Detroit Pistons guard Luke Kennard is one of the better young prospects in the NBA, yet he didn’t make the 25-under-25 list. Was this an oversight or fair?
Early last week, the FanSided staff released their 25-under-25 list. FanSided writer Jonathan Macri then followed it up with the “best of the rest” list that included 35-26. Not surprising, there weren’t any Detroit Pistons that made the list.
One name on the Detroit Pistons roster seems like he could’ve made at least the top-40 under 25 list if Macri expanded his column just a little bit. That’s right, another Luke Kennard article because Kennard is a bright spot on this team.
There are players on the list that Kennard is not better than and I think he’d openly admit that. D’Angelo Russell, Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, and Karl-Anthony Towns to name a few. These players all have individual accolades.
Squeaking in at 23 years old, Kennard still has a lot of work to do if he wants to be included on the official 25-under-25 list next year. Better known as his last chance to ever be listed on an under-25 list.
With a career points per game average of 8.6 on .44/.40/.84 shooting splits, Kennard is on the trajectory to become one of the better shooters in the NBA in the coming seasons as he gains more experience and playing time. However, the FanSided list is woven into the belief that the list of players has an immediate impact on their team this season.
Kennard does have an immediate impact on the Detroit Pistons this season. He should see an increase in usage and minutes in addition to an opportunity to lead the bench unit alongside Derrick Rose.
It’s my expectation that this is the season that Kennard takes his overall playstyle to the next level. The team is going to rely upon him this season to take command of the bench unit during some games because Rose will probably not make it through all 82 games without missing some time.
That all being said, let’s take a look at some of the players on the “best of the rest” list that Kennard could’ve replaced.