Auburn Hills, UNITED STATES, September 12 (Reuters) - Darko Milicic signed a three-year contract with the Detroit Pistons on Friday, setting the stage for the number two overall draft pick to make his NBA debut next month.
The 7-foot, 245 pound Milicic will earn about $11-million from the contract as the 18-year-old makes the transition from playing in Europe, where he's played professionally since he was 14, to the NBA.
Milicic, from Serbia and Montenegro, settled a contract buyout with his Serbian team last month.
That team, Hemofarm Vrsac, claimed Milicic was under contract until 2009 and sued the player's agent, Marc Cornstein. However the suit was settled two weeks ago and it was just a matter of time before the Pistons signed one of the most highly-sought young players in the sport.
"It's a very good day for us to get this young man locked up," Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars said. "We feel that Darko has a great future here and that he is very
fortunate to be coming into this situation."
The Pistons, who had the best record in the Eastern Conference during the regular season last year, do not intend to rush Milicic into the lineup. The consensus is that he'll need time to develop his game before becoming an NBA regular, so Detroit will start by
using him off the bench.
High school star LeBron James went first overall to the Cleveland Cavaliers, followed by Milicic going to Detroit, thanks to the Pistons trading for Memphis' lottery pick. Carmelo Anthony of Syracuse went third to the Denver Nuggets, with James and Anthony expected to play a lot more than the Serbian next season.
"This kid is not really known around these parts that well," Dumars added. "But as time goes on, and we're patient with him and don't throw him out there right away expecting the world from him, he's going to be fine."
