[Basketball News]

Darko Milicic Press Conference (transcript)

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Media Questions

What do you think about the situation with Orlando giving up your rights to sign Rashard Lewis and you ending up here in Memphis?
DM: I spent a year and a half in Orlando and it was good for me. They took me out of Detroit, where I never had a chance to play. They gave me some chances to play. I’m really thankful to them for that. I’m here and my career is going on and I don’t really want to talk about Orlando. They made a decision to sign Rashard Lewis and they know what is best for that team and I can’t really say much about it.
How well do you think your skills are going to fit into this system?
DM: We’re going to see when training camp starts and the games start. I’m just going to do the best that I can do, and do what coach asks me to do. All I want to do is make this team better and to win. Whatever coach asks me to do, I’m going to do it.
Do you feel like you have something to prove, that you haven’t reached your potential yet and this is the place that you’re going to do it?
DM: I have to. I didn’t have a chance to play in Detroit. Orlando gave me some chances. Now I have to. I want to be better every night, better and better. That’s what I have to try and do. It starts with practice. I have to work hard in practice and then play the best I can in games.
Did you talk to Pau during the process? There was a newspaper report where you were quoted, or misquoted, saying that Pau is soft. Have you spoken to him about it?
DM: We just talked about ten minutes ago. I told him that I never said that. I never said that to the newspaper. I want to win… (The Serbian national team) has a bunch of young guys. All I said was that we could win, that no team is unbeatable. I want to make my teammates think that they can win. I never said that Pau Gasol is soft. They made that up. I mean, I’ve said a lot of things to newspapers that I probably shouldn’t have said, but I didn’t say that. We just talked ten minutes ago and I told him that it’s not true.
What was Pau’s reaction?
DM: It was cool. He just said that he was working out in Spain. The first time I saw it (the quote) was today. I told him it wasn’t true and he said that it was fine. I told him that I can’t wait to start playing with him. I can’t wait for training camp and the games to start because I’m really excited.

Hey now a Darko -Pau tiff before it even gets started...at least he didn't diss Orlando...which was nice of him...I liked him playing here ...he had a big upside...blocks some shots too...and for a bin guy he can pass...