YKW is dying to get out of the NBA...

The pattern is clear here. When LB doesn't give you a chance, it could just be LB. But when you're on your 5th coach in a row who won't give you a chance as a 7' athelete with skills, then it has to be the attitude.

Darko must be a total sulky malcontent behind close doors in practice and in the locker room. All of these coaches are coming to the conclusion that they'd rather have him riding the pine than on the floor, even if he might be better than their other options. It's a chemistry decision.

TaShawn, your post touches on what I believe. I have never believed that Darko9 does not share in the problems that keep him out of playing in the NBA. He is not selfish with the ball, plays defense, and can when
included in the offense, do well.

But there must be something that defeats all the good things he does do. There have been many malcontents in the league and they have been able to get PT, but Darko must really pi$$ people off big-time.

The reason I think the coaches share in the responsibility is that they get paid good money to bring out the best in their players. And although there have been many malcontents in the NBA, they still got PT and for the most part, they became successful.

But these supersmart coaches have allowed their managment(s) to pay this kid somewhere in the area of $30 million dollars and the kid has managed to do nothing to earn any of it. Now that is really intelligent.

No matter how hard I try, I just cannot believe that there is no place for him in this league. But then again, I made a mistake before one time.
(I thought I was wrong about something).

I wonder if these types of things were being said about Chauncey when he was spending his time going from team to team.

It's David Letterman's fault.

I have a soft spot for conspiracy theories myself. However, I think that most plausible conspiracies have a profit motive. I can find no profit motive for paying Darko not to play. My guess is that he is on his last NBA contract, and will be free to play in Europe as soon as it expires.

Each team probably thought that the team before didn't give him a chance and that they'd be different. Then they brought him in and he either didn't seem like he cared or he was very difficult to tolerate.

If a player is truly a force, then no coach can resist playing him. These coaches are very selfish in that way. But on the other hand... I believe that every single coach that refused to play Darko was fired (LB, Saunders, Hill, Ivaroni). Look out D'Antoni! If he has been the unluckiest player in league history and played under 5 idiot coaches in a row who refused to play the most deserving players, then he's cursed and should go back to Europe anyways.

What's really messed up is that Kwame Brown will continue to get paid. I have no doubt in my mind that Darko can do far more on the basketball court than Kwame can, but Kwame figured out how to do what he does in such a way to marginally contribute to a team and make millions of dollars. For all Kwames faults -little stone hands, low hoop IQ, low skills- we've never questioned his attitude and heart, we question his game, but not his attitude. Kwame will play at least 5 more years in this league and make at least another $15M, it doesn't take much to stay in this league when you're 7' tall, especially when you can run like a Deer.

Seems to me that there is a phenomenon with young big men.

Eddy Curry, Darko, Kwame, Stromile. Maybe these guys don't really love bball and just found themselves in that position because they were big and athletic. Once they became set financially, that was the end. At 18, most people don't know what they really want. Becoming famous at that age is devastating developmentally.

If you're going to draft a 19 year old, probably better if they are at a position that meant that they had to work their ass off to build the skill set and become well known. At least they have shown some inner quality that you can assume they will always have. If you're going to get a big through the draft, make sure that they really showed some heart in college. Even though he's a bit of a spaz Joakim Noah is that kind of guy. You can tell that he loves the game. Darko probably wouldn't play basketball for free.

add Olowokandi to this list...He admitted that he play bball because of money.

Putting aside the fact that he was a #2 draft pick; I would still like to see him play for my team. Maybe a trip back to Europe will do him some good. He may find that the NBA is where he wants to be after spending some time over there. I don't know. On the other hand he might find that he can dominate the lesser competition over there and be happy with that.

He has the tools but just needs the motivation. Unfortunately you can't coach motivation every single day of an NBA season. I would love to see him backing up Ben on this team. We are playing the young ones anyways. I would just like to see what he could do with consistent minutes. He won't be an all star with his current attitude but I still think he could be a serviceable big man in this league if he wanted to be.

You gotta remember that if Darko had took the normal route and went to college (for 4 years) in the US, he'd only be in his 4th season in the NBA.

And also remember his actual on the court playing time would probably be 4X or more what he currently has under his belt. There is no substitute for PT with a good teacher.

...Yeah.

In-game practice shooting is essential.

you're assuming he would have gotten some PT in college and then got drafted. Roy Williams and Tom Izzo would've had his pouting behind on the pine too with that attitude. No, he should've proven that he can play in Europe before crossing the pond.

...I was jus' pokin' a little fun at the HVC and his [strike]apologists[/strike] supporters.
IMO, dude has absolutely no excuses for not realizing his potential in the association.
He has a lot of natural abilities and physical gifts.
He just needs a heart transplant.

I'd love to have Darko back on our roster. There would be much potential forum humor.

I'd just love to hear the excuses folks would make up for his total disinterest in the game.

If he came off the bench to play limited minutes...he needs to start so he can get into the flow of the game. He needs to get his blood flowing. His broken hand from 2004 must be hurting him.

If he was a starter...there's is too much pressure on him starting. The other guys are jealous and won't pass him the ball. That wasn't a missed shot, it was a pass. He's got PTSD from the tinted window incident.

How can one not see the off the charts skills of the 7'er who runs like a deer, can knock down three point shots with bombs going of all around him and still had time to master the AOTG (assist off the glass)

Puh-leeeease! His attitude ain't the problem. Guys with bad attitudes and horrible lockerroom chemistry still get PT in this league if they do something of value on the court (Artest, SJ, D.West, Z. Randolph etc etc). If you've got poor skills on top of your poor attitude, you're not gonna play. End of story. PT is not given. It's earned.

Darko the Legend is much more talented than Darko the Player.