View source for Darius Miles

{{Short description|American basketball player (born 1981)}}
{{distinguish|Darian Males}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Darius Miles
| image = Dariusmiles cropped.jpg
| caption = Miles in 2006
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 9
| weight_lbs = 235
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1981|10|9}}
| birth_place = [[Belleville, Illinois]], U.S.
| highschool = [[East St. Louis Senior High School|East St. Louis]] ([[East St. Louis, Illinois]])
| draft_round = 1
| draft_pick = 3
| draft_year = 2000
| draft_team = [[Los Angeles Clippers]]
| career_start = 2000
| career_end = 2009
| career_position = [[Small forward]]
| career_number = 21, 23, 3
| years1 = {{nbay|2000|start}}–{{nbay|2001|end}}
| team1 = [[Los Angeles Clippers]]
| years2 = {{nbay|2002|start}}–{{nbay|2003|end}}
| team2 = [[Cleveland Cavaliers]]
| years3 = {{nbay|2003|end}}–{{nbay|2007|end}}
| team3 = [[Portland Trail Blazers]]
| years4 = {{nbay|2008|full=y}}
| team4 = [[Memphis Grizzlies]]
| highlights =
* [[NBA All-Rookie First Team]] ({{nbay|2000|end}})
* [[Mr. Basketball USA]] (2000)
* First-team [[Parade All-America Boys Basketball Team|''Parade'' All-American]] (2000)
* [[McDonald's All-American Game|McDonald's All-American]] ([[2000 McDonald's All-American Boys Game|2000]])
* [[Illinois Mr. Basketball]] (2000)
| stat1label = [[Point (basketball)|Points]]
| stat1value = 4,507 (10.1 ppg)
| stat2label = [[Rebound (basketball)|Rebounds]]
| stat2value = 2,190 (4.9 rpg)
| stat3label = [[Assist (basketball)|Assists]]
| stat3value = 840 (1.9 apg)
| bbr = milesda01
}}
'''Darius LaVar Miles''' (born October 9, 1981) is an American former professional [[basketball]] player.

The {{height|ft=6|in=9}}, {{convert|235|lb|kg|abbr=on}} [[Forward (basketball)|forward]] was selected directly out of high school by the [[Los Angeles Clippers]] with the third overall pick in the [[2000 NBA draft]]. He was a First Team [[NBA All-Rookie Team|NBA All-Rookie]] in [[2000–01 NBA season|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. He returned to action during the 2008–09 season as a member of the [[Memphis Grizzlies]].

==Early life==
Miles was born in [[Belleville, Illinois]] and attended [[East St. Louis Lincoln High School]] and [[East St. Louis Senior High School]] in [[East St. Louis, Illinois]]. Before declaring to enter the [[2000 NBA draft]], Miles had signed a [[National Letter of Intent]] to play for the [[St. John's Red Storm men's basketball]] team, alongside fellow top recruit [[Omar Cook]]. [[Mike Jarvis]], the head coach for the Red Storm at the time, has stated that Miles' commitment significantly helped obtain Cook and the other incoming freshmen from the recruiting class.

==Professional career==

=== Los Angeles Clippers (2000–2002) ===
Miles entered the [[2000 NBA draft]] 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. His debut game was played on October 31, 2000, in a 94–107 loss to the [[Utah Jazz]] where he recorded eight points, seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200010310UTA.html | title=Clippers vs Jazz, October 31, 2000 }}</ref>

For the next two seasons Miles, [[Quentin Richardson]], [[Corey Maggette]], [[Lamar Odom]] and [[Elton Brand]] entertained fans with their exciting, high flying style of play. He played his first two seasons with the Clippers, earning an [[NBA All-Rookie Team]] first team honor in [[2000–01 NBA season|2001]]. In those years Miles, Richardson, and others helped the Clippers improve their performance from 15 wins in [[1999–2000 NBA season|99–00]], to 31 wins in [[2000–01 NBA season|00–01]] to finally 39 wins in [[2001–02 NBA season|01–02]]. In the [[2001–02 NBA season|2001–02 season]], the Clippers appeared to be on the verge of their first playoff appearance since [[1997 NBA Playoffs|1997]]; however, they were only able to win three of the last 12 games of the season, ultimately finishing five games out of the [[2002 NBA Playoffs|playoffs]].

