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Lucky 7s? A history of the Detroit Pistons with the 7th pick

By Stuart London

DETROIT, MI - APRIL 12: Greg Monroe #10 of the Detroit Pistons shoots against the Charlotte Hornets during the game on April 12, 2015 at The Palace of Auburn in Detroit, Michigan. 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 2015 NBAE (Photo by B. Sevald/Einstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - APRIL 12: Greg Monroe #10 of the Detroit Pistons shoots against the Charlotte Hornets during the game on April 12, 2015 at The Palace of Auburn in Detroit, Michigan. 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 2015 NBAE (Photo by B. Sevald/Einstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Greg Monroe (15) the No. 7 pick of the Detroit Pistons. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
Greg Monroe (15) the No. 7 pick of the Detroit Pistons. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports /

2010: Greg Monroe in the middle

Entering the 2010 NBA Draft, the Detroit Pistons were coming off a terrible season, finishing with a 27-55 record. The draft lottery was not kind to them, as they were awarded the seventh pick, even though they had the fifth-worst record in the league.

In the selection before Detroit, the Golden State Warriors at No. 6 took Baylor center Ekpe Udoh, who would average 3.5 points in a seven-year career. A few years later the Warriors would get luckier with the No. 7 selection and get Steph Curry.

With Udoh off the board, Detroit opted for Georgetown big man Greg Monroe. Unlike its previous No. 7 selection 60 years earlier, Monroe was happy to play in the NBA, he had forgone his last two years of college ball to go pro.

Two spots after Detroit took Monroe, Utah went with Gordon Hayward at No. 9, followed by Indiana selecting Paul George at 10.

While he did not have a Hall of Fame career like Yardley, Monroe was certainly an effective player for the Pistons.

In five seasons with Detroit, Monroe averaged 14.3 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists.

He looked good enough to have the Milwaukee Bucks sign him as a free agent for three-years and $50 million.

Things did not go well for Monroe when he came to Milwaukee. He was eventually traded to Phoenix, who waived him in February 1, 2018.

Monroe’s last NBA game was for the Philadelphia 76ers. They were outscored by 12 points in the 96 seconds he played against Toronto  in Game 7 of the 2019 Eastern Conference semifinals (where the Raptors won on Kawhi Leonard’s quadruple bounce shot at the buzzer). Monroe went to Europe to play after that.

Monroe was a good player during his time with the Pistons. He was certainly a better choice than Udoh. Better players were shortly drafted after he went at No. 7, but that occurs in many drafts.

Conclusion

The number seven seems to be a lucky one for the Pistons when it comes to the draft.

It is now 70 years since they took George Yardley. Even though they had to wait a while, it certainly proved to be a smart choice.

Looking back10 years, no one would say Greg Monroe was a wasted pick. Detroit got five good years out of him. His career took a tailspin after he left the Pistons but he was a positive contributor when he was in the Motor City.

Next. NBA Offseason: The Curious Case of Blake Griffin and the Detroit Pistons. dark

With the track record a good one, there is hope the Pistons can get an impact player at No. 7 in the 2020 NBA Draft.