12 Boston Celtics that never played a single minute
By Tyler Watts
6. Darius Miles
Miles was the third overall pick in the 2000 draft. The 6’9 forward jumped directly from high school to the NBA and appeared destined for superstardom. He had the size, athletic ability, and versatility to be great, but Miles never reached his ceiling. Miles suffered a career-altering knee injury just as he was entering his prime and never recovered.
He played seven seasons in the NBA and was a quality role player for the first five. His best season came in 2006 as he averaged 14.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 1.0 block in 32.2 minutes per game before going down. Miles had microfracture surgery on his knee and it cost him two years.
The 6’9 forward was nearing a return when he signed with the Boston Celtics in 2008, but he was facing a ten-game suspension. Ultimately, they decided to move on during training camp. Miles caught on with the Grizzlies but was waived after just 34 games.
Darius Miles has a wild story, which includes going bankrupt and co-hosting the Knuckleheads podcast with Quentin Richardson. Without the knee injury, his NBA career could have been extremely different. His stay in Boston was short, but the 6’9 forward will forever be a Celtic, even if he never saw the floor.