=== Cleveland Cavaliers (2002–2004) ===
Following the 2001–2002 season, Miles was traded to the [[Cleveland Cavaliers]], alongside [[Harold Jamison]], in a deal for [[Andre Miller]] and [[Bryant Stith]] where he spent a season and a half before being traded to the [[Portland Trail Blazers]] for [[Jeff McInnis]] and [[Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje]] midway through the [[2003–04 NBA season|2003–04 season]].

=== Portland Trail Blazers (2004–2008) ===
During the [[2004–05 NBA season|2004–05 season]], Miles made headlines after a confrontation with then-coach [[Maurice Cheeks]] in which Miles reportedly insulted Cheeks with racial slurs<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/blazers/2005-01-28-miles_x.htm|title=USATODAY.com - Miles, Cheeks clash during practice; Miles suspended|website=www.usatoday.com|access-date=June 23, 2017}}</ref> 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 Miles to leave, Miles' response was "Make me." When Cheeks left the room to see Blazers' general manager [[John Nash (basketball)|John Nash]], Miles ran behind him shouting, "That's right, run to your daddy."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://proxy.espn.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=ford_chad&id=1980732|title=Ford: Miles away from tranquility|website=ESPN.com|date=February 2005 |access-date=June 23, 2017}}</ref>
On April 19, 2005, he scored a career-high 47 points in a loss against the [[Denver Nuggets]], which equaled the eighth-highest single-game output in franchise history up to that point.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Arnold |first1=Geoffrey C. |title=Miles gets 47, but it's not enough for a win |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-oregonian-miles-gets-47-but-its-no/177738064/ |access-date=July 29, 2025 |work=[[The Oregonian]] |date=April 20, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250729185956/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-oregonian-miles-gets-47-but-its-no/177738064/ |archive-date=July 29, 2025 |page=49 |via=Newspapers.com |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Quick |first1=Jason |title=Blazers waive Miles, clean house |url=http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/sports/1208240702268570.xml&coll=7&thispage=2 |access-date=July 29, 2025 |work=[[The Oregonian]] |date=April 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080420043640/http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/sports/1208240702268570.xml&coll=7&thispage=2 |archive-date=April 20, 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/basketball/nba/wires/04/14/2030.ap.bkn.trail.blazers.miles.0350/index.html|title=Trail Blazers request waivers on Miles|access-date=June 23, 2017}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

Late in the 2005–2006 season, Miles severely injured his right knee. Five days later, on April 15, 2006, he played in his 40th and last game of the season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sportsnet.ca/basketball/nba/players/Darius_Miles|title=Darius Miles - Sportsnet.ca|website=www.sportsnet.ca|access-date=June 23, 2017}}</ref> He missed the entire [[2006–07 NBA season|2006–07]] and [[2007–08 NBA season|2007–08]] NBA seasons due to [[microfracture surgery]] to repair his injury.<ref name="waived" />

In an effort to shed Miles's $18 million contract,<ref name="hoopsworld.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.hoopsworld.com/TheWireStory.asp?id=14458#|title=Report: Grizzlies ink F Miles|website=HoopsHype |date=December 13, 2008 |access-date=June 23, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090113050626/http://www.hoopsworld.com/TheWireStory.asp?id=14458 |archive-date=January 13, 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> the [[Portland Trail Blazers]] petitioned the [[National Basketball Association|NBA]] and the [[National Basketball Players Association|NBA Players Association]] in March 2008 to provide an independent doctor to decide whether Miles could play again.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/sports/120581071320230.xml&coll=7 |title=Miles' future with Blazers up in air |access-date=April 5, 2008 |last=Quick |first=Jason |date=March 18, 2008 |publisher=OregonLive.com}}</ref> 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.<ref name="waived">{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/blazers/news/Trail_Blazers_request_waivers_-267482-1218.html|title=Blazers: Trail Blazers request waivers on forward Darius Miles|website=www.nba.com|access-date=June 23, 2017}}</ref> However, Miles had the option to sign on with another team if offered a contract, potentially reverting the $18 million savings the Blazers hoped to gain if Miles played in 10 games in 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://grg51.typepad.com/steroid_nation/2008/12/darrius-miles-.html|title=Darrius Miles -- NBA player inactive for 2 years -- would be suspended 10 games in comeback|website=Steroid Nation|access-date=June 23, 2017}}</ref>

