Detroit Pistons Draft Dreams: Charles Jenkins

One of my favorite players in this draft, point guard Reggie Jackson, has dipped into the second round in many mock drafts. Another big point guard who the Pistons could find themselves with a chance at with their first second rounder is Hofstra’s Charles Jenkins.

Info

Measurables: 6-foot-3, 220 pounds senior PG from Hofstra

Key stats: 22.6 points, 4.8 assists, 3.4 rebounds per game while shooting 52 percent from the field and 42 percent from 3-point range

Projected: Late first/early second round

How would he help the Pistons?

My infatuation with Jackson had to do with his incredible shooting numbers. Like Jackson, Jenkins, as a point guard, is shooting over 50 percent from the field and 40 percent from three. That’s pretty remarkable for any college guard.

On top of that, Jenkins is a four-year player with size. Joe Dumars likes big point guards, and at 6-foot-3, Jenkins fits that mold. Jenkins was a do-it-all player for Hofstra, hit clutch shots and, although it’s a mid-major school, they do play touch competition as they are in the same league as Virginia Commonwealth.

Rodney Stuckey seems a likely bet to be back in Detroit, but he’s done little to prove he’s the long-term answer at point guard. If Jenkins lasts to the second round, he’d be worthy of serious consideration by Detroit.

How wouldn’t he help the Pistons?

Long-term, I like Jenkins’ prospects if he were to end up in Detroit. Short-term? He might not provide immediate help. As I mentioned, Stuckey is likely to be back, as are Will Bynum and Ben Gordon. It’s not even a foregone conclusion that Rip Hamilton will be able to be moved before a lockout and the team still has Terrico White in the mix.

None of that is to say the Pistons should pass on a player like Jenkins simply because of the roster situation, but adding him would certainly add to a glut while holding up a roster spot that could be more needed in the immediate future elsewhere.

What are others saying?

From DraftExpress:

"His nearly 2,500 career points – he’s the active leader in the NCAA – is the mark that garners the most attention from fans and casual observers, but it is the versatility and efficiency in which he gets his offense that draws the intrigue of pro scouts. According to data from Synergy Sports Technology, Jenkins ranks as the second most efficient isolation threat in the NCAA (after Andrew Goudelock), scoring on over 50% of his attempts when going one on one (minimum 50 possessions). He also ranks in the top-10 in pick and roll situations and in the top-25 as a catch and shoot threat."

From ESPN:

"I spoke with a number of NBA scouts about him this weekend, and the consensus continues to evolve. Last time I checked, in November, scouts saw him as a possible late-second-round pick. That’s changed. More scouting and perhaps a bit more open-mindedness now has a few scouts conceding that he could sneak into the first round.“You combine his toughness, shooting ability and efficiency, and I think you can find a spot for a guy like that in the league,” one NBA scout said."

From Sports Illustrated:

"As the focal point of the Pride’s offense, he was rarely left unattended — 63.4 percent of his catch-and-shoot opportunities came with a man in his face — yet showed an ability to make tough jumpers. His efficiency on guarded shots off the catch was 1.3898 PPP, which ranked 15th nationally among players with at least 50 such possessions. And while Jenkins shoots right-handed, he can go left off the dribble better than anyone in the draft: He had a national-best efficiency of 1.3261 PPP on left-hand drives, which he did 59 percent of the time."

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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