PistonPowered
Fansided

Detroit Pistons Draft: Possible prospects all over the Sweet 16

By Aaron Kellerstrass

Alabama Crimson Tide forwards Noah Clowney (15) and Brandon Miller (24) celebrate Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Alabama Crimson Tide forwards Noah Clowney (15) and Brandon Miller (24) celebrate Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

The NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 starts tomorrow and the Detroit Pistons will be watching closely.

Fans are hoping the Pistons don’t end up choosing a player from the NCAA, as that would likely mean they landed in the top two in the NBA Draft Lottery.

Many of the top prospects are not playing in the NCAA this season, as guys like Victor Wembanyama, Scoot Henderson and the Thompson twins are playing internationally, in the G-League or Overtime Elite.

But many of the top prospects remaining are still playing in the Sweet 16 and could be possibilities if the Pistons fall out of the top two of the 2023 NBA Draft.

Related Story. 2 possible draft trades for the Detroit Pistons. light

The Detroit Pistons will also have one of the first picks in the second round and hope to find a gem, or at least someone good enough to earn one of their two-way contracts.

Here are the players remaining in the Sweet 16 that could be on the Pistons’ radar for their top pick or a second-round selection.

Detroit Pistons draft: Prospects in the Sweet 16

1st-round prospects

  • Brandon Miller-Alabama
  • Jarace Walker-Houston
  • Nick Smith Jr.-Arkansas
  • Anthony Black-Arkansas

Brandon Miller went scoreless in Alabama’s opening round win but came back big in game two with 19 points and seven rebounds, though he didn’t shoot the ball well. He is a player who could be in the running for the second pick if the Pistons were to get it.

Jarace Walker is a big forward who would be in play if the Pistons were to drop to five or lower. It would be surprising to see either of the guys from Arkansas go that high, but both could end up as top-10 picks.

2nd-round prospects

  • Noah Clowney-Alabama
  • Jordan Hawkins-UCONN
  • Jaime Jaquez Jr.-UCLA
  • Julian Phillips-TENN
  • Julian Strawther-Gonzaga
  • Keyontae Johnson-Kansas State

It’s very possible that Clowney, Hawkins and Jaquez Jr. will all be taken in the first round, but one of them might fall to the Pistons. Phillips is an interesting defensive wing prospect out of Tennessee and could be an option with an early second-round pick.

Next. Pistons' all-time draft bust starting lineup. dark