Detroit Pistons NBA Draft: Could Isaiah Livers take Doumbouya’s spot?

Detroit Pistons fans took a collective sigh of relief following the first minutes of the 2021 NBA Draft. Roughly a month since the team moved up to the number one overall pick in the lottery, Pistons GM Troy Weaver selected Oklahoma State point guard Cade Cunningham.

After weeks of trade rumors and other prospects names’ being thrown into the mix, Detroit drafted the consensus top-ranked prospect in the draft class.

While Cunningham was the headliner for the Pistons draft class, the team also made three selections in the second round.

Along with the top selection,  the Detroit Pistons originally entered the 2021 NBA Draft with the 37th, 42nd, and 52nd picks in the draft. They would swap the 37th pick for pick number 57 after trading center Mason Plumlee to the Charlotte Hornets in a salary dump.

So, with the 42nd pick as their first of the second round, Detroit selected combo forward Isaiah Livers out of the University of Michigan.

Detroit Pistons NBA Draft: Local Isaiah Livers is a well-rounded prospect

Livers grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He attended Kalamazoo Central High School before playing for the Michigan Wolverines. He spent all four years of his collegiate career wearing the maize and blue where he would see his role with the team expand in each of his four seasons at school.

The 23-year-old finished his senior season averaging 13.1 points, six rebounds, and two assists while playing in 31.6 minutes per game.

Livers and the Wolverines had a great 2020-21 season culminating in an Elite Eight appearance in the NCAA tournament.

After a great collegiate career, the 23-year-old entered the 2021 NBA Draft as one of the older prospects in the class.

In Livers, the Pistons have drafted a mostly complete prospect who projects to be a sharpshooting stretch four at the NBA level. Livers will provide added depth to Detroit’s rotation and could become a very solid role player for the team one day.