Miles Hungry in Comeback Bid with Boston

By Couper Moorhead
Celtics.com
October 1, 2008

In 2000, Darius Miles had the world going for him. He was a 6'9" small forward with the raw physical talents that people drove three hours to see. He was selected third in the NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Clippers out of East St. Louis High School, Ill., and in his rookie year averaged 9.4 points and 5.9 rebounds. Along with Quentin Richardson, Miles even had his own trademark celebration, which got play in a Jordan campaign: the double-fisted-head-pound.

Eight years later, he's still that 6'9" small forward. But the world has been pushing back for a few years.

Miles didn't stick in Clipperland, so he was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers after two seasons, where his production failed to rise from the promising rookie numbers. In even less time, he was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers, and, finally, his career took off. With 47 points against the Denver Nuggets in 2005 and 18.2 points per game through the first 15 of the following season, Miles was taking the leap. Then, microfracture surgery.

After sitting out two complete seasons -- although Miles contends he could've played in the 2008 -- a league-appointed doctor said he had a career-ending injury, and the Blazers waived him.

Boston became his first, and only destination.

"This was always my first option," Miles said.

Things are different here. The Celtics are the first winning team Miles has been associated with on a professional level. He's trying to earn a roster spot for the first time, and, despite some added weight since his last professional appearance, is keeping a low profile.

Reunited with Kevin Garnett, the man he once joined on the cover of the Sports Illustrated NBA Preview cover and the player whom he patterned his game after in high school, Miles is now buying into the Celtics' winning philosophy.

"On any other team I've been on we had to rebuild and I was mostly like the first or second option. On this team I'm more like one of the help guys," Miles said. "When you are really just a guy that's trying to help the team out, you really don't have to do too much, just play a lot of defense and help the team in little areas."

Doc Rivers got his first real look at Miles in Tuesday first day of training camp in Newport, RI, and while he didn't see too much of Miles, Rivers liked the sample.

"I thought by mid-practice he was spent, but he fought through it and played," Rivers said of Miles, who he says has "great instincts and feel" for the game.

Miles' old number, 23, already hangs in the rafters for Frank Ramsey, so he opted for single digits: 7. No special reason, he says, it's just a lucky number. And with a change needed, his braids are gone, shaved as short as his beard.

"I had braids for 10 years," Miles said. "It was either grow dreads or cut my hair off."

Miles is a little scared, too, both of his non-guaranteed status on the team, and of history, citing the pictures of Celtics legends hanging in the locker room. As he attempts to become the first player to ever return from a league-ruled career-ending injury, fear could become the great motivator. But more important than anything else, Miles' heart is in the right place.

"Even though he won't understand it, I kind of wanted to have [8-month old son, Bryce] see me play," Miles said.