For most of the day Thursday, Darko Milicic did what every teenager does well: sleep.

He had to venture out from his Manhattan apartment once for a meeting with NBA officials to go over information about the night's big event, but otherwise, Milicic relaxed. It wasn't until he was standing on the floor of Madison Square Garden, until there was less than an hour to go before the draft, that the magnitude inherent to the day started to wash over him.

"I am a little nervous," he said while managing a smile. "I know where I am going, but in 15 minutes, my whole life change."

His life officially changed at 7:40 p.m., when the Pistons selected him with the second overall pick -- after running their allotted five-minute selection time all the way down to 12 seconds. Milicic hugged and kissed his father, Milorad, then donned a blue Pistons cap and ambled up on the stage to shake hands with NBA commissioner David Stern. Milicic, a native of Novi Sad, Serbia-Montenegro, became the highest European pick in any NBA draft.

"I'm very happy it's over," he said afterward. "I knew a month ago Detroit was interested in me, and I am ready for Detroit."