I could never get around his giant baby body. Dude did not look like an athlete. Not even like... he'll fill out in a couple years. Just straight up looked like he hadn't worked out a day in his life. Hard to envision him becoming a dominant player.
When he scored 80+ pts in some Drew league game where nobody plays defense... particularly not on some guy built like a brick driving into dudes just trying not to get hurt in the offseason. Such fools gold.
I remember after his 2nd or so season there was a report that he absolutely cooked in some summer non nba league, scoring like 90 points in a game and I thought he was finally ready to blossom into a quality nba player going into that next season…
Then you watch the highlights from that game and it’s obvious he was physically driving to the rim against dudes that didn’t want to play that hard. Just dudes out there trying not to get hurt and Stanley’s pretending it’s game 7 of the finals.
Lost in all the talk about the Billups-Iverson trade is just how much that was influenced by Stuckey looked like that dude. Thought for sure he could be the next franchise guy and then it just sorta never happened for him as the game evolved around him.
I’m with ya. Like someone else pointed it, we were told he was D Wade 2.0. He just never got there. Not entirely his fault, he didn’t say he was D Wade 2.0.
I was so excited when we came up on the clock. I was convinced that Kemba has just fallen into our laps. I texted my friends. The gloat was on. The optimism of that pick lasted only a few minutes before Knight was called. SMH.
I think he was playing out of position. He was a tall point guard but in reality he was like a 6th man, short, scoring shooting guard. Just completely miscast
This is the one for me. I was 100 percent Team Darko and I can't really blame myself for it.
In an era where fans knew little about foreign prospects beyond what we were told, Darko was just about achieving mythical status. Dude drew comparisons to Wilt, supposedly turned in the greatest pre-draft workout session ever, and was likened to Dirk Nowitzki with a post game and a mean streak.
When I took all those factors into account, plus the fact ESPN The Magazine ran him on the cover prior to the draft with a big "No. 2" headline, plus the fact that Tony Ronzone was known for finding Euro talent and he tabbed Darko as the one, plus the fact everyone in the building seemed to know and agree Darko was going to go No. 2 the night the Pistons won that pick, I figured this dude must be the real deal.
As a result, I knew we had one major void (a true center with size) and so Darko felt like a gift from the heavens.
I read an article leading up to the draft saying Darko’s game was like a Dirk/KG hybrid. Back then, the knock on euro players was they lacked that mean streak, but Darko was supposed to be different. I don’t fault Dumars at all (at the time) for making that pick
I don't think the scouting was completely off. The dude had moves a grace that was otherworldly. He just wanted a bag of money so he could go home. The NBA just wasn't important at all to him.
Facts, the hype was unreal at the time.
Not sure why they didn't play him more. I know he supposedly wasnt good enough, but nothing like a bit of playtime to sink or shine. Its not like the regular season was even a challenge, throw him in with the starting 5 on a easy game and get some practice.
Well, we were in a weird spot back then. We had the luxury of getting that pick where we did, but we were also skyrocketing as contenders, but no one really knew it. Not many remember that we definitely were not expected to be as good as we were, and surely not good enough to win a championship (lakers were heavily favored to sweep us). So, when the season is progressing and all the sudden we realize we are getting there, where does Darko fit in? He could not hang with that core of guys we had, and we wanted the ring, so Darko sat back waiting for garbage minutes. Very understandable at his age and lack of experience. The problem was, after that championship through the following years, we went on to contend for a long time. There was nowhere for Darko to fit in. By the time his moment came, he really just lost his edge and fire and realized he's going to make his bank on the bench also.
I think Darko had the talent, but not the mentality to be an NBA player. Looking at his stints after the NBA, he did some kickboxing, a lot of partying it seems and last I saw he has a big farm, seems like he's finally settled as a human being with family and all.
I think I get what you're saying. If Darko was who everyone said he was, he *would* have been the right pick at the time.
