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Detroit Pistons: Sekou Doumbouya is third in NBA Rookie Ladder

By Aaron Kellerstrass

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 2: Sekou Doumbouya #45 of the Detroit Pistons shoots the ball against the LA Clippers on January 2, 2020 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2020 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 2: Sekou Doumbouya #45 of the Detroit Pistons shoots the ball against the LA Clippers on January 2, 2020 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2020 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Sekou Doumbouya is having a great start to his rookie campaign, being forced into action due to injuries with the Detroit Pistons.

NBA.com released its latest Rookie Ladder yesterday and Pistons’ rookie Sekou Doumbouya stayed at No. 3 after debuting there last week. The Rookie Ladder is a weekly ranking of the top 5 rookies in the NBA. Doumbouya trails only Rookie of the Year favorite Ja Morant and Heat shooting guard Kendrick Nunn in the top 5, impressive considering he’s only started 8 games.

Doumbouya has drawn some attention after a breakout performance against the Celtics in which he scored 24 points on 10-of-13 shooting.

It gives Pistons’ fans hope that the team has finally hit a home run in the draft and it is nice to see anyone in a Detroit uniform get love from the national press.

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While it may be too early and a bit unfair to crown the 19-year-old Doumbouya as the Pistons’ savior, it is hard not to get excited about what we’ve seen thus far. Doumbouya is averaging 14 points and 5.3 rebounds per game as a starter and has done so while flashing explosive athleticism, a surprisingly sweet shooting stroke, potential as a lock down defender, and maybe most importantly, no fear. The fact that he is also the youngest player in the NBA has to have even the most miserable Pistons’ fan wondering if the Pistons have finally found a franchise cornerstone.

Doumbouya is often compared to Raptors star Pascal Siakam, largely due to their physical similarities and that they are both foreigners. Siakam has made himself into an All-Star-caliber player with steady progression from his rookie season where he averaged 4.2 points per game to the 24.6 points per game scorer we see now.

It’s reasonable to think that Doumbouya could make a similar leap, especially when he is already matching Siakam’s third-year numbers as a rookie. Let’s also remember that Siakam came into the league as a 22-year-old and Doumbouya is still just 19.

Next. 10 takeaways: Matching Sekou and Siakam's rookie seasons. dark

Doumbouya likely won’t have enough time to be in serious talks for Rookie of the Year, but he is getting national attention and it is conceivable that he could end the season as the NBA’s second best rookie. Doumbouya is climbing the rookie ladder and giving Pistons’ fans some hope.

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