Detroit Pistons: Biggest sleeper and other 2022 NBA Draft predictions

Detroit Pistons: Predictions for the 2022 NBA Draft

Biggest sleeper of the 2022 NBA Draft…

I’ve already talked about my sleeper of the 2022 NBA Draft and I am going to stick with him. I think Tari Eason has the right combination of size, athleticism and defense to be a day one contributor for someone.

He is projected to potentially fall out of the lottery, which will probably help his case, as he could end up on a playoff team for which he’ll have a defined role off the bench right away.

He has a 7-foot-2 wingspan, high motor and will be a defensive menace right away. If he starts knocking down a higher percentage of 3-point shots, he has the chance to be one of the top forwards from this draft.

This is a guy who made a huge leap after transferring from Cincinnati and will make another one in his first season in the NBA.

Biggest reach of the 2022 NBA Draft…

I am not sold on Ousmane Dieng as a lottery pick in this draft. I know he has “upside” and that a forward who can make plays is a valuable commodity in the NBA, but at some point don’t you have to dominate inferior competition consistently? Dieng has not.

I am also hearing/reading a lot of familiar sounding information about him, including things like “Not a great athlete,” “could develop a shot,” “if he learns to score,” “doesn’t have enough strength yet,” “can’t go left,” and “poor shot mechanics.”

I am not just saying this because they are both French, but this guy has huge Sekou Doumbouya vibe to me. Of course, fans of the Detroit Pistons are still traumatized by Sekou’s flame out, so this could just be Draft PTSD, but I think Dieng is the biggest reach in the lottery or just outside of it, as Sekou was.

I’d also like to give Kofi Cockburn honorable mention here if anyone takes him in the first round.