2012 NBA Draft: Pistons release more names of potential draftees
By Ryan Hegedus
Just four days from the 2012 NBA Draft, the Pistons have released more names of players who have come to the Palace for draft workouts, although the official count is nearly 60 total players. Just a few, including Arnett Moultrie, Marcus Denmon, and Khris Middleton, are expected to be first round picks, so many of these players are potential targets for Detroit in the second round, where they’ll have the 39th and 44th picks.
POWER FORWARDS/CENTERS
Yancy Gates, 6-9, 285, Cincinnati
Justin Hamilton, 7-0, 260, LSU
Travis Hyman, 7-0, 245, Bowie State
Bernard James, 6-10, 230, Florida State
Robert Sacre, 6-11, 260, Gonzaga
Henry Sims, 6-11 ¾, 241.2, Georgetown
Arnett Moultrie, 6-10 ¾, 232.8, Mississippi State
Kyle O’Quinn, 6-10, 240.8, Norfolk State
Miles Plumlee, 6-11 ¾, 252.4, Duke
SMALL FORWARDS
Khris Middleton, 6-8, 217, Texas A&M
Rakim Sanders 6-5, 234, Fairfield
Wesley Witherspoon, 6-9, 215, Memphis
Quincy Acy, 6-7 ¾, 223.8, Baylor
JaMychal Green, 6-9, 217.4, Alabama
Eli Holman, 6-9, 250, Detroit Mercy
Josh Owens, 6-8, 240, Stanford
Alex Young, 6-6, 215, IUPUI
SHOOTING GUARDS
Marcus Denmon, 6-3, 190, Missouri
DeQuan Jones, 6-6, 215, Miami
Chase Simon, 6-5, 215, Detroit
Charlie Westbrook, 6-4, 195, South Dakota
Paul Williams, 6-4, 215, Dayton
DeJuan Wright, 6-4, 185, Florida International
William Buford, 6-5, 214.6, Ohio State
Scoop Jardine, 6-3, 200, Syracuse
Orlando Johnson, 6-5 ¼, 223.8, UC Santa Barbara
Devoe Joseph, 6-4, 180, Oregon
Scott Machado, 6-2, 205.8, Iona
Kevin Murphy, 6-6 ¼, 194, Tennessee Tech
POINT GUARDS
Reggie Hamilton, 5-11, 175, Oakland
Zach Rosen, 6-0, 178, Pennsylvania
Maalik Wayns, 6-1, 195, Villanova
One name that particularly interests me on this list is Oakland guard Reggie Hamilton. Being an OU grad, I’m obviously rooting for Dumars to either take him with their last pick, or take a flier out on him as an undrafted guard.
Having watched Hamilton play for two seasons, several aspects of his game could really translate well to the NBA and particularly the Pistons.
Plain and simple, he is a scorer. In fact, he led the nation in scoring last season (first OU or Summit League player to ever do so), scoring 25.4 points per game on 45% shooting. His ability to either drive the basket (47% on 2-point shots) or hit a three-pointer (42%) meant he was often a lot to handle on defense, regardless of opponent.
His season high of 41 points came against Horizon League leader Valparaiso, and his 35 points against Tennessee during an ESPN nationally televised game raised awareness of just how dynamic a scorer he is. At the end of conference play, and into the postseason, Hamilton scored 30+ eight times in a row; if not for a 29-point game against Buffalo in the CIT Tournament, it would’ve been 10 straight.
Despite the scoring ability, the biggest knock against Hamilton has always been his height. Coming in at just 5’10” and 185, he would likely be considered a small point guard in the NBA. Any team that drafts or puts him on their roster would have to worry about putting him in the post against a guard that could be 5+ inches taller than him.
Luckily for Hamilton, there have been “small-ish” point guards in recent drafts that have seen success regardless of perceived physical limitations; Ty Lawson and Isaiah Thomas especially come to mind. Detroit even has a guard – Will Bynum – that is only two inches taller but six years older than the former Golden Grizzly. Bynum is nearing the end of his contract, and could garner offers in free agency, meaning the Pistons would be wise to look for a replacement.
I do think there’s a legitimate role for Hamilton on this team. He was a four-year player in college, a captain, and someone with zero maturity issues. In today’s age of one-and-done prima donnas, there’s a lot to be said about guys who can come into a team’s clubhouse and show poise beyond their years.
Hamilton’s likely draft spot has pretty much been late second round since he entered the draft. Unless something drastically changes, it’s safe to say that he will find his way onto an NBA roster; scorers are at a premium in today’s league. Whether that roster spot is on the Pistons is up in the air, but I’m sure Hamilton has plenty of fans in the metro Detroit area that would love to see him don the Pistons red, white, and blue.