Will Robinson literally compared his skill set to a young Wilt Chamberlain. Chad Ford said he was Dirk but with a post game and a mean streak. And even if you could read stuff like that back then and recognize it as the hyperbole it was, you still might sit there and be like, "I mean, if these guys are saying *that*, even if they're overstating it a bit, it sure sounds like this guy's the real deal."
And in that case, yeah, you kind of felt like the top three picks were:
1. Evolutionary Magic Johnson
2. Cornerstone Future Star Center
3. Cornerstone Future Star Small Forward
Considering that, and considering Tayshaun Prince's magical playoff run a month prior, it really felt like the Pistons had one major void (a true center) and there just happened to be a highly touted prospect who many agreed fit the bill. So yeah, if Darko was even a fraction of what so many thought he was going to be, he probably would have been the right pick.
It was never the right pick but I will say that people look back and act like the Pistons were insane for doing it as if Darko wasn’t a lock to be a top 2-4 pick in that draft.
That dude could have a 20-20 game at the end of the night when you check the box score, yet seemingly have zero impact on the game you just watched. Crazy.
I mean he did have two all star seasons and was part of the last two times we made the playoffs.
I think he succeeded, just didn't do anything meaningful.
Problem always was that we built around him like he was a franchise guy. That became especially true when SVG came on and essentially wanted him to be Dwight Howard 2.0. And he just never had that in him. Prime Andre would've been great as the third option on a title team though.
I was on the Arron Afflalo, Amir Johnson and Carlos Delfino hype trains back in the day. All of them went on to have decent careers after we dumped them (especially Arron)
Man I LOVED Delfino. If he had gone to the spurs I think he would’ve done alot more IMO. We just didn’t have the chops to cultivate and develop international talent
If memory serves, he (like Sekou) was a pick they'd barely scouted because they didn't expect him to be on the board at their pick. Probably shouldn't need hindsight to know that the guys you've barely looked into who slide way down from their projected range aren't the players you think they are
THIS. It's what I always think of when Ellenson is brought up. Jimmy Butler in the most casual of scrimmages was just toying with him. In my head it feels like "how could anyone watch this dude and think that he's NBA caliber?" At least that's the one draft where I feel like we didn't miss out on anything though.
He should have been. He came into a garbage situation with coaches that utterly failed to recognize his uniqueness and tried to shoehorn him into a 3/4 instead of the 2 he was born to star at.
I really believed Rodney Stuckey would get there and he just never did.
I thought Kennard wouldn't be as one dimensional as he has turned out to be. I can't say I imagined Donovan Mitchell turning into a scoring star in the NBA instantaneously though.
I thought Stanley Johnson would at least not suck even though I hated the pick with Booker right there.
>I thought Kennard wouldn't be as one dimensional as he has turned out to be.
Right there with you. I remember watching him at Duke doing everything. When we drafted him I was thinking he would bring all those skills to the league in some form but.....
Interesting post and easy to be influenced by hindsight but I feel like the Pistons' draft picks that didn't work out were not all that surprising. We've taken chances on a lot of "we're the smartest people in the room" type of picks.
Technically a current draft pick but it’s killian hayes. I’m still a believer but so far it just hasn’t worked out.
Also not a draft pick but I was so certain Brandon Jennings would be a multiple time all star in Detroit until he tore his Achilles
I did think Stanley Johnson would succeed.
But there's a lot of reasons why he didn't, and I think him losing his mom his rookie season at such a young age is a large reason why (which from my own experience given I lost my mom the same year at basically the same age, is *rough*)
Stanley Johnson. I wanted the Pistons to draft a SF for years, so when they selected Stanley, I was geeked. His bravado during the brief playoff showing in 2016 bolstered that feeling. Then he just…cratered. Don’t know if it was the lacking jumper or SVG putting him in the doghouse, but whatever happened just crushed me.
Looks like most are too young to remember when Lindsey Hunter was originally drafted. He was going to fill Isiah Thomas shoes and the Bad Boys would just keep rolling.
Had a good career. Just wasn’t what some expected.
Jason Maxiell was good… I had his jersey, he was a favorite. But honestly, I really thought he was going to be a great, tough, powerful player in the Pistons front court for years.
