Detroit Pistons Draft Dreams: Chris Singleton

I love reading about draft prospects who defend, and I assume after watching the Pistons quickly lose the defensive reputation that made them great, most fans would love to see someone known as a defensive stopper join the Pistons next season. Most scouts who analyze Chris Singleton are quick to point to his D.

Info

Measurables: 6-foot-9, 225 pounds, junior F from Florida State

Key stats: 13.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, 2.0 steals per game while shooting 43 percent

Projected: Late first/early second round

How would he help the Pistons?

Another hybrid forward, Singleton is best suited to the perimeter, but his long arms and shot-blocking ability could make him a very bothersome defender on the wings in the NBA. Singleton is an experienced player who improved all three years he was at FSU. He’s another pick that would potentially make Detroit much more athletic and, if Rodney Stuckey is back as expected, Singleton’s ability to run the floor would compliment the faster pace Stuckey would like to play. Singleton also has range, shooting close to 35 percent on 3s this season.

How wouldn’t he help the Pistons?

Notice, unlike with Kawhi Leonard, another athletic hybrid forward, I didn’t mention energy with Singleton. The knock on Singleton has been that he doesn’t always play with the passion/energy befitting a player with his athletic gifts. He did improve at FSU, but not as much as scouts had hoped as he has the physical skills to be a much higher pick in this draft. Still though, if he manages to slip to the early second round, his talent would be quite a find for the Pistons.

What are others saying?

From DraftExpress:

"Another positive development revolves around Singleton’s post-up game. We’ve seen a lot more of him on the block this season, and he’s enjoying greater success there. With the huge size advantage he enjoys on a nightly basis at the small forward position, and even at the power forward position at times, where he’s playing a lot more this year, there’s no reason he shouldn’t be doing this even more."

From ESPN:

"Singleton has been a hot prospect from the moment he stepped foot on Florida State’s campus. But for the most part, he’s failed to live up to lofty expectations. On the plus side, Singleton is an elite athlete and a terrific on the ball defender who can guard three positions on the floor. He’s also continued to improve his jump shot to the point that it’s passable. But until he shows more consistency on the offensive end of the ball, his ceiling is really that of a terrific defensive stopper. He’s a likely mid first round pick."

From the Associated Press:

"Singleton leaves early with the blessing of his coach.“He’s ready,” Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton said Wednesday. “Chris brings an intangible to the NBA. He’s a lockdown defender and can play three, four positions.”"

Hickory High’s Similarity Scores

Here’s a breakdown of how Ian Levy from Hickory High came up with his similarity scores.

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