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Why was it better for the Detroit Pistons to pass on Donovan Mitchell rather than Luke Kennard?

By Luke Wolthuis

HOLLYWOOD, CA - MAY 18: (L-R) Basketball players Amile Jefferson, Luke Kennard, Donovan Mitchell, Jordan Bell and Jon Collins at the Premiere of Disney’s and Jerry Bruckheimer Films’ “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales,” at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, CA with Johnny Depp as the one-and-only Captain Jack in a rollicking new tale of the high seas infused with the elements of fantasy, humor and action that have resulted in an international phenomenon for the past 13 years. May 18, 2017 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)
HOLLYWOOD, CA - MAY 18: (L-R) Basketball players Amile Jefferson, Luke Kennard, Donovan Mitchell, Jordan Bell and Jon Collins at the Premiere of Disney’s and Jerry Bruckheimer Films’ “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales,” at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, CA with Johnny Depp as the one-and-only Captain Jack in a rollicking new tale of the high seas infused with the elements of fantasy, humor and action that have resulted in an international phenomenon for the past 13 years. May 18, 2017 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney) /
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There have been disputes from fans about this year’s NBA draft on why the Detroit Pistons selected Luke Kennard over Donovan Mitchell. Let’s settle those.

Last week the Detroit Pistons selected Luke Kennard with the 12th pick in the draft, not Donovan Mitchell. Many analysts considered Kennard the best shooter in the draft even though this year’s draft complemented sharp shooters like Justin Jackson, Lauri Markkanen, and Malik Monk. With only Kennard and Mitchell on the board, it was evident who the Pistons were going to select. Some fans like myself got too caught up in Mitchell’s athleticism and his ridiculous wingspan, let’s be honest.

Related Story: Luke Kennard's game should translate to the NBA

Some fans got caught up in Mitchell’s athleticism and his ridiculous 6’10” wingspan. That wingspan is what got my attention at first and many others. At the NBA combine, he showed everyone exactly why he shouldn’t be a second rounder. He recorded the fastest three-quarter sprint time at 3.01 seconds, which was noted to be one of the fastest times recorded in the combine’s history. Everybody knew Mitchell was athletic, but nobody knew he could have a vertical leap of 36.5 inches which by the way was the highest at the combine.

After the combine, every NBA scout knew that he was no longer a second rounder. The only problem with Mitchell was capabilities on the offensive side of the ball. Sure he had the playmaking ability to finish at the rim, but his shooting skills lacked, and that was the biggest problem for the Pistons this past season. At Louisville, Mitchell shot 35.4 percent from three, and overall he shot a percentage of 40.8, and that’s exactly why he wasn’t the 12th pick.

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Kennard isn’t just a shooter like some people to think, he is solely a playmaker. Not only a playmaker but a guy who can move without the basketball. His shooting might fill up the stat sheet, but that’s not the only reason why he’s a weapon on the offensive side of the ball. The Pistons needed a guy who could consistently shoot at a high percentage. Kennard shot 43.8 percent from three and overall shot a field goal percentage of 49 percent.

To add to his skills, he shoots very well off the dribble and thrifty moves around the basket. Stan Van Gundy has already mentioned that Kennard will strictly be placed at the shooting guard position although he played one through three under Coach K at Duke.

What Kennard lacks in are his defensive capabilities. He has the toughness and competitiveness to play defense but having a wingspan smaller than his height at 6’6″ could cause some issues and he knows that. At a recent workout with the Charlotte Hornets, Kennard mentioned anybody could defend if they want to defend. At his rookie press conference, he said that he is strictly a competitor and that playing football helped with his toughness. He also mentioned one thing he wants to improve while playing in the NBA is his strength.

One skill that Kennard doesn’t lack is toughness. He was the star at Franklin High School being the quarterback and the star player for their basketball team. To add to his resume, Kennard threw the football right-handed while shooting a basketball left-handed. Not to mention he also passed NBA star LeBron James (just a kid from Akron, Ohio) in scoring for the state of Ohio.

Next: Comparing Luke Kennard to Booker and Thompson

The only question now is whether or not his shooting talents will transfer to the NBA level. Mitchell didn’t have the shooting the Detroit Pistons needed, he might have it in the future but the Pistons need shooters now, and they got a good one in Kennard.

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