Darius Miles
Encyclopedia
Darius LaVar Miles is an American
professional basketball
player.
The , 235 lb (106.6 kg; 16.8 st) small forward
was selected directly out of high school by the Los Angeles Clippers
with the 3rd overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft
. He was a First Team NBA All-Rookie
in 2001, a first for a prep-to-pro player.
Miles playing career nearly came to an end when he was released by the Portland Trail Blazers
in April 2008 after two years away from the court following microfracture surgery
on his right knee. While he rebounded by joining the Boston Celtics
for the 2008–2009 pre-season, his regular season debut with the Grizzlies was postponed for ten games while he sat out a league-mandated suspension for violating its substance abuse policy.
, Illinois
and attended East St. Louis High School in East St. Louis
, Illinois
.
and was selected by the Los Angeles Clippers
as the third overall pick, at the time the highest a player had been drafted directly from high school. He played his first two seasons with the Clippers, earning an NBA All-Rookie Team
first team honor in 2001.
, where he spent a season and a half before being traded to the Portland Trail Blazers
midway through the 2003–04 season.
in which Miles reportedly insulted Cheeks with racial slurs and remarked he "did not care if the team were to lose the next 20 games" since Cheeks was "going to be fired anyway". According to ESPN's Chad Ford and other accounts, after Cheeks asked the disorderly Miles to leave, Miles' response was "Make me." When Cheeks left the room to see John Nash (GM of Blazers), Miles ran behind him shouting, "That's right, run to your daddy."
On April 19, 2005, he scored a career-high 47 points in a loss against the Denver Nuggets
, which tied for the eighth-highest single-game output in franchise history.
Midway through the 2005–2006 season Miles severely injured his knee. Five days later, on April 15, 2006, he played in his 40th and last game of the season. He missed the entire 2006–07 and 2007–08 NBA seasons due to microfracture surgery
to repair his injury.
In an effort to shed Miles' $18 million dollar contract, the Portland Trail Blazers
petitioned the NBA
and the NBA Players Association
in March 2008 to provide an independent doctor to decide if Miles could play again. The examination determined that Miles' knee injury was severe enough to be career-ending, prompting the Blazers to request waivers for his release on April 14, 2008. However, Miles had the option to sign on with another team if offered a contract, potentially reverting the $18 million dollar break the Blazers hoped to gain if Miles played in 10 games in 2008.
Complicating matters was a 10-day suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy levied by the NBA, which Miles was required to serve before he could play for any NBA team.
. After sitting out his ten-game suspension, Miles made his season debut with the team on January 4, 2009, playing the last 1:46 in a 102–82 win against the Dallas Mavericks
. On January 7, after collecting only 2 rebounds and 2 blocks in 9 minutes over two games, Miles was waived. On January 9, following a controversy over his re-signing, the Grizzlies signed Miles to a 10-day contract. The next game, against the Cavaliers on January 14, Miles played 14 minutes and exhibited some of the quickness and leaping ability he once possessed. He recorded 13 points on 4 of 6 shooting and making 5 of 7 free throws in a 102–87 loss. On January 30, 2009 the Grizzlies signed Miles for the rest of the 2008–09 season.
On July 9, 2009 the Grizzlies renounced their rights on Miles in order to save cap room.
On January 8, 2009, after Miles played six pre 2008-2009-season games with the Celtics and two before being released from a non-guaranteed contract by the Grizzlies, the Portland Trail Blazers threatened to sue any of the other 29 NBA teams that picked up Miles and played him specifically to adversely impact their salary cap and tax positions. In response, the NBA players' association threatened to file a grievance against the Trail Blazers. After a directive from the NBA Commissioner's office the next day declaring that any team could sign Miles and the League would approve the contract, the Memphis Grizzlies re-signed Miles on January 10, 2009 to a 10-day non-guaranteed contract. Miles then played the two games necessary to trigger re-addition of the $18 million to Portland's cap amount. Miles then re-signed two more 10-day contracts with the Grizzlies before being signed for the rest of the 2008–09 season on January 30, 2009.