Complicating matters was a 10-game 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.<ref name="hoopsworld.com" />

=== Memphis Grizzlies (2008–2009) ===
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.<ref>[https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=3549061 Miles, thought to have career-ending injury, signs with Celtics], ''[[ESPN.com]]'', August 22, 2008.</ref> Though he worked out twice with the team and impressed with his health and attitude,<ref name="milesherald">[http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view/2008_08_22_Celtics_sign_Darius_Miles/srvc=celt&position=1 Celtics sign Darius Miles], ''[[Boston Herald]]'', August 22, 2008.</ref> he was waived on October 20, before the regular season started.<ref>Gary Dzen, [http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/extras/celtics_blog/2008/10/celtics_waive_m.html Celtics waive Miles], ''[[The Boston Globe]]'', October 20, 2008.</ref>

On December 13, 2008, Miles signed with the [[Memphis Grizzlies]].<ref>[http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/dec/13/griz-sign-former-star-forward-darius-miles/ Griz sign former star forward Darius Miles], December 14, 2008</ref> 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]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=290104029|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090409205628/http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=290104029|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 9, 2009|title=Mavericks vs. Grizzlies – January 4, 2009|website=ESPN.com|access-date=June 23, 2017}}</ref> On January 7, after collecting only two rebounds and two blocks in nine minutes over two games, Miles was waived.<ref>[http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/basketball/nba/01/07/miles.grizzlies.ap/index.html Memphis Grizzlies Wave Darius Miles]{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} SI.com, January 7, 2009</ref> 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.<ref>[https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=3822911&campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines Report: Grizzlies ignore Blazers' threat]. Retrieved on January 10, 2009.</ref> On January 30, 2009, the Grizzlies signed Miles for the rest of the 2008–09 season.<ref>[https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=3872564 Grizzlies Resign Miles] ESPN.com, January 30, 2009</ref>

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-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.<ref name="blackball">[https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=3820794 Reports: Blazers try to blackball Miles], January 8, 2009.</ref> In response, the [[National Basketball Players Association|NBA Players Association]] threatened to file a grievance against the Trail Blazers.<ref>[http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/basketball/nba/01/09/miles.blazers.ap/index.html?eref=si_topstories Union to file grievance vs. Blazers]{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}. Retrieved on January 10, 2009.</ref> 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.

Miles' final NBA game was played on April 13, 2009, in a 110–119 loss to the [[Phoenix Suns]] in which he recorded two points, two rebounds and an assist in six and one-half minutes of playing time.

==Acting career==
Miles had a role in ''[[The Perfect Score]]'' (2004), as a high school basketball star who needs to achieve a qualifying [[SAT]] score to attend [[St. John's University (New York)|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]] 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 [[National Basketball Association|NBA]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1056968/|title=Darius Miles|website=IMDb|access-date=June 23, 2017}}</ref>

