Darko has Potential Darko has Potential.. potential for wut? Is he that atheletic??? wut kind of potential are people talking about here?
Ctually, he's quite skillful. Problem with him is, he tried to be a better Dirk when he should've aimed for being more of a power player. He has great dribbling skills, can actually cross it over very comfortably and stuff. Since the players in Europe were slower, he was able to take on the Guards and SMall FOrwards, so those are the skills he acquired. However, NBA players are much quicker, so now he's going to have to become more of a Power player. If he succeeds (I don't think he will), he will be incredible.
I would be careful with dismissing Darko so soon. He didn't come in and flame out, he was simply not given playing time. Look at Jermaine O'Neal's or Tracy McGrady's rookie year numbers. Darko may be a flop, but I would wait a few years before saying it. Evan
I can see the similarities between the rookies Melo and Big Dog. Similar numbers in their rookie seasons and vaguely similar games. Big differences here, though: Melo got his when he was 19 years old on a playoff basketball team. Big Dog was 22 with one of the worst teams in the league. Todd Day averaged 16 points a game for them, for Chris Ford's sake. Melo dominated stretches of his first NBA season -- 19-year-olds just don't do that. He does, however, play kinda like Robinson: both have great middle games and both rely more on instincts than athletic ability. I'd say Melo's already as good as Robinson was in his prime, which was All-Star level. Comparing him to vintage Big Dog isn't a slight. But it's safe to say Melo has a much higher ceiling than Robinson ever did.
Blasting the Pistons for picking one teenager over another after just one season is premature. If Darko is still a benchwarmer in three years, he'll be fair game for the Alyssa Alps Biggest Bust award. Until then, however, let's give the kid a break.
If Joe Dumars knows Melo will be that good in his rookie season and he can get Sheed for nothing, I think he'll take Melo over Darko.
I just hope Darko is a better actor. Melo was hysterically bad on Spike TV's "52 Greatest Moments in NBA History."
i saw that to...Walton and him were both bad. I was suprised by walton being bad, he is usually good on broadcasting games.
Melo's not a great actor, that much is for sure, but a lot of that was Spike TV. They made Walton seem unnatural. That's hard to do. Besides, this is the same network that brought us Joe Schmo. They're not known for high quality entertainment.
Melo has won on every level. He has been a leader on every level. Why do you doubt him now. You're simply ignoring the facts. Melo has something the others don't.
Still, everytime I see him, I can't help but think "complimentary player". I don't know what it is, and he could darn well be the best complimentary player in history, but I can't see him as a Jordan/McGrady/Kobe/Iverson/etc...
No one's saying that Melo sucks. Just that Darko can be even better. There was a reason why Darko was rated higher during the draft last year, despite the fact that everyone knew he was going to be a long term project. While Melo was considered ROY before he was even drafted. This season turned out for both kids more of less exactly the way predicted. So why would anyone believe that Darko was the wrong pick this year?
I really like Melo's game in fact I predicted him for ROY (though he got screwed). That said this attitude by Denver fans and himself about showing up the Pistons/Darko is just lame. If Melo is the best thing since sliced bread why didn't he call out the high schooler who got picked before him on draft day? This strikes be as ethnocentricism, similar to J Will/media comments toward Yao. It is OK for an unproven American high schooler to go #1 (Brown/James), but heaven forbid some foreign player with a ton of potential taking attention away (and higher paying draft slots) from the American kids by being drafted before them. The attitude is ridiculus--though again I still like Melo's game a lot. It will take a couple of years before this draft will be evaluated. Also, I don't think Detriot would be that much better this year with Anthony. Larry Brown demands defense first, shot selection second, individual scoring ability 3rd. Anthony would have to earn PT over Hamilton, Prince and Corliss--and guess what, those guys and their team are doing pretty well.
Anyone see Melo on Punk'd? That dude told him to pull up his pants. Funny. They faked a minor drinking in his room. He didn't smile at all until they told him he'd been punk'd, then that big smile of his came out again.
