A rugged player who rose quickly to become one of the top players in Europe, Marko Milic was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 34th overall pick in the second round of the 1997 NBA Draft. He was obtained by the Phoenix Suns on November 21, 1997 and played sparingly in 33 games in 1997-98 and 11 games in 1998-99.
Milic possesses excellent athletic skills and in European ball showed the ability to score points in bunches. In his last season with Smelt Olimpija (Slovenia), he averaged 14 points, 5.6 rebounds and two assists per game, while shooting 52 percent from field and 35 percent on three-point field goals. He led the team in scoring, rebounding and steals. Milic once broke a backboard with a dunk at the European Final Four, then led Olimpija to third-place finish.
Though drafted by Philadelphia, he never played for the Suns and was traded on November 21, 1997 to Phoenix for veteran Tom Chambers. Milic played in 33 games with Phoenix but saw little action, averaging 2.8 points in 4.9 minutes per game as a rookie.
Injuries limited him to 11 games in 1998-99, when he scored 16 points in 53 minutes for a 1.5 ppg mark.
1998-1999 REGULAR SEASON
Placed on the injured list on 4/24 due to a broken nose
On the injured list from 3/2 to 4/7 due to tendinitis in his right knee
1997-1998 REGULAR SEASON
Scored a season-high 13 points (6-9 FG), in 13 minutes, in a 134-105 victory over the L.A. Clippers on 3/9
Recorded 4 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists, in 7 minutes, against the Chicago Bulls on 12/15
Made his NBA debut in a 111-99 win over the New Jersey Nets on 11/26
Traded by the 76ers to the Suns for Tom Chambers on 11/21
On the injured list from 10/30 to 11/21 due to a lower back strain