== NBA career statistics ==

{{NBA player statistics legend}}

=== Regular season ===

{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| align="left" | {{nbay|2000}}
| align="left" | [[2000–01 Los Angeles Clippers season|L.A. Clippers]]
| 81 || 21 || 26.3 || .505 || .053 || .521 || '''5.9''' || 1.2 || .6 || '''1.5''' || 9.4
|-
| align="left" | {{nbay|2001}}
| align="left" | [[2001–02 Los Angeles Clippers season|L.A. Clippers]]
| '''82''' || 6 || 27.2 || .481 || .158 || .620 || 5.5 || 2.2 || .9 || 1.3 || 9.5
|-
| align="left" | {{nbay|2002}}
| align="left" | [[2002–03 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| 67 || '''62''' || 30.0 || .410 || .000 || .594 || 5.4 || '''2.6''' || 1.0 || 1.0 || 9.2
|-
| align="left" | {{nbay|2003}}
| align="left" | [[2003–04 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| 37 || 16 || 24.0 || .432 || .167 || .542 || 4.5 || 2.2 || .7 || .7 || 8.9
|-
| align="left" | {{nbay|2003}}
| align="left" | [[2003–04 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland]]
| 42 || 40 || 28.4 || '''.526''' || .200 || .702 || 4.6 || 2.0 || 1.0 || .8 || 12.6
|-
| align="left" | {{nbay|2004}}
| align="left" | [[2004–05 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland]]
| 63 || 22 || 27.0 || .482 || '''.348''' || .600 || 4.7 || 2.0 || '''1.2''' || 1.2 || 12.8
|-
| align="left" | {{nbay|2005}}
| align="left" | [[2005–06 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland]]
| 40 || 23 || '''32.2''' || .461 || .200 || .534 || 4.6 || 1.8 || 1.1 || 1.0 || '''14.0'''
|-
| align="left" | {{nbay|2008}}
| align="left" | [[2008–09 Memphis Grizzlies season|Memphis]]
| 34 || 0 || 8.8 || .485 || .167 || '''.742''' || 1.7 || .5 || .3 || .6 || 3.5
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career
| 446 || 190 || 26.3 || .472 || .168 || .590 || 4.9 || 1.9 || .9 || 1.1 || 10.1
{{s-end}}

==Personal life==
On August 3, 2011, Miles was arrested in [[Lambert-St. Louis International Airport]] for carrying a loaded gun.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/article_b9d03669-5f5e-5297-b7c7-d97f833e0b16.html|title=Ex-NBA player Darius Miles arrested on gun charge at Lambert|first1=Patrick M.|last1=O'Connell|first2=Ken|last2=Leiser|date=August 4, 2011 |access-date=June 23, 2017}}</ref>
After making nearly $62 million in his NBA career, Miles filed for bankruptcy on September 18, 2016.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 18, 2016 |title=Darius Miles Files for Bankruptcy |url=http://www.slamonline.com/nba/darius-miles-files-bankruptcy/#Hrif6l2eLcELvZM1.97 |access-date=June 23, 2017 |website=SLAM Online}}</ref> In October 2018, Miles addressed mental health issues that he had battled after his career in a ''Player's Tribune'' article.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theplayerstribune.com/articles/what-the-hell-happened-to-darius-miles|title=What the Hell Happened to Darius Miles? {{!}} By Darius Miles|website=The Players' Tribune|date=October 24, 2018 |language=en|access-date=October 24, 2018}}</ref>
Since February 2019 he has co-hosted ''The Knuckleheads'' podcast with former Clippers teammate and childhood friend [[Quentin Richardson]] associated with ''[[The Players' Tribune]]''. On the podcast, Miles and Richardson interview former and current professional basketball players from the perspective of ex-NBA players.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Issa |first=Mat |date=August 3, 2023 |title=Agents Of Change: How The Knuckleheads Are Changing Basketball Media |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/matissa/2023/08/03/agents-of-change-how-the-knuckleheads-are-changing-basketball-media/ |access-date=30 November 2023 |website=Forbes}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of people banned or suspended by the NBA]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{commons}}
*{{basketballstats|nba=2032|bbr=m/milesda01}}

{{S-start}}
{{S-ach}}
{{Succession box| title=[[Illinois Mr. Basketball]] award winner | before=[[Brian Cook (basketball)|Brian Cook]] | years=2000| after=[[Eddy Curry]]}}
{{S-end}}
{{Mr. Basketball USA}}

{{2000 NBA draft}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Miles, Darius}}
[[Category:1981 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Cleveland Cavaliers players]]
[[Category:Doping cases in basketball]]
[[Category:Los Angeles Clippers draft picks]]
[[Category:Los Angeles Clippers players]]
[[Category:McDonald's High School All-Americans]]
[[Category:Memphis Grizzlies players]]
[[Category:NBA high school draftees]]
[[Category:Parade High School All-Americans (boys' basketball)]]
[[Category:Portland Trail Blazers players]]
[[Category:Small forwards]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Belleville, Illinois]]
[[Category:Basketball players from St. Clair County, Illinois]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American sportsmen]]
[[Category:American sports podcasters]]
[[Category:21st-century American sportsmen]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]