The Pistons want to add shooting and ball-handling around Cade Cunningham this offseason. They appear to have done both on the first night of the draft, moving up four spots in the first round to take Stanford point guard Ebuka Okorie 17th overall.
Detroit traded three second-round picks to Memphis to make the move up from No. 21.
Okorie was the ACC's leading scorer last season with 23.2 points per game as a freshman, shooting 35 percent from three. He's small for the next level at 6'1, but has a sturdy frame and the strength and quickness to get to the rack.
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Per NBA.com, "Okorie projects as an attacking, downhill point guard who can pressure the rim and create scoring opportunities in both the half court and transition. His combination of burst, touch around the basket, pull-up shooting and ball security gives him a clear offensive identity."
His scouting report likens him to scoring point guards like Kemba Walker, Isaiah Thomas (not Pistons legend Isiah Thomas) and Gilbert Arenas: "Okorie has the scoring instincts, physical toughness and competitive edge to contribute real minutes from Day 1 and grow into a long-term starter."
The question is whether Okorie has the playmaking chops to complement his scoring. He showed good ball security at Stanford, but averaged just 3.6 assists per game.
"He may profile better as a scoring spark than a lead ball-handler if he isn't able to consistently set up teammates," per Bleacher Report.
