OG Anunoby is a high-risk, high-reward prospect for the Pistons
By Andrew Hejka
Scouts have deemed OG Anunoby the next Kawhi Leonard since his freshman year at Indiana. Should the Detroit Pistons roll the dice on him at No. 12?
There have been plenty of names thrown around as realistic picks for the Detroit Pistons‘ No. 12 pick in this month’s draft. Among the most popular have been Donovan Mitchell, Justin Jackson, and Luke Kennard.
Another name to remember is OG Anunoby, a 6’8″ small forward from Indiana. A torn ACL in January cut his sophomore season short. After the injury, Indiana finished the season 5-10, ultimately leading to the firing of Tom Crean.
The Jefferson City, Missouri native averaged 11.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game on 55.7 percent shooting, and over 1 steal and 1 block per game in only 25 minutes before the injury. He has shown the ability to knock down the three, albeit a small sample size, hitting at a 37 percent clip in college. Also, his athleticism speaks for itself, routinely pulling off highlight-reel dunks.
Furthermore, Anunoby established himself as an elite defender during his time in Bloomington. His combination of size, strength, and mobility allows him to defend multiple positions at a high level. His most notable performance came in the 2016 NCAA Tournament against Kentucky, where he shut down top-10 pick Jamal Murray to help Indiana advance to the Sweet 16.
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DraftExpress examines the slasher’s strengths:
"Anunoby has an elite physical profile for a NBA combo forward. He’s extremely disruptive to an opposing teams offensive flow with his ability to sit down in a stance and keep smaller players in front with his excellent lateral quickness. He’s difficult for guards to shoot over with his gigantic reach, often blocking shots on the perimeter thanks to his excellent closeout speed, and also getting in the passing lanes at a terrific rate."
A potential red flag for Anunoby is his aforementioned health issues, and whether or not he’ll retain his athleticism after fully recovering.
Additionally, DraftExpress gives some weaknesses.
"Anunoby’s shooting mechanics leave something to be desired, as his jumper is somewhat stiff, with a slight, variable hop and fade that hurts his balance. He tends to guide the ball at times with his massive hands, shooting it with a rigid elbow, a low release and very little arc. He is a crude ball-handler (especially with his left hand) who struggles to operate in isolation or pick and roll situations due to his high dribble."
These concerns are remarkably similar to those of Stanley Johnson, who recently turned 21. However, Anunoby is only 19 years old. The expectation is that Anunoby’s defensive presence alone will earn him minutes as a rookie. Therefore, the hope is that he can develop a somewhat consistent jumper on the fly.
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Defensively, Anunoby is cut from the same cloth as stars Jimmy Butler, Paul George, and Kawhi Leonard. All of these players have developed outstanding offensive games and are elite two-way players. Hopefully, he can follow in their footsteps if the Detroit Pistons take him at No. 12.