Darius Miles reminisces about his welcome to the NBA by legends Karl Malone and John Stockton

Darius Miles entered the NBA as a highly-touted prospect at the height of the preps-to-pros era. Although he was only 19, the Los Angeles Clippers recognized his potential and selected him with the third pick in the 2000 NBA Draft.

With his confidence on a different level after finishing his high school career averaging 22.1 points, 12.1 rebounds, 7.4 blocks, and 3.4 assists a game, it didn’t take long for D-Miles to realize how different playing in the pros would be. In his first game, this hit home when he took on a Utah Jazz squad with seasoned and rugged veterans Karl Malone and John Stockton.

A surreal experience

A hoop head all his life, Darius was already familiar with the Jazz duo’s body of work, having seen them play on TV. However, Miles was shocked when he took the court against them and felt like he was in a completely different world.

“It was surreal. I didn’t know John Stockton was that big. Like, you know, you see him on TV and he looks like a smaller guy, but he was real tall and big,” Darius said on Run It Back. “And then Karl Malone... man, his arms! So, we kind of got into it with him and Olden Polynice and all them, and, you know, we couldn’t back down,” he added.

D-Miles revealed that as he got into it with Malone, he knew deep down in heart of hearts that he would be in trouble if push came to shove. A skinny and lean forward, D-Miles weighed only 200 pounds on a good day. Malone, on the other hand, was a physical powerhouse with a solid 6-foot-9-inch frame and bulging arms that could easily overpower opponents.

“I just think back on it, and I’m like, man, he would’ve kicked my ass if I had run up on him, 'cause I was skin and bones. But his arms were so big, and he was so strong, it was hard to get around him,” Darius shared.

It was a different ballgame

The Clippers were a young and exciting team, thanks to players like D-Miles, Quentin Richardson, Lamar Odom, and Corey Maggette. However, they were no match for the savvy Jazz, who won that game 107-94. Malone finished with 34 points on 15-of-24 shooting, while Stock had a double-double of 11 points and 14 assists.

After that game, Miles realized how different playing at this level would be. Whereas he primarily relied on his athleticism and skills in high school, he quickly learned that the NBA was a different beast. “And just the size of the game—it was a whole different level. We were way faster and quicker, but they knew more than us. That’s when I really, really realized this game is on a whole other level,” Miles stated.

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