Detroit Pistons legend Chauncey Billups paid tribute to Carmelo Anthony during the latter’s Hall of Fame commemoration by looking back at what could have been in the 2003 draft. His team then drafted Darko Milicic for their second pick even if Anthony was still available. Pistons won the NBA title in that same calendar year.
Anthony was picked third overall by the Denver Nuggets and went on to have a remarkable career. Billups said Pistons would have won multiple titles had the team drafted the 10-time All-Star.
“Of course I’ve thought about it,” former Pistons point guard and current Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups told ESPN.
“I mean, I’ve done that for so long. For so long. And I really do believe that had we drafted Melo that year, we would’ve went on to win at least three championships.”
Billups became teammate with Anthony in 2008 although they were only together for three seasons.
Milicic was a role player for Pistons his whole career. Pistons were consistent contenders in the 2000s but they did not win a title again after their major upset of the Los Angeles Lakers in 2004.
Ben Wallace has a different take on Carmelo Anthony
Wallace, part of the core that made up the 2000s Pistons, is not that sold about them getting Carmelo. He thinks they made the right choice with their second pick.
This is because Anthony getting inserted to a critical role in the line-up would destroy team chemistry.
“Melo, would have wanted to play right away. It would have had the potential to disrupt the team chemistry,” he said via 2BrightGuys podcast.
“By drafting Darko Milicic, he was a guy that came in and said, I can’t play on this team. I’m not ready to play on this team. Who am I going to play in front of? I’m not ready. By him doing that and accepting his role, it allowed us to build, grow and get stronger. An eventuality win a championship.”
Wallace added that Tayshaun Prince’s progress would have been stalled or prevented if they got Melo.
“If we would drafted Melo, Tayshaun Prince would have never blossomed and be the type of player that he became. We won a championship off the back of the best block that I have ever seen in my life. (Prince blocking Reggie Miller, GM 2 ECF) and I blocked a lot of shots. That’s that type of grit and grind our team was.”
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