I've seen Darko play LIVE- he is FOR REAL

[Hornacek]

Sup guys-

New to the board here.

Anyways, I was in NYC last weekend at Columbia University, and I walked in to the gym there, and Darko was there working on his game with his trainer. HE IS FOR REAL. He is fluid, quick, and HUGE. He was dunking with medicine balls, and shooting the three with ease.

People that have compared him more to Nowitzki, probably because they're both foreign, but he looked more like a Garnett to me.

Anyways, I also got him to sign my Ben Wallace jersey, shook his hand, and wished him luck in the NBA and with the Pistons (book it, he was wearing Pistons gear in his workout, he's going to the Pistons).

Here's a pic of me and my buddies, and DARKO!! Let's see if you can tell which one is Darko ;-).

http://web.mit.edu/blwang/Public/Darko%20at%20columbia%20004.jpg">

(herelink</a> in case the pic doesn't turn out)

Anyways, trust me on this one, he will be a force in the NBA. A 7'1" shooting and down-low presence doesn't come around every year. http://www.sportstwo.com/forums/http:///forums/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif

[jbbFranchise]

Im sure this guy is good, but next year Shaq,Duncan, and Zo are gonna tear him up, he wont have a good rookie season, but will be good in the next 2 years.

[AllNet]

Excellent...he is the real deal yeah....guy will be great for us..a great person too...works very hard...has a great allround game..he will be a force in this league

8)

I will hopfully get to meet him soon enough....but i guess it won't be til the first pre-season game of the season...

[Spotk1us]

He looked cool he was preety tall he looked like he'd be a good player

[olskoolfunktitude]

doesnt look that tall in the picture. how tall r u ann your buddies?

[mixedflava]

Lol... one guy in the pic is standing on his tip-toes, trying to look taller.

ALLNET man, do u HAVE to meet EVERYBODY? I mean u met Melo, probably the whole Detroit team and a couple of people from the Spurs...
you're so lucky.

[AllNet]

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting "mixedflava":</div><div class="quote_post">Lol... one guy in the pic is standing on his tip-toes, trying to look taller.

ALLNET man, do u HAVE to meet EVERYBODY? I mean u met Melo, probably the whole Detroit team and a couple of people from the Spurs...</div>

Darko is about 7'2...i heard when they measured him.....as for meeting everybody? well i'm connected...some of my family members worked for the spurs thats how i got to met stephen jackson and now good friends with him.Also when you sit court-side it is easiler to meet players.

[olskoolfunktitude]

hehe...its not luck...just moneye

[olskoolfunktitude]

btw. darko looks a little soft. http://avatars.sportstwo.com/jbb_img/smilies/owned.gif

[vinsanity03]

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting "allnet":</div><div class="quote_post"><div class="quote_poster">Quoting "mixedflava":</div><div class="quote_post">Lol... one guy in the pic is standing on his tip-toes, trying to look taller.

ALLNET man, do u HAVE to meet EVERYBODY? I mean u met Melo, probably the whole Detroit team and a couple of people from the Spurs...</div>

Darko is about 7'2...i heard when they measured him.....as for meeting everybody? well i'm connected...some of my family members worked for the spurs thats how i got to met stephen jackson and now good friends with him.Also when you sit court-side it is easiler to meet players.</div>

Somebody's rich.

[AllNet]

And i suppose tim duncan is soft too huh? just because he doesn't have the muscle of a shaq...doesn't mean he is soft..if he was people wouldn't be saying how great a inside and post player he truely is.[/code]

[vinsanity03]

Oh, he did look like he was in pistons gear to me, looks more like And1.

[olskoolfunktitude]

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting "allnet":</div><div class="quote_post">And i suppose tim duncan is soft too huh? just because he doesn't have the muscle of a shaq...doesn't mean he is soft..if he was people wouldn't be saying how great a inside and post player he truely is.[/code]</div>

sure they would. he muist look like a great post player without any shaqs, duncans, mournings banging him around with physical punishment like hell get in the NBA. i wasnt talking about muscle either. u can tell by looking in someones eyes if thier soft, if theyr an aggressor or not. he looks soft to me

[AllNet]

LOL keep thinking he is soft...it will make it that much sweeter when he dominates..

he played in europe at 16...thats impressive...he has a good post game...very tough to stop...great defender...you name it he can do it all...there will be haters...like you it seems but he will do good and prove everyone wrong..and help us alot ..can't wait..just adding him to our very good roster is good enough..

[olskoolfunktitude]

LOL keep thinking he will dominate....it will make it thatmuch sweeter when he busts....untill hes traded at the age of twenty and becomes a star somewhere else just liek jermaine oneal. how am i a hater if i think hell be a star. i just know basketball. i know no one in europe touched him the way hes gonna be bullied in the NBA thatmight make his "great popst moves" less rellevant

[AllNet]

he has all the moves to be a superstar and he likely will.He will likely dominate this league...not yet of course but in a few years he will have very good numbers...he is only 18 remember...Darko loves it on detroit and has made it clear he wants to stay here for a long time..He won't have it easy straight away..but if he can learn quickly to play pro ball at the age of 16..he can handle himself in the NBA..he will produce...we don't need him to do great straight away as we have a very good team anyways

[vinsanity03]

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting "allnet":</div><div class="quote_post">he has all the moves to be a superstar and he likely will.He will likely dominate this league...not yet of course but in a few years he will have very good numbers...he is only 18 remember...Darko loves it on detroit and has made it clear he wants to stay here for a long time..He won't have it easy straight away..but if he can learn quickly to play pro ball at the age of 16..he can handle himself in the NBA..he will produce...we don't need him to do great straight away as we have a very good team anyways</div>

When did he say this? Or are you just asuming he loves Detroit because you love Detroit. Everyone must love Detroit.

