In the summer of 2004, Darko Milicic invited an old friend from Serbia to a mansion in the Detroit suburbs. Milicic had been drafted by the Pistons the previous year—second overall, ahead of Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade—but his rookie season was a disappointment. Though Detroit won the championship, the 7’0” phenom failed to crack the rotation, averaging 1.4 points in 4.7 minutes. Milicic struggled to fit in with his new teammates, so he kept in touch with old ones, including a dynamic 6’6” wing named Nemanja Jokic. Jokic, who starred alongside Milicic on Serbian club teams since they were 16, was interested in moving to the United States and playing college basketball.
The Joker: Nikola Jokic Gets Serious In Denver
