It’s 2003, and a guy from Serbia walks into the NBA Draft with four future Hall of Famers. Surely, the Detroit Pistons will draft one of the proven All-Stars, right? Wrong! The Detroit Pistons drafted Darko Milicic of Serbia in the 2003 NBA Draft.
The Cleveland Cavaliers selected LeBon James with the first pick in the 2003 NBA Draft. Born and raised in Akron, Ohio James became the answer to the Cleveland Cavaliers fans’ prayer. Commissioner David Stern tried to drum up some suspense, but it was a no-brainer. Loaded with talent, the GMs could close their eyes, play Eenie Meenie Minnie Moe, and draft a future Hall of Famer. This class changed the modern game of basketball.
Eenie Meenie Miney Milicic
Basketball fans around the world waited anxiously for the Detroit Pistons to announce who they were taking Would it be Anthony, Bosh, or Wade? Commissioner Stern’s words unleashed audible disappointment from the crowd. Stern said, “…the Detroit Pistons select Darko Milicic, of Serbia.” I
In Detroit, the fans’ confusion morphed into befuddlement and disappointment.” Twenty-two years later, many NBA fans remain bewildered.
Discussing which future All-Star gave Detroit the best chance to stay dominant in the Eastern Conference sparked many friendly debates. If you scan newspaper clippings, radio archives, TV interviews, the one name you won’t hear is Milicic.
They Weren’t Singing and Dancing in the Streets in Motown
Vickie Hollans, a lifelong Pistons fan, spoke via Zoom about what may be the biggest blunder in franchise history. Hollans seems to drift back to the cobwebs of memory. After a few moments, she bites her lip and says, “I’m from Detroit. My husband is from Cleveland. For me, a lot was riding on this pick. I don’t mean in a monetary sense; we love sports, so it’s fun when we get to play around and tease each other about whose favorite team is better.”
The Pistons and Cavaliers play in the same division, so they play each other at least four times during the season. If both teams make the playoffs, they could find themselves playing in a five-game series or a seven-game series, depending on the round. When asked if she remembered being anxious or nervous about the draft, since her husband’s Cavs were undoubtedly taking James at number one, Hollans said,
“I wasn’t nervous at first. We had the second pick, and the draft was deep. We couldn’t make a bad pick. But we did. I really wanted them to select Melo (Carmelo Anthony), but Chris Bosh, DWade, Melo- it didn’t matter to me, they would’ve all been great…
Hollans said immediately after hearing Stern call Milicic’s name, her husband busted out laughing. “He said, Vick, only the Pistons or the Lions could make such a terrible pick.” Instead of going for the obvious choices—Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, or Dwyane Wade—the Pistons shocked everyone by selecting Darko Milicic, a 7’0″ center from Serbia. It was a decision that seemed illogical at the moment; the passing of time has caused the wound to fester instead of healing.
Gambling on a Long Shot With Melo, Bosh, and Wade Still on the Board
While the Pistons were busy placing their bets on Milicic, the Denver Nuggets seized the opportunity and drafted Carmelo Anthony with the third pick. Chris Bosh followed shortly after, captured by the Toronto Raptors, and then Dwyane Wade went to the Miami Heat. James, Anthony, Bosh, and Wade became NBA All-Stars and Olympic Gold Medalists. Bosh, James, and Wade have won several NBA Championships.
Anthony is expected to join Bosh and Wade in the Hoop Hall of Fame this fall. James will undoubtedly flow as soon as he retires. Meanwhile, Milicic’s legacy has largely been one of missed potential and questionable choices. During his career, he played with six NBA teams: the Pistons, Boston Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks, Memphis Grizzlies, and the Orlando Magic. Throughout his NBA career, Milicic averaged 6.0 points per game, 4.2 rebounds, and .9 assists per game.
Scoutting for the Future
Drafting Milicic was one of the biggest blunders in NBA history. It’s a lesson for teams to stick with proven talent instead of chasing long shots, no matter how impressive the height may be. Sports talk radio and NBA scouts were scrutinizing Anthony, Bosh, and Wade, evaluating their skills and projecting their future success. Each team’s draft strategy reflected this analysis and the critical importance of making the right decision.
