The 2023 NBA Draft is just a week away and the Detroit Pistons are working out prospects and narrowing their big board.
Since they have the 5th and 31st picks, the Pistons are holding workouts for a range of talent as they evaluate players for those two picks.
They recently had a group of players in for a workout that included guard Isaiah Wong, who is a candidate for the Pistons in the second round.
Wong is one of the few guards Detroit has invited to work out for them, including one local prospect, and has a skillset that may interest them in the second round.
Detroit Pistons draft: Isaiah Wong
Isaiah Wong is a 22-year-old senior from the University of Miami who averaged 16.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game in his final college season while shooting 44 percent from the floor and 38 percent from the 3-point line.
He is 6-foot-3, 180lbs, so is a bit undersized for the two-guard spot and projects more as a combo guard who would likely defend point guards in order to avoid mismatches on the defensive end.
He has a quick first step and can get his own shot. He’ll knock them down from all over the floor and averaged at least 15 points per game in his final three college seasons. He’s a pretty good on the ball defender who averaged 1.4 steals per game and as you can see in these highlights, he’s very good at disrupting passing lanes, getting the steal and leading the break going the other way:
He’s not going to blow anyone away with his athleticism, but does have the ability to get himself open and to use screens to get his own shot. He’s not a great playmaker and not really a point guard, but he could defend point guards and potentially has a lot to offer as a scorer off the bench.
His versatility and ability to get his own shot will turn the heads of scouts and a couple of good workouts could get him in the conversation in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft. He also has intangibles, as he’s a winner who helped guide his team to their first Final four in the NCAA Tournament.
The Detroit Pistons could use more scoring depth from the guard position, and if Wong can continue to improve his 3-point shooting, he’s a guy who will have a place on an NBA bench.