Pistons draft: Reader’s choice for a 2nd-round sleeper

One of the more interesting subplots of the 2023 NBA Draft is what the Detroit Pistons will do with their second-round pick.

They will have the 31st pick, which could prove to be valuable in a draft deep in similar talent or to use a sweetener in a trade.

We’ve done a lot of draft profiles of possible players of all types that the Pistons could take with the 31st pick. But today I turned to the readers after asking for players that people liked for the second round.

One name that came up from @GMwanttobe was Kobe Brown from Missouri, who is an interesting prospect projected to go in the second round.

Is he going to be the sleeper of this year’s draft?

Detroit Pistons draft: Kobe Brown

Kobe Brown is one of the older prospects in the draft, as he is already 23-years-old and will be 24 in January.

Brown was a four-year starter for Missouri, but really only came on his his final year, when he averaged 15.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists on outstanding shooting splits. He shot 55.3 percent overall and 45.5 percent from 3-point range on 3.3 attempts per game.

At 6-foot-8, 240lbs, Brown is a big forward who has played some as the primary facilitator. He’s a good passer and has great handles for his size. He can be a playmaker from the point forward position.

The big question is whether his 3-point shooting was a fluke, as prior to this season he had never shot higher than 25 percent from 3-point range and shot an abysmal 54 percent from the free-throw line in his sophomore season. He did improve up to 79 percent from the line this season, so there is hope that his shot is sustainable.

If so, he could be a steal in the second round, as he has the size to defend a couple of spots, can make plays and potentially spread the floor. You can see his full array of skills in highlights from one of his biggest games:

He’s an aggressive smart player who can create mismatches with his size, though that will obviously be much different at the next level.

Brown is not a great defender, but he’s smart, and is good at getting into passing lanes for steals, averaging 1.5 swipes per game.

He might be a reach with the 31st pick, but if the Pistons were to trade back or end up with another second-round pick, he could be a guy who outlays his draft position.