During a 2010 Summer League broadcast, Minnesota Timberwolves executive David Kahn took the microphone to compare Darko Milicic with Hall of Famer Chris Webber, a move that quickly turned from analysis into confrontation.
A Misguided Analogy
Kahn extolled Milicic’s potential, noting that his passing resembled that of Vlade Divac and suggesting that the Serbian center’s career trajectory mirrored Webber’s early path. He went further, dubbing Milicic “manna from heaven” and asserting he had a “great chance to be our starting center this year.”
Webber, never one to mince words, shut down the comparison, reminding Kahn of his own rookie triumphs — a 1997 Rookie of the Year award and an All‑Star selection — and stressing that a player must first be placed in a position where someone believes in him.
The exchange underscored the chasm between Kahn’s optimism and the reality that had already befallen Milicic. Drafted second overall by the Detroit Pistons in 2003, the Serbian big man had been labeled a bust after failing to find a foothold with four different franchises, making Kahn’s lofty projections appear out of touch.
Ultimately, Milicic’s NBA story dissolved into one of the most notorious draft busts in league history, while Webber’s career culminated in a Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame induction, cementing his legacy as a player who turned early promise into enduring greatness.