LA’s draft history: Ranking every #3 overall pick
4. Darius Miles
LA Clippers stats: 9.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg
Darius Miles was oozing with potential.
After taking the high-flying small forward with the third overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft, superstardom appeared to be in Miles’s future. But, despite prognosticators signing his praises and pointing to his endless array of sly and slick moves to the basket, Miles was never able to put it all together.
During his rookie season, Miles played with reckless abandon and endless energy. At times, he rewarded LA with boneheaded plays and wild turnovers. On other occasions, he was brilliant.
After averaging 9.4 points per game in his first year, massive leaps in his game were expected in year two. Nevertheless, he never improved as he averaged just 9.5 points per game. Unwilling to deal with vagarious play, LA shoved Miles out the backdoor. For the remainder of his career, Miles both dazzled and bemused his endless fans with his erratic decisions on the court.
Known as the ultimate tease, during his best season, which took place as a Portland Trail Blazer, Miles averaged just 14 points per game. While decent, he never quite reached the lofty heights that many bestowed upon him.