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The worst draft picks in Detroit Pistons’ history

By Brenden Welper

Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; A general view of a video board displaying all thirty draft picks in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; A general view of a video board displaying all thirty draft picks in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports /
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4. Rodney White – 2001 – Forward – Round 1, Pick 9 (9th overall)

The 2001 draft class will leave you scratching your head. Kwame Brown was the No. 1 overall pick. Tony Parker and Gilbert Arenas fell to No. 28 and No. 31, respectively. Pau Gasol and Zach Randolph were traded on draft day, and the Pistons passed on three of the five names I just mentioned.

Still looking for a player to compliment Jerry Stackhouse on the wing, Detroit chose small forward Rodney White with the ninth overall pick.  White offered legit size at 6’9″ and was the top scorer among freshmen in the country with 18.7 points per game. It seemed like a perfect fit at the time, as most of these picks did.

Before we get into White’s career averages, let’s check out some of the players Detroit passed up. Joe Johnson, Richard Jefferson, Zach Randolph, Gerald Wallace, Tony Parker and Gilbert Arenas were all taken after White.  Johnson, who was taken right after, is still in the league today. White’s career ended in 2004-05.

In just one season with the Pistons, Rodney White played in 16 games.  He averaged 3.5 points and 1.1 rebounds per game before being traded to Denver after his rookie year.

The Nuggets sent two players (Mengke Bateer and Don Reid) and a 2004 first round pick to Detroit. The Pistons then traded that pick (which was coincidentally Josh Smith) in a three team deal to acquire Rasheed Wallace.

However, not all was lost for the Detroit Pistons in the 2001 draft. They selected forward Mehmet Okur out of Turkey with the 38th overall pick. He became a key part of the Pistons’ bench during their 2004 title run.