DARKO Milicic is a former NBA champion who left the league to return to Europe – and hasn’t looked back.

The 37-year-old went from the NBA hardwood to farming a massive apple orchard.

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Darko Milicic was selected before NBA legends Camelo Anthony and Dwyane WadeCredit: Getty

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The former NBA big man owns a 125-acre land and runs a successful apple businessCredit: Getty
Milicic spent ten seasons in the NBA, jumping from city to city and playing for six teams.

The seven-foot center was drafted second overall in the 2003 NBA draft, behind future hall-of-fame inductee LeBron James.

The 2003 NBA draft is widely viewed as the best of all time.

It featured superstars Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, and several other NBA All-Stars.

Milicic won a title in 2004 with the Detroit Pistons, but many view his career as a disappointment.

He decided to leave the NBA in 2012, returning to his native Serbia, leaving behind a legacy and memory as a draft bust.

He tried his hand at a short-lived kickboxing career before finding his passion and focus in farming.

The former NBA big man owns a 125-acre land and runs a successful apple business.

Speaking to ESPN, he said: “I was just really happy. You know, we were picking our apples. Ours.”

Milicic took his new farming quest seriously.

He studied orchards in Italy and learned about soil, tree types, and apple varieties.

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Milicic spent ten seasons in the NBA, jumping from city to city and playing for six teams.Credit: Getty
According to ESPN, he has spent $8 million on his apple farm, producing over 10,000 pounds of fruit yearly.

He now lives with his wife and their four children.