(2004
), as a high school basketball star who needs to achieve a qualifying SAT
score to attend St. John's University, closely paralleling his real life situation coming out of high school. He also appeared in National Lampoon's Van Wilder
(2002
), along with then-Clipper teammates Michael Olowokandi
, Lamar Odom
, and Quentin Richardson
. He also appeared in a documentary titled The Youngest Guns (2004), which detailed Miles' and Richardson's first few years in the NBA
.
| align="left" | 2000–01
| align="left" | L.A. Clippers
| 81 || 21 || 26.3 || .505 || .053 || .521 || 5.9 || 1.2 || .6 || 1.5 || 9.4
|-
| align="left" | 2001–02
| align="left" | L.A. Clippers
| 82 || 6 || 27.2 || .481 || .158 || .620 || 5.5 || 2.2 || .9 || 1.3 || 9.5
|-
| align="left" | 2002–03
| align="left" | Cleveland
| 67 || 62 || 30.0 || .410 || .000 || .594 || 5.4 || 2.6 || 1.0 || 1.0 || 9.2
|-
| align="left" | 2003–04
| align="left" | Cleveland
| 37 || 16 || 24.0 || .432 || .167 || .542 || 4.5 || 2.2 || .7 || .7 || 8.9
|-
| align="left" | 2003–04
| align="left" | Portland
| 42 || 40 || 28.4 || .526 || .200 || .702 || 4.6 || 2.0 || 1.0 || .8 || 12.6
|-
| align="left" | 2004–05
| align="left" | Portland
| 63 || 22 || 27.0 || .482 || .348 || .600 || 4.7 || 2.0 || 1.2 || 1.2 || 12.8
|-
| align="left" | 2005–06
| align="left" | Portland
| 40 || 23 || 32.2 || .461 || .200 || .534 || 4.6 || 1.8 || 1.0 || 1.0 || 14.0
|-
| align="left" | 2008–09
| align="left" | Memphis
| 34 || 0 || 8.8 || .485 || .167 || .742 || 1.7 || .5 || .3 || .6 || 3.5
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 446 || 190 || 26.3 || .472 || .168 || .590 || 4.9 || 1.9 || .9 || 1.1 || 10.1
for carrying a loaded gun.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player.
The , 235 lb (106.6 kg; 16.8 st) small forward
Small forward
The small forward, or colloquially known as three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall...
was selected directly out of high school by the Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
with the 3rd overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft
2000 NBA Draft
The 2000 NBA Draft was held on June 28, 2000 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Until 2011, it was the last draft held at the home arena of an NBA team; the following and subsequent drafts have all taken place at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York. This draft is...
. He was a First Team NBA All-Rookie
NBA All-Rookie Team
The NBA All-Rookie Team is an annual National Basketball Association honor given since the 1962–63 NBA season to the top rookies during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the NBA head coaches; who are not allowed to vote for players on their own team. The All-Rookie Team is generally...
in 2001, a first for a prep-to-pro player.
Miles playing career nearly came to an end when he was released by the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
in April 2008 after two years away from the court following microfracture surgery
Microfracture surgery
Microfracture surgery is one of the articular cartilage repair surgical techniques that works by creating tiny fractures in the underlying bone. This causes new cartilage to develop from a so-called super-clot...
on his right knee. While he rebounded by joining the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
for the 2008–2009 pre-season, his regular season debut with the Grizzlies was postponed for ten games while he sat out a league-mandated suspension for violating its substance abuse policy.
Early years
Miles was born in BellevilleBelleville, Illinois
Belleville is a city in St. Clair County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city has a population of 44,478. It is the eighth-most populated city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area and the most populated city south of Springfield in the state of Illinois. It is the county...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
and attended East St. Louis High School in East St. Louis
East St. Louis, Illinois
East St. Louis is a city located in St. Clair County, Illinois, USA, directly across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, Missouri in the Metro-East region of Southern Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 27,006, less than one-third of its peak of 82,366 in 1950...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
.
Los Angeles Clippers
Miles entered the 2000 NBA Draft2000 NBA Draft
The 2000 NBA Draft was held on June 28, 2000 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Until 2011, it was the last draft held at the home arena of an NBA team; the following and subsequent drafts have all taken place at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York. This draft is...
and was selected by the Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
as the third overall pick, at the time the highest a player had been drafted directly from high school. He played his first two seasons with the Clippers, earning an NBA All-Rookie Team
NBA All-Rookie Team
The NBA All-Rookie Team is an annual National Basketball Association honor given since the 1962–63 NBA season to the top rookies during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the NBA head coaches; who are not allowed to vote for players on their own team. The All-Rookie Team is generally...
first team honor in 2001.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Following the 2001–2002 season he was traded to the Cleveland CavaliersCleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
, where he spent a season and a half before being traded to the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
midway through the 2003–04 season.
