Darius Miles Miraculous Comeback!

Get ready for one of the most compelling and controversial comeback stories in some time.

The newest member of the Boston Celtics, Darius Miles, is attempting to return to the NBA after a two-year absence, almost two years after a microfracture procedure on his injured right knee and after a doctor declared the injury to be career-ending. If Miles is successful to any measurable degree, and that is still up in the air, he will create some financial havoc in Portland, his previous NBA stop, not to mention extract some $18 million out of Trail Blazer owner Paul Allen’s petty cash drawer.

No player has done what the 26-year-old Miles is attempting to do. The Trail Blazers waived him last April 14 after the diagnosis from an independent doctor deemed his knee injury to be such that his career was over. That’s usually a death sentence. But Miles didn’t buy it then and he certainly doesn’t buy it now. Neither do the Celtics or their medical people.

“I have a son,’’ he went on, referring to his 8-month old. “I want him to see me play. So I wanted another try. If I put it all out there and it doesn’t work, then I’ll have done all I can.”

The Celtics are investing very little in Miles – a non-guaranteed veteran minimum – for a couple reasons: they don’t have to (Miles is still collecting his $9 million-per-year salary bestowed on him by the Blazers, although insurance covers as much as 85 percent of it); and basketball boss Danny Ainge says the low risk-high reward nature of the deal is a no-brainer.

“Coming into this gym is like walking into history,’’ he continued. “As soon as you come here, you feel it. You see these old-school pictures of Red Auerbach and Bill Russell. And it’s the only practice facility I’ve seen that has (championship) banners. I want to be whatever they want me to be. I want to be a part of this team. This is the ultimate situation. I would have played on this team whether I got a check or not.”

“That team (Portland) wanted to move on, away from me, and once that happened, I understood and let it be. That whole situation was a negative situation and I went through it for four years. It’s tiring. I want to hear some positive stuff. I don’t ever remember a bad article being written about me until I got to Portland. I’m not saying it’s a bad place. It’s a great organization. I love (owner) Paul Allen. Larry Miller, the president, a great guy. The players are great. It just didn’t work out. One little thing turned into a big thing. They didn’t want me. And I don’t want to be where I’m not wanted. Danny Ainge gave me a chance to redeem myself.”

Darius Miles Career Stats