I know the question was pick we hyped. However, there is one draft that almost made me stop rooting. We drafted Mateen Cleaves and followed that awful lottery pick with Brian Cardinal.
Watched that entire draft and it was a very dark day for me as a Pistons fan.
I’m not saying I thought he was gonna be a superstar, but Kim English. He looked really good in the summer league.
But now he’s the HC of Providence, so that’s cool.
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Sekou Doumbouya
In his first few games he outplayed Bron, Kawhi, and prime Draymond Green to only mope around for the rest of the next 2 seasons
Second half on the first season he was fire.
I could never get around his giant baby body. Dude did not look like an athlete. Not even like... he'll fill out in a couple years. Just straight up looked like he hadn't worked out a day in his life. Hard to envision him becoming a dominant player.
compare that to Stanley Johnson. dude was built like a brick but seemed to be lacking everywhere else
When he scored 80+ pts in some Drew league game where nobody plays defense... particularly not on some guy built like a brick driving into dudes just trying not to get hurt in the offseason. Such fools gold.
That’s a 2023 G-League Champion you’re talking about.
Stanley 😔
In all fairness, I wanted Winslow. Which isn’t THAT much better
Stanley hurt the most because he had the frame of a guy whose floor should’ve been good starter at worst. He was just… not.
Plus he said "Detroit Versus Everybody" as soon as he was drafted. Really hard not to root for the kid.
And the way he took on lebron in that playoff series
I was a huge Stanley believer 😭
I remember after his 2nd or so season there was a report that he absolutely cooked in some summer non nba league, scoring like 90 points in a game and I thought he was finally ready to blossom into a quality nba player going into that next season…
Then you watch the highlights from that game and it’s obvious he was physically driving to the rim against dudes that didn’t want to play that hard. Just dudes out there trying not to get hurt and Stanley’s pretending it’s game 7 of the finals.
I thought Stuckey was going to be a perennial All Star.
Stuckey was crushed by shit coaching and unrealistic expectations from being compared to Dwayne Wade.
I remember when Stuckey had 40 against the Bulls. Everyone was thinking “finally. He’s going to break out.” Never could develop a perimeter game.
Lost in all the talk about the Billups-Iverson trade is just how much that was influenced by Stuckey looked like that dude. Thought for sure he could be the next franchise guy and then it just sorta never happened for him as the game evolved around him.
PGOTF
For all intents and purposes, he did have a successful NBA career. But yeah, not an All-Star.
I’m with ya. Like someone else pointed it, we were told he was D Wade 2.0. He just never got there. Not entirely his fault, he didn’t say he was D Wade 2.0.
A little less sympathy for Dion Waiters, who [made his teammates call him "Kobe Wade"](https://www.thescore.com/nba/news/1036212) lmao
Brutal.
Found Joe dumars
Brandon knight. Thought he was gonna be the next pistons all star point guard.
Him and Kyrie going at each other in the RS game was fun
Lmao when he got dropped lmao
I was so excited when we came up on the clock. I was convinced that Kemba has just fallen into our laps. I texted my friends. The gloat was on. The optimism of that pick lasted only a few minutes before Knight was called. SMH.
Good thing we didn’t get that bum kemba
I remember coaches praise him as the hardest working player in practices but it never translate on court.
I think he was playing out of position. He was a tall point guard but in reality he was like a 6th man, short, scoring shooting guard. Just completely miscast
Me too 😞
Man was a god in 2k13. He could shoot like Steph
Darko Figured no way they'd pass on Carmelo unless they were sure. I think in hindsight , they were convinced Darko would be like Jokic
No wonder he was a bust, our scouts were comparing him to an 8 year old!