[AllNet]

He made it clear in a few articles...was also in ESPN insider..saying that he loves being here and hopes to stay for as long as possible...Derick coleman loves detroit too.....rumours are already about he will sign for the MLE next season..and follow larry brown here..

[vinsanity03]

Why are all the players supposibly going to Detroit for anyways?

[AllNet]

We have a great future getting darko also..we can offer good money..larry brown is a coach that can attract good players....and it is a classy franchise...also the fact we are a top east team....

[vinsanity03]

Dont any of the players want to have all the fame though?

[Hornacek]

Haha I'm actually 5'10... I know it doens't look like it, cuz Darko is so tall. Two of the guys are over 6 feet though, and Darko still towers over them.

Actually, his sleeveless shirt is And1, but all his warmups were Pistons gear. He had a shooting jersey (those long sleeved ones) that the Pistons team uses during warm-ups.

[jbbFranchise]

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting "allnet":</div><div class="quote_post">And i suppose tim duncan is soft too huh? just because he doesn't have the muscle of a shaq...doesn't mean he is soft..if he was people wouldn't be saying how great a inside and post player he truely is</div>

lol european players aren't really big bangers, they're all finesse. Hes good in the post because he plays against weaker people and he shakes, not dominates.

[AllNet]

It's not his fault he plays against so-called weaker comp as you seem to think..it's still pro ball..unlike what lebron faced.

[Shapecity]

yeah darko does look shorter than 7'2 in that picture. i think he is compared to his favorite player, KG, because he is very athletic and agressive for his size. it will interesting to see how he does in the league and how he fits in with the pistons. i'm really curious to see who the pistons get in the free agent market.

that's funny he signed your ben wallace jersey!!!

[olskoolfunktitude]

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting "allnet":</div><div class="quote_post">...Darko loves it on detroit and has made it clear he wants to stay here for a long time..</div>


to be fair, doesnt every player say that when hes drafted. i mean, jermaine oneal said hed love to play his whole career with one team, tho i dont remmeber exactly where i heard him say that but they say it all the time. it doesnt mean anything edspeially if darko developes slow which tends to happen to players so young. even darko becomes a minor star youre not looking at the next kareem abdul jabbar here. he doesnt seem at all tough enouugh to "dominate" the NBA. that would be an absolute franchise player

[AllNet]

Well he seems like the kind of guy that is very loyal..and comes off as a person who loves to play basketball thats it...he will be a force in this league and i truely believe that...ok dominating is a too strong a word..as not even the best players dominate...but he will be a star that will be a very good player...but he is about to join my team...so i'm not exactly going to say he is going to do bad.

Just have to see how he does..because he is joining a very good team he won't need to do alot in his rookie season....

[Hornacek]

Its true most people say they want to play for that one team that drafts him, but, let's be honest, most players probably want to go to a better team than go to a TERRIBLE team... and the Pistons are a pretty good team as is.

That's why I think there is substantial merit in both Darko and Carmelo saying they would want to play for Detroit (I've read an interview pre-lottery where Carmelo said his two top teams to play for would be the Knicks and the Pistons).

[AllNet]

I heard melo wants to play for the knicks too....wouldn't be surprised to see spree,filler and the knicks 9th pick traded for melo +?..could happen

[Hornacek]

Spree might be a good player to go along with White, Skita, and Nene. I think if the filler was Eisley (to play PG), and the Nugs are assured they can draft a PG or a C for the future (assuming they don't get Gilbert), they would pull the trigger on that one.

[VinsanityMK]

damn, lucky you... i'd love to meet Darko.

[Kid Canada]

i wish i got to play some ball with a nba player

[JayManHawk15]

I've never seen anyone dunk with medicine balls...but if he can...he's serious about playin basketball....

[jbbFranchise]

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting "pchotsauce":</div><div class="quote_post">I've never seen anyone dunk with medicine balls...but if he can...he's serious about playin basketball....</div>

i would say many people have... they do a lot of that kind of strength training, i know they do that for passing...(using the medicine balls)

but yeah this guy has a fabulous work ethic..

[STC]

I would love to see Melo play in NY. Get him with a healthy McDyess, and Houston and I would like to watch them play (living in NJ, I get the Knicks games)

The Nuggets would be able to get a guard. They have a good frontcourt if healthy...Nene, Camby and Howard. Although Howard may not stay. Maybe they could sign someone like Kandi, or Brad Miller, and then get a guard in the draft.

[olskoolfunktitude]

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting "allnet":</div><div class="quote_post">I heard melo wants to play for the knicks too....wouldn't be surprised to see spree,filler and the knicks 9th pick traded for melo +?..could happen</div>


no chance. no player or group of players on the knicks is good enough to trade for carmelo. they wont be good for a looooooong time

[Shapecity]

scott layden is too stupid to pull off a deal like that. also mcdyess might miss the entire season again. his surgery didn't go as well as anticipated.

[nkwu]

Darko's gonna be good in the L, But first he has to get through the lawsuits( is it 3 now?)

[kb8gw32003]

I think so! It maybe 3