some of his best games during this time. On November 19, he scored 23 points, grabbed 16 rebounds, and had six blocks against the Los Angeles Lakers. On December 14, 2010, he scored a career-high 25 points and 11 rebounds against the Golden State Warriors.

Miličić started the 2011-12 season as the Timberwolves' starting center. On January 20, 2012, he scored 22 points and had seven rebounds against the Los Angeles Clippers. However, his playing time decreased as the season went on. On July 12, 2012, the Timberwolves released Miličić.

Final Stop with the Boston Celtics (2012)

In September 2012, Miličić signed with the Boston Celtics. On November 21, 2012, the Celtics released him at his request so he could deal with personal matters. Miličić's last NBA game was on November 2, 2012. He played only five minutes in that game.

In June 2013, Miličić announced that he had retired from the NBA. He finished his career with averages of 6.0 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. In September 2014, it was shared that Miličić had retired from professional basketball to try a kickboxing career.

Miličić's NBA Legacy

As of July 2025, Miličić is still one of the youngest players to have ever played in the NBA. He is also the youngest foreign player to play in the NBA, the youngest player to play in an NBA Finals game, and the youngest NBA champion. However, because he was picked second overall in the 2003 NBA Draft, he is often remembered as one of the biggest "draft busts" in NBA history. This is because the Detroit Pistons chose him over future NBA stars like Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade. Many people wonder what might have happened if the Pistons had picked one of those other players.

National Team Career

Miličić played for the FR Yugoslavia U16 national team. They won a gold medal at the European Cadet Championships in 2001.

In 2006, Miličić led the Serbia and Montenegro team at the 2006 FIBA World Championship. He was a key player, leading the team in rebounds and blocked shots. He was also second in scoring. In one game against Spain, he played against NBA All-Star Pau Gasol and had 18 points, 15 rebounds, and three blocks.

During an interview after a tough loss to Greece at EuroBasket 2007, Miličić used very strong language when talking about the referees. He was later fined by FIBA for his comments.

Life After the NBA

Kickboxing Career

Miličić tried kickboxing in 2014. His first official kickboxing match was on December 18, 2014, in his hometown of Novi Sad. He lost that fight in the second round.

Return to Basketball (Briefly)

In May 2015, it was announced that Miličić planned to return to professional basketball with Metalac Farmakom in Serbia. However, Miličić later changed his mind and did not play.

Farming Life

Miličić now works as a farmer in his home country of Serbia. As of August 2017, he owned and managed an apple orchard that was about 125 acres large. He also had plans to buy more land and grow cherries.

Amateur Basketball

In September 2019, Miličić joined an amateur basketball team called I Came to Play in Novi Sad. He played his first game with the team on October 6, scoring two points and helping with several assists before leaving the game with a small shoulder injury.

Personal Life

On May 23, 2009, Miličić married Zorana Markuš. They have a daughter and two sons. His wife is a fashion designer.

In 2010, Miličić helped pay for a trip and medical treatment in China for five Serbian children who had a rare disease.

Career Statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

See also

In Spanish: Darko Miličić para niños

• List of European basketball players in the United States
• List of oldest and youngest NBA players
• List of Serbian NBA players