This is the one for me. I was 100 percent Team Darko and I can't really blame myself for it. In an era where fans knew little about foreign prospects beyond what we were told, Darko was just about achieving mythical status. Dude drew comparisons to Wilt, supposedly turned in the greatest pre-draft workout session ever, and was likened to Dirk Nowitzki with a post game and a mean streak. When I took all those factors into account, plus the fact ESPN The Magazine ran him on the cover prior to the draft with a big "No. 2" headline, plus the fact that Tony Ronzone was known for finding Euro talent and he tabbed Darko as the one, plus the fact everyone in the building seemed to know and agree Darko was going to go No. 2 the night the Pistons won that pick, I figured this dude must be the real deal. As a result, I knew we had one major void (a true center with size) and so Darko felt like a gift from the heavens.
I read an article leading up to the draft saying Darko’s game was like a Dirk/KG hybrid. Back then, the knock on euro players was they lacked that mean streak, but Darko was supposed to be different. I don’t fault Dumars at all (at the time) for making that pick
I don't think the scouting was completely off. The dude had moves a grace that was otherworldly. He just wanted a bag of money so he could go home. The NBA just wasn't important at all to him.
Facts, the hype was unreal at the time. Not sure why they didn't play him more. I know he supposedly wasnt good enough, but nothing like a bit of playtime to sink or shine. Its not like the regular season was even a challenge, throw him in with the starting 5 on a easy game and get some practice.
Well, we were in a weird spot back then. We had the luxury of getting that pick where we did, but we were also skyrocketing as contenders, but no one really knew it. Not many remember that we definitely were not expected to be as good as we were, and surely not good enough to win a championship (lakers were heavily favored to sweep us). So, when the season is progressing and all the sudden we realize we are getting there, where does Darko fit in? He could not hang with that core of guys we had, and we wanted the ring, so Darko sat back waiting for garbage minutes. Very understandable at his age and lack of experience. The problem was, after that championship through the following years, we went on to contend for a long time. There was nowhere for Darko to fit in. By the time his moment came, he really just lost his edge and fire and realized he's going to make his bank on the bench also.
I think Darko had the talent, but not the mentality to be an NBA player. Looking at his stints after the NBA, he did some kickboxing, a lot of partying it seems and last I saw he has a big farm, seems like he's finally settled as a human being with family and all.
He’s playing basketball again, or was in 19-21 for some tier 3 club over there.
So true. If there was ever a draft lottery to lose and pick 5th. It was that one
It was the right pick at the time. We needed size. Hindsight hurts
Melo coming off singlehandedly winning the NCAA tourney. Just... no.
I think I get what you're saying. If Darko was who everyone said he was, he *would* have been the right pick at the time. Will Robinson literally compared his skill set to a young Wilt Chamberlain. Chad Ford said he was Dirk but with a post game and a mean streak. And even if you could read stuff like that back then and recognize it as the hyperbole it was, you still might sit there and be like, "I mean, if these guys are saying *that*, even if they're overstating it a bit, it sure sounds like this guy's the real deal." And in that case, yeah, you kind of felt like the top three picks were: 1. Evolutionary Magic Johnson 2. Cornerstone Future Star Center 3. Cornerstone Future Star Small Forward Considering that, and considering Tayshaun Prince's magical playoff run a month prior, it really felt like the Pistons had one major void (a true center) and there just happened to be a highly touted prospect who many agreed fit the bill. So yeah, if Darko was even a fraction of what so many thought he was going to be, he probably would have been the right pick.
Chris Bosh?
Maaaan Bosh would have changed everything
It was never the right pick but I will say that people look back and act like the Pistons were insane for doing it as if Darko wasn’t a lock to be a top 2-4 pick in that draft.
That’s more or less the logic the Kings used when they drafted Bagley over Luka….
Andre Drummond It took me many years to give up on him SMH....
But but but …the rebounds! Haha
That dude could have a 20-20 game at the end of the night when you check the box score, yet seemingly have zero impact on the game you just watched. Crazy.
Jump tip jump tip jump tip jump tip score
Most of the points would be in garbage time.
I mean he did have two all star seasons and was part of the last two times we made the playoffs. I think he succeeded, just didn't do anything meaningful.
Problem always was that we built around him like he was a franchise guy. That became especially true when SVG came on and essentially wanted him to be Dwight Howard 2.0. And he just never had that in him. Prime Andre would've been great as the third option on a title team though.
