2 Stars, 2 sleepers for Pistons fans to keep an eye on in college
By Tyler Dutton
Last year, we put out this same article, highlighting a few guys in which fans should keep an eye on over this next college season for the Detroit Pistons. While we were way off on some, i.e Justin Edwards from Kentucky, we made note to pay special attention to Ron Holland. Obviously Ron is in the Motor City now, so let’s take a look at some guys you should follow in terms of possible 2025 Detroit draft picks.
Cooper Flagg, 6’8 Forward, Duke
We’ll start with the obvious. If you haven’t heard of Cooper Flagg, I’m not sure how you made it to this article. Cooper Flagg is as generational a player that this draft has to offer. I wouldn’t put him in the same tier as Victor Wembanyama, but he is definitely up there.
The 6-foot-8 wing/forward, who should actually still be in high school because he reclassified to jump a year, has the perfect talent combination that NBA teams covet. Defensively, he is an anchor. His instincts are off the charts, both on and off the ball. He’s able to use his size to alter shots and disrupt driving lanes on every possession. On offense, he has made great strides in his ball handling and shot making abilities. His spot up game is above average, and if he is to develop a reliable perimeter shot this season with Duke, watch out.
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Adding Cooper to this young team would give JB Bickerstaff a lineup likely of Cade, Ivey, Ausar, Flagg, Duren. The Ausar/Flagg wings would give opposing teams nightmares. Cooper would add to the defensive upgrade Bickerstaff is attempting, but pairing defense with his ability to create pull-up and slashing opportunities, gives Detroit a little of everything.
Flagg almost broke the internet when he was invited to practice with Team USA during the Olympics, and reportedly did more than hold his own. A number of teams will be Failing for Flagg this year, but if we’ve learned anything about being the worst team in the NBA, you don’t always get rewarded. A perfect scenario would be that Detroit has some success this year, yet they still win the lottery and add Flagg to this young core. We will see.