Drake said he couldn’t envision leaving Anthony on the board for another team to draft. “Initially, we thought maybe they knew something about Carmelo that we didn’t, but that didn’t explain leaving Bosh, or Wade on the board. Often, when moves don’t make sense, the assumption is that we must’ve missed something in the scouting report. Sometimes, it can cause a kid’s draft stock to plummet because no one wants to take that risk. There is not one scenario that makes sense, now or then. If Carmelo is on the board, you take him at two. Even if you don’t think he fits in your system, you take him to trade him. Someone would’ve given up the farm for that guy.” Drake continued.
Before being drafted, Anthony, Wade, and Bosh put up impressive numbers during the NCAA Tournament. Anthony put his team on his back and helped Syracuse win the NCAA Title.
Anthony, James, and Wade named to the 75th Anniversary Team
In 2021, to celebrate the NBA’s 75th anniversary, the league named the 75 best players who ever dribbled a ball in an NBA Uniform to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. James, Carmelo Anthony, and Dwyane were drafted first, third, and fifth in the pivotal draft. All three men were named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.
Last Stop, Springfield, Massachusetts
Asked whether he thought Anthony would join Bosh, and Wade in the Naismith Basketball of Fame, Drake had this to say, Just like DWade (Wade), and LeBron (James), Carmelo (Anthony) has already been named one of the 75 greatest players in NBA history. If he doesn’t get inducted this fall, it’ll be a huge shock to everyone. He was a great teammate, he’s well-liked, and the only hole on his resume is that he wasn’t able to win an NBA title before retiring.”
Championships, All-Stars, Gold Medals
The Pistons’ surprising selection and the consensus view deepened the scrutiny surrounding Milicic’s selection. The subsequent performances of the other players from the 2003 NBA Draft further exacerbated the narrative that the Detroit Pistons missed an opportunit. The infographic below shows where the top five picks were drafted, the team that drafted them, and a few of their NBA career highlights.
Anthony’s selection as third overall by the Denver Nuggets stands in stark contrast to the Pistons’ choice. Anthony quickly proved his worth, leading the Nuggets to the playoffs in his rookie season and eventually becoming a frequent All-Star. His explosive scoring ability and competitive fire helped shift the franchise’s trajectory, establishing Denver as a contender in the Western Conference.
The careers of Bosh and Wade, selected ( fourth and fifth, respectively) illustrate the depth of talent from this class. Bosh became a cornerstone for the Tornoto Rapotors and later a key figure in the Miami Heat’s championship runs with Wade and James. Wade emerged as one of the premier guards in the league, leading The Miami Heat to three NBA Championships and becoming a Finals MVP.
The contrast between Milicic’s underwhelming contributions and the other players in the top five highlights the importance of a good scouting report. Drake explained the importance of the report in more detail. “The scouting report does more than tell you if a guy can play. A good one will tell you whether a guy will fit in your system, whether he’s worth building around, and also what deficits he might fill for other teams in the league. Once you identify how he solves problems for other teams, you have valuable information that you can use.”
The 2003 NBA Draft shaped the fortunes of franchises like the Pistons, the Nuggets, and the Heat. This draft class continues to resonate in discussions about player development and team-building strategies across the league. Since the 2003 draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors, and Denver Nuggets have all won NBA Championships.
Milicic Gets a Ring, Melo Gets a Place in the History Books with the NBA’s Greatest
Unlike Anthony, Milicic is an NBA Champion. The Detroit Pistons won an NBA Championship in Milicic’s rookie season. However, Milicic wasn’t seen as a contributing member. He spent most of the season hurt or on the bench. He complained he played in games when the Pistons held a commanding lead.
For Vickie Hollans, Milicic winning an NBA championship with her beloved Pistons keeps the wound open. “That’s the worst part of it for me. I wonder how many championships Detroit would’ve won if we drafted one of the other guys”. Despite winning the championship in 2004, Hollans says she would give up that championship if she could go back in time and draft Anthony, Bosh, or Wade.
“Drafting him was the beginning of our team’s decline. It’s been 22 years, and finally, we’ve started to rebound from all the bad trades and draft picks. Darko didn’t contribute to that championship in his rookie year. It bothers me sometimes because I feel like Darko got an A on the group project. 2004 was the year I stopped giving my students group projects. I guess that’s one thing we can thank him for.” Hollans said with a slight smile.
