- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,170,502
- Reaction score
- 59
The Detroit Pistons made Stanford point guard Ebuka Okorie their first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
But how do NBA experts feel about that?
Detroit traded three second-round picks to the Memphis Grizzlies to move up from No. 21 overall to No. 17 in the draft on Tuesday, June 23, to make its pick. Okorie was the ACC's top scorer as a freshman last year, showing speed and an ability to score in the paint that could be helpful for the Pistons.
And though Okorie, just 6 feet 1, will likely be the smallest player on the Pistons next season, NBA draft experts generally lauded the pick.
Here is a roundup of post-draft grades for the Pistons first-round selection:
Our Pistons insider Omari Sankofa II said Okorie can provide "a needed dynamic" to the team's guard play, but also thought the Pistons could have drafted a player with more size in the frontcourt.
"They passed on several players who would've more directly addressed their needs at power forward and shooting, such as Baylor wing Cameron Carr or Santa Clara forward Allen Graves. And at 6-foot-1, Okorie is now the smallest player on a roster that's skewed toward having size at all five positions on the floor," he wrote. "But he's an interesting complement to Cade Cunningham's deliberate approach to basketball and gives the team a ball-handler, another need, with upside if his shooting develops."
SANKOFA: Detroit Pistons love Ebuka Okorie for 'incredible speed' in NBA Draft
USA TODAY's Bryan Kalbrosky highlighted Okorie's scoring abilities in his one year with the Cardinal.
"While he reportedly considered going back to college for another year, this was clearly the smart decision as he was a worthwhile top-20 pick who can provide some scoring help alongside Cade Cunningham in the backcourt for the reigning Eastern Conference No. 1 seed Detroit Pistons," he wrote.
The lone A+ grade on this list comes from Yahoo's Kevin O'Connor, though O'Connor was pretty lenient with his grades as he handed out 13 A-plusses out of 30 draft picks.
"The Grizzlies traded the No. 17 pick (which they swapped with the Thunder for No. 16) to the Pistons, who needed more creation alongside Cade Cunningham, and Okorie is the best driving guard in the class, a 6-1 jitterbug who manipulates defenders with a tight handle, sudden changes of speed, and an advanced feel for the game," he wrote.
SB Nation's Ricky O'Donnell said he loved the pick, saying Okorie has "star upside."
"He’s small for a guard and he’s not the best playmaker, but who did he really have to pass to at Stanford? I like the idea of getting Cade Cunningham off the ball a little bit more. Okorie’s ability to generate paint touches could be super valuable for what was an ugly halfcourt offense at times," he wrote.
The Athletic's John Hollinger has some reservations about Okorie, but also highlighted his scoring upside.
"While he’ll have to improve as a distributor, Okorie’s scoring should add some punch to what were some pretty moribund Detroit second units. That said, giving up three second-round picks to move up four spots is a pretty rich premium in a draft thick with point guard prospects," he wrote.
MORE: Who is Ebuka Okorie? 3 things to know about Pistons NBA Draft pick
CBS Sports' Adam Finkelstein worries about Okorie's size but praises his speed and improved shooting.
"Okorie gives Detroit speed and rim pressure but is not an elite shooter, and so he doesn't really help their floor spacing quite as much as hoped around Cade Cunningham, but he does give them another creator when Cunningham is off the floor," he wrote.
Though Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley calls Okorie "a blur with the basketball," he worries about how his game can translate to the NBA.
"His efficiency can be questionable, though, which is a bigger worry than it sounds when so much of his game revolves around getting buckets," he wrote. "While he didn't have a lot of help at Stanford, he still showed more tunnel vision than you'd want to see in a 6'1" guard. That size is also clearly a hindrance on defense."
Need to catch up on the news during your lunch break? Sign up for our Sports Briefing newsletter to get daily summaries of Detroit sports!
You can reach Christian at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: How NBA Draft experts graded Pistons 1st-round pick Ebuka Okorie
Continue reading...
But how do NBA experts feel about that?