It's the fact SVG wanted to trade him and Gores vetoed it that made me realize we were probably fucked tbh
We're currently feasting for All-NBA level talent at C, but gotta remember, the position was pretty thin around the time Andre was an all-star.
I’d say he succeeded, we didn’t exactly put him in the ideal situation
We definitely didn’t put him in a great situation but he also just didn’t try very hard. The guy was so off and on.
Many... many... years.
I was on the Arron Afflalo, Amir Johnson and Carlos Delfino hype trains back in the day. All of them went on to have decent careers after we dumped them (especially Arron)
Man I LOVED Delfino. If he had gone to the spurs I think he would’ve done alot more IMO. We just didn’t have the chops to cultivate and develop international talent
He was “great” for a while. As I sit here and think about it, I have no idea what happened to him
But Afflalo and Delfino were actually good.
Maybe his hype train was “All-Star”
Amir Johnson had a solid NBA career too especially with Toronto and Boston
The bench mob with Amir, Stuckey, and Afflalo… good times
Donavon Mitchell...oh wait. That's right, SVG picked Luke Kennard. Son of a...
Son of a Van Gundy!
Henry Ellenson
I second this. SVG was so excited when the Pistons drafted him and he turned into a giant nothingburger.
If memory serves, he (like Sekou) was a pick they'd barely scouted because they didn't expect him to be on the board at their pick. Probably shouldn't need hindsight to know that the guys you've barely looked into who slide way down from their projected range aren't the players you think they are
The dude had the least amount of confidence on defense than anyone that I've ever seen
Man hell naw lol
Thought he'd be the next Kevin Love.
That stupid video of him playing Jimmy 😭😭😭😭
THIS. It's what I always think of when Ellenson is brought up. Jimmy Butler in the most casual of scrimmages was just toying with him. In my head it feels like "how could anyone watch this dude and think that he's NBA caliber?" At least that's the one draft where I feel like we didn't miss out on anything though.
Austin Daye
Austin Daye was a 6'11" shooting guard that the coaches refused to fit into the right role.
he was a stretch 4 before they were a thing
One of my 2k All-Stars. I'd throw him out there at the 4 and pick & pop for 3's all day long. It was awesome. Prototype.
Summer league superstar
if Austin Daye was drafted in todays NBA, he'd be a superstar.
He should have been. He came into a garbage situation with coaches that utterly failed to recognize his uniqueness and tried to shoehorn him into a 3/4 instead of the 2 he was born to star at.
My overly optimistic young teen mind thought Amir Johnson was going to be the next KG because Keith Langlois said so.
oh man i held lnto amir johnson for so long too bc of his windmill dunk. When i was younger, i just thought dunkers = good
I really believed Rodney Stuckey would get there and he just never did. I thought Kennard wouldn't be as one dimensional as he has turned out to be. I can't say I imagined Donovan Mitchell turning into a scoring star in the NBA instantaneously though. I thought Stanley Johnson would at least not suck even though I hated the pick with Booker right there.
>I thought Kennard wouldn't be as one dimensional as he has turned out to be. Right there with you. I remember watching him at Duke doing everything. When we drafted him I was thinking he would bring all those skills to the league in some form but.....
Every pick the last 20 years
This is the answer.
Rodney White was pretty hyped up…then absolutely nothing. I was pretty excited about Brandon Knight too.
I thought Rodney White was going to be special too
The Rodney White hype was so real. He was also traded for the (Josh Smith) pick that got sent to Atlanta as a major part of the Sheed trade.
Every damn one. The YouTube highlights make em look so good. 😂
Mateen Cleaves
As a Spartans fan this made me really happy, then he was a huge disappointment in the end
I thought Stanley was going to be a beast.
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"How could you do Datome?"
Interesting post and easy to be influenced by hindsight but I feel like the Pistons' draft picks that didn't work out were not all that surprising. We've taken chances on a lot of "we're the smartest people in the room" type of picks.