Portland Trail Blazers
During the 2004–05 season, Miles made headlines after a confrontation with then-coach Maurice CheeksMaurice Cheeks
Maurice Edward "Mo" Cheeks is a retired American professional basketball player and assistant coach for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He was the head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association from May 23, 2005 to December 13, 2008...
in which Miles reportedly insulted Cheeks with racial slurs and remarked he "did not care if the team were to lose the next 20 games" since Cheeks was "going to be fired anyway". According to ESPN's Chad Ford and other accounts, after Cheeks asked the disorderly Miles to leave, Miles' response was "Make me." When Cheeks left the room to see John Nash (GM of Blazers), Miles ran behind him shouting, "That's right, run to your daddy."
On April 19, 2005, he scored a career-high 47 points in a loss against the Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
, which tied for the eighth-highest single-game output in franchise history.
Midway through the 2005–2006 season Miles severely injured his knee. Five days later, on April 15, 2006, he played in his 40th and last game of the season. He missed the entire 2006–07 and 2007–08 NBA seasons due to microfracture surgery
Microfracture surgery
Microfracture surgery is one of the articular cartilage repair surgical techniques that works by creating tiny fractures in the underlying bone. This causes new cartilage to develop from a so-called super-clot...
to repair his injury.
In an effort to shed Miles' $18 million dollar contract, the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
petitioned the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
and the NBA Players Association
National Basketball Players Association
The National Basketball Players Association is a trade association that represents basketball players in the National Basketball Association . It was previously a labor union before dissolving during the 2011 NBA lockout. It was founded in 1954, making it the oldest trade union of the four major...
in March 2008 to provide an independent doctor to decide if Miles could play again. The examination determined that Miles' knee injury was severe enough to be career-ending, prompting the Blazers to request waivers for his release on April 14, 2008. However, Miles had the option to sign on with another team if offered a contract, potentially reverting the $18 million dollar break the Blazers hoped to gain if Miles played in 10 games in 2008.
Complicating matters was a 10-day suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy levied by the NBA, which Miles was required to serve before he could play for any NBA team.
Boston Celtics
On August 22, 2008, the Celtics signed Miles to a non-guaranteed contract offering him a chance to earn a roster spot at training camp. Though he worked out twice with the team and impressed with his health and attitude, he was waived on October 20, 2008, before the regular season started.Memphis Grizzlies
On December 13, 2008, Miles signed with the Memphis GrizzliesMemphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
. After sitting out his ten-game suspension, Miles made his season debut with the team on January 4, 2009, playing the last 1:46 in a 102–82 win against the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
. On January 7, after collecting only 2 rebounds and 2 blocks in 9 minutes over two games, Miles was waived. On January 9, following a controversy over his re-signing, the Grizzlies signed Miles to a 10-day contract. The next game, against the Cavaliers on January 14, Miles played 14 minutes and exhibited some of the quickness and leaping ability he once possessed. He recorded 13 points on 4 of 6 shooting and making 5 of 7 free throws in a 102–87 loss. On January 30, 2009 the Grizzlies signed Miles for the rest of the 2008–09 season.
On July 9, 2009 the Grizzlies renounced their rights on Miles in order to save cap room.
Career-ending injury controversy
Under NBA rules, if a team is granted salary-cap relief for a career-ending injury to a player who thereafter participates in at least ten games the next season, the salary cap relief is terminated and the amount is added back to the team's salary cap ceiling.On January 8, 2009, after Miles played six pre 2008-2009-season games with the Celtics and two before being released from a non-guaranteed contract by the Grizzlies, the Portland Trail Blazers threatened to sue any of the other 29 NBA teams that picked up Miles and played him specifically to adversely impact their salary cap and tax positions. In response, the NBA players' association threatened to file a grievance against the Trail Blazers. After a directive from the NBA Commissioner's office the next day declaring that any team could sign Miles and the League would approve the contract, the Memphis Grizzlies re-signed Miles on January 10, 2009 to a 10-day non-guaranteed contract. Miles then played the two games necessary to trigger re-addition of the $18 million to Portland's cap amount. Miles then re-signed two more 10-day contracts with the Grizzlies before being signed for the rest of the 2008–09 season on January 30, 2009.
