Big Ten Tournament: 5 prospects the Detroit Pistons should watch

Daniel Oturu, Sophomore, Minnesota

Oturu has burst onto the scene this sophomore season, but more importantly he has been steadily rising up draft boards. Most have Oturu landing somewhere in the late first round. A few places, such as nbadraft.net have vaulted him as high as 7th overall.

With little consensus among scouts , it may be tough to judge Oturu’s true value, but he passes the eye test with flying colors. Standing at 6’10”, 240 lbs he maintains a lean build while still remaining strong. His length and athleticism will translate to the next level.

Oturu has always been a solid finisher and rebounder, but this season he has shown real stretch center potential. He has shot 34 percent from three, with 5 games of multiple three-pointers made.

While these numbers don’t jump off the page, this is a step in right direction in terms of mobility. Oturu has also shown the ability to pull the ball on the ground and create his own shot.

Oturu’s true bread and butter is his ability to dominate the paint. This season, he is averaging 20 points per game to go along with 11.4 rebounds per game. Combine that with a Big Ten leading 2.5 blocks per game and you have an impressive resume inside the lane.

Oturu has played his way into the lottery conversation. He has continued to develop on the offensive end and looks like a pro already in the pick and roll. As for his potential with landing on the Detroit Pistons, it seems unlikely.

He’s a safe pick, but the main question mark is his ceiling. At this point in the rebuild, Detroit does not need to select a safe prospect with their lottery pick. They need high upside and franchise foundations.