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Detroit Pistons: 5 NCAA tournament games to watch for Pistons draft picks

By Aaron Kellerstrass

Cade Cunningham #2 and Isaac Likekele #13 of the Oklahoma State Cowboys (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Cade Cunningham #2 and Isaac Likekele #13 of the Oklahoma State Cowboys (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /
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Detroit Pistons
Ayo Dosunmu #11, Kofi Cockburn could be Detroit Pistons draft picks (Casterline/Getty Images) /

The NCAA tournament gets underway today and there are a number of games that the Detroit Pistons will be watching closely.

The Pistons are zeroing in on a hopeful top-five pick in the 2021 NBA Draft but also hold a couple of second-round picks as well.

This should be a very deep draft, so the Pistons can probably find talent at the top of each round to add to their already impressive young core.

There will be plenty of impact talent on display on the first day of the tournament. Here are five games with players the Detroit Pistons will be watching.

Possible Pistons draft picks: Illinois vs. Drexel

Prospects to watch: Ayo Dosunmu and Kofi Cockburn

The first game is a #1 seed vs. a #16 so will likely be a blowout but there are a couple of reasons to watch. I wrote a detailed breakdown of these two prospects prior to their Big 10 championship game vs. Ohio State.

Neither of them are projected to go in the lottery but could be there when the Pistons pick in the second round, especially if the Toronto Raptors keep plummeting, The Detroit Pistons own Toronto’s pick, which could end up being near the top of the second round.

That is exactly where Dosunmu and Cockburn are projected to be drafted, so they could be in the Pistons’ range.

I love Dosunmu in the second round, as he is a long athletic player who could end up being a tough defender in the NBA. I also like his leadership and the fact that he is a high-character guy and a winner.

Cockburn is a raw prospect who already possesses a body that most NBA players would be jealous of. If he can improve his lateral quickness and add some range to his jumper, he could be a nice short-burst rim protector off someone’s bench.