Acting career
Miles had a role in The Perfect ScoreThe Perfect Score
The Perfect Score is a teen heist film released in 2004 and directed by Brian Robbins. It stars Erika Christensen, Chris Evans, Bryan Greenberg, Scarlett Johansson, Darius Miles, and Leonardo Nam....
(2004
2004 in film
The year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol...
), as a high school basketball star who needs to achieve a qualifying SAT
SAT
The SAT Reasoning Test is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. The SAT is owned, published, and developed by the College Board, a nonprofit organization in the United States. It was formerly developed, published, and scored by the Educational Testing Service which still...
score to attend St. John's University, closely paralleling his real life situation coming out of high school. He also appeared in National Lampoon's Van Wilder
National Lampoon's Van Wilder
National Lampoon's Van Wilder is a 2002 comedy film directed by Walt Becker that stars Ryan Reynolds as the main character. The film also stars Kal Penn, Tara Reid, and Daniel Cosgrove. It features Sophia Bush's acting debut...
(2002
2002 in film
The year 2002 in film involved some significant events. The first significant releases of sequels took place between The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Men in Black II, Analyze That, Spy Kids 2: The Island of...
), along with then-Clipper teammates Michael Olowokandi
Michael Olowokandi
Michael Olowokandi is a retired Nigerian British professional basketball center who played in the American National Basketball Association from 1998 to 2007....
, Lamar Odom
Lamar Odom
Lamar Joseph Odom is an American professional basketball forward with the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association.-Early life:...
, and Quentin Richardson
Quentin Richardson
Quentin Richardson is an American professional basketball player who plays for the National Basketball Association's Orlando Magic...
. He also appeared in a documentary titled The Youngest Guns (2004), which detailed Miles' and Richardson's first few years in the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
.
Regular season
|-| align="left" | 2000–01
| align="left" | L.A. Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
| 81 || 21 || 26.3 || .505 || .053 || .521 || 5.9 || 1.2 || .6 || 1.5 || 9.4
|-
| align="left" | 2001–02
| align="left" | L.A. Clippers
| 82 || 6 || 27.2 || .481 || .158 || .620 || 5.5 || 2.2 || .9 || 1.3 || 9.5
|-
| align="left" | 2002–03
| align="left" | Cleveland
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
| 67 || 62 || 30.0 || .410 || .000 || .594 || 5.4 || 2.6 || 1.0 || 1.0 || 9.2
|-
| align="left" | 2003–04
| align="left" | Cleveland
| 37 || 16 || 24.0 || .432 || .167 || .542 || 4.5 || 2.2 || .7 || .7 || 8.9
|-
| align="left" | 2003–04
| align="left" | Portland
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
| 42 || 40 || 28.4 || .526 || .200 || .702 || 4.6 || 2.0 || 1.0 || .8 || 12.6
|-
| align="left" | 2004–05
| align="left" | Portland
| 63 || 22 || 27.0 || .482 || .348 || .600 || 4.7 || 2.0 || 1.2 || 1.2 || 12.8
|-
| align="left" | 2005–06
| align="left" | Portland
| 40 || 23 || 32.2 || .461 || .200 || .534 || 4.6 || 1.8 || 1.0 || 1.0 || 14.0
|-
| align="left" | 2008–09
2008–09 NBA season
The 2008–09 NBA season was the 63rd season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 28, 2008, and ended on Wednesday, April 15, 2009...
| align="left" | Memphis
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
| 34 || 0 || 8.8 || .485 || .167 || .742 || 1.7 || .5 || .3 || .6 || 3.5
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 446 || 190 || 26.3 || .472 || .168 || .590 || 4.9 || 1.9 || .9 || 1.1 || 10.1
Personal Life
On August 3, 2011 Miles was arrested in Lambert-St. Louis International AirportLambert-St. Louis International Airport
Lambert-St. Louis International Airport is a Class B international airport serving Greater St. Louis. It is located approximately northwest of downtown St. Louis in unincorporated St. Louis County between Berkeley and Bridgeton. It is the largest and busiest airport in the state with 250 daily...
for carrying a loaded gun.