Miličić was selected by the Detroit Pistons as the second overall pick in the 2003 NBA draft; he was chosen after number one pick LeBron James and ahead of other future NBA stars like Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade. Despite being selected with a high draft pick, Miličić failed to play at the level expected of him in the NBA and is widely regarded as a draft bust. While he won an NBA championship with the Pistons in 2004, Miličić never received significant playing time during his two-and-one-half seasons with the team and was traded to the Orlando Magic in 2006. Following stints with the Magic, the Memphis Grizzlies, and the New York Knicks, Miličić was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2010 and signed a four-year contract with the team that summer. After being released by Minnesota in 2012, he played one regular-season game for the Boston Celtics later that year before being released. Miličić announced his retirement from the NBA in June 2013; he retired with career averages of 6.0 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.