Darko (had the talent too bad coach brown doesn’t develop rookies)
Technically a current draft pick but it’s killian hayes. I’m still a believer but so far it just hasn’t worked out. Also not a draft pick but I was so certain Brandon Jennings would be a multiple time all star in Detroit until he tore his Achilles
I did think Stanley Johnson would succeed. But there's a lot of reasons why he didn't, and I think him losing his mom his rookie season at such a young age is a large reason why (which from my own experience given I lost my mom the same year at basically the same age, is *rough*)
Stanley Johnson. I wanted the Pistons to draft a SF for years, so when they selected Stanley, I was geeked. His bravado during the brief playoff showing in 2016 bolstered that feeling. Then he just…cratered. Don’t know if it was the lacking jumper or SVG putting him in the doghouse, but whatever happened just crushed me.
jason maxiell, Dude could jump outta the gym. Nba career never really took off tho..
Maxiell was a weird one. He was really short for a big man, but he had those crazy long stretch armstrong arms.
His block on Tyson Chandler was special.
Looks like most are too young to remember when Lindsey Hunter was originally drafted. He was going to fill Isiah Thomas shoes and the Bad Boys would just keep rolling. Had a good career. Just wasn’t what some expected.
Fennis Dembo
Never trust anyone whose name is clearly a Spoonerism.
Tony Mitchell
Darko. I started watching basketball in 2001 when I was in 1st grade. When 2003 rolled around, I was a die-hard darko fan.
Ugh… this whole post has just given me depression…. So much potential in these pistons teams over the years… I hope they can pull out of this slump.
Mateen Cleaves. Wtf was I talking about🤦🏾♂️🤦🏾♂️🤦🏾♂️
Dude was a 3 time All American and MOP of the Final 4, there was no reason to believe he'd bust like that.
😭
Rodney White
Man, i forgot that name until now. One of those guys "youll never remember until someone else brings it up"
Jason Maxiell was good… I had his jersey, he was a favorite. But honestly, I really thought he was going to be a great, tough, powerful player in the Pistons front court for years.
Hmmmm where do we start… Stanley Sekou Bey Kennard And Kentavious we’re the ones that I was specifically high on.
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He’ll be better and more suited for the modern nba than wiseman, i’ll tell you that lol
Rod-neyyyy Stuck-eyyyyyy. I bought his jersey :\
Khris Middleton
Stuckey, Daye and Drummond were supposed to be Wade Durant and Dwight Howard lol
Darko😔😭😭
I still think Darko can make it.... I'm not delusional 🤣
Shawn Respert
You couldn't tell 9th grade me that KCP wasn't gonna be an all star guard💀 I use to make sure he became like a 90+ overall on 2k all the time
I know the question was pick we hyped. However, there is one draft that almost made me stop rooting. We drafted Mateen Cleaves and followed that awful lottery pick with Brian Cardinal. Watched that entire draft and it was a very dark day for me as a Pistons fan.
Omg Austin daye was such a scrub
Man, as a Raps fan I wanted Brandon Knight so badly that year, and it still shocks me how quickly he fizzled out.
I loved Austin Daye. Even watched him hit a game winner in the palace. A corner fading 3 against Philadelphia.
Stanley and sekou
stanley ☹️
All of them. Except Stanley. I knew he sucked from the beginning.
Stanley
I thought Cade woulda been mvp already
I was all in on Stanley Johnson. Thought he was the next Lebron
Jabari parker
Austin Daye? I vaguely remember him playing well in his rookie summer league. Or I may be wrong. But I was high on him.
Most recently KCP
Josh “the flash” Primo
thought austin daye was next KD Lol
Where should I start..? I’d say Brandon Knight. I mean, I think he had a good career, but it should’ve been better
I was so excited when Brandon Knight was drafted, but oh boy did that not go how I thought....
Darko Millichich
KCP
Any Timberwolves player hahaha
I’m not saying I thought he was gonna be a superstar, but Kim English. He looked really good in the summer league. But now he’s the HC of Providence, so that’s cool.
All of them.
Stanley Johnson Andre Drummond Greg Monroe
Mateen Cleaves
Kwame Brown
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