Detroit traded three second-round picks to the Memphis Grizzlies to move up from No. 21 overall to No. 17 in the draft on Tuesday, June 23, to make its pick. Okorie was the ACC's top scorer as a freshman last year, showing speed and an ability to score in the paint that could be helpful for the Pistons.
And though Okorie, just 6 feet 1, will likely be the smallest player on the Pistons next season, NBA draft experts generally lauded the pick.
Here is a roundup of post-draft grades for the Pistons first-round selection:
Detroit Pistons draft grade roundup
Detroit Free Press: B
Our Pistons insider Omari Sankofa II said Okorie can provide "a needed dynamic" to the team's guard play, but also thought the Pistons could have drafted a player with more size in the frontcourt.
"They passed on several players who would've more directly addressed their needs at power forward and shooting, such as Baylor wing Cameron Carr or Santa Clara forward Allen Graves. And at 6-foot-1, Okorie is now the smallest player on a roster that's skewed toward having size at all five positions on the floor," he wrote. "But he's an interesting complement to Cade Cunningham's deliberate approach to basketball and gives the team a ball-handler, another need, with upside if his shooting develops."
SANKOFA: Detroit Pistons love Ebuka Okorie for 'incredible speed' in NBA Draft
USA TODAY Sports: A-
USA TODAY's Bryan Kalbrosky highlighted Okorie's scoring abilities in his one year with the Cardinal.
"While he reportedly considered going back to college for another year, this was clearly the smart decision as he was a worthwhile top-20 pick who can provide some scoring help alongside Cade Cunningham in the backcourt for the reigning Eastern Conference No. 1 seed Detroit Pistons," he wrote.
Yahoo Sports: A+
The lone A+ grade on this list comes from Yahoo's Kevin O'Connor, though O'Connor was pretty lenient with his grades as he handed out 13 A-plusses out of 30 draft picks.
"The Grizzlies traded the No. 17 pick (which they swapped with the Thunder for No. 16) to the Pistons, who needed more creation alongside Cade Cunningham, and Okorie is the best driving guard in the class, a 6-1 jitterbug who manipulates defenders with a tight handle, sudden changes of speed, and an advanced feel for the game," he wrote.
SB Nation: A
SB Nation's Ricky O'Donnell said he loved the pick, saying Okorie has "star upside."
"He’s small for a guard and he’s not the best playmaker, but who did he really have to pass to at Stanford? I like the idea of getting Cade Cunningham off the ball a little bit more. Okorie’s ability to generate paint touches could be super valuable for what was an ugly halfcourt offense at times," he wrote.
The Athletic: B+
The Athletic's John Hollinger has some reservations about Okorie, but also highlighted his scoring upside.
"While he’ll have to improve as a distributor, Okorie’s scoring should add some punch to what were some pretty moribund Detroit second units. That said, giving up three second-round picks to move up four spots is a pretty rich premium in a draft thick with point guard prospects," he wrote.
MORE: Who is Ebuka Okorie? 3 things to know about Pistons NBA Draft pick
CBS Sports: B
CBS Sports' Adam Finkelstein worries about Okorie's size but praises his speed and improved shooting.
"Okorie gives Detroit speed and rim pressure but is not an elite shooter, and so he doesn't really help their floor spacing quite as much as hoped around Cade Cunningham, but he does give them another creator when Cunningham is off the floor," he wrote.
Bleacher Report: B
Though Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley calls Okorie "a blur with the basketball," he worries about how his game can translate to the NBA.
"His efficiency can be questionable, though, which is a bigger worry than it sounds when so much of his game revolves around getting buckets," he wrote. "While he didn't have a lot of help at Stanford, he still showed more tunnel vision than you'd want to see in a 6'1" guard. That size is also clearly a hindrance on defense."
Need to catch up on the news during your lunch break? Sign up for our Sports Briefing newsletter to get daily summaries of Detroit sports!
You can reach Christian at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: How NBA Draft experts graded Pistons 1st-round pick Ebuka Okorie
Continue reading...
