Detroit faithful should dey extremely excited about the arrival of Ebuka Okorie. There never been a better time to be small guard for today big NBA.
From the explosion of Jalen Brunson to the high NBA Draft selection of Kansas guard Darryn Peterson to the Utah Jazz, guards dey run the league like never before. Considering where the Pistons originally selected to pick and who dem end up selecting, few teams properly address a specific team need like the Pistons do with the Okorie selection.
The Pistons trade up from No. Okorie become a Detroit Piston. Dem give up two second-round picks to the Memphis Grizzlies to make the deal happen.
Okorie skillset bring offensive creativity and confidence, wey fit lead to starting role already this offseason depending on how the roster look by the time October come. His size fit be questionable, but im ability to score on all three levels of the court no fit deny.
At 6-foot-1, Okorie fit confidently shoot from deep, from the line, around the rim, and even for midrange. Okorie no need another player to set am up to score points. He no need to rely on a guard like Cade Cunningham or Daniss Jenkins to draw attention away from Okorie.
The former Stanford guard be a scoring threat on im own, whether e be out on the perimeter as shifty shot creator or downhill as a crafty slasher around the rim. He be exactly wetin Cunningham and the Pistons need. Dem need offense, but dem specifically need confident shot-making. Dem also need a secondary ballhandler to help out not only the second unit, but any other unit wey no get Cunningham for top.
The Pistons don dey overly rely on Cunningham for offensive firepower for the postseason. While Cunningham be easily the Pistons best player, the weight of an entire franchise no suppose ever dey on im shoulders the way e don be for the past two postseasons.
The film and the skillset no dey lie, but the numbers no dey lie either. The young guard out of Stanford set an ACC record this past college basketball season for scoring as a freshman. Dese be efficient shooting splits from someone wey score a chunk of im points through jumpers.
While many go look at im height and scoff, Okorie actually get a long wingspan for im height with a 6-foot-8 wingspan. Dis wingspan be wetin some believe fit signal defensive upside for the smaller guard. He also shoot 83% from the free throw line on seven attempts per game.
The Pistons lead the NBA last season for points for the paint and finish third for free throw attempts per game. The Pistons also struggle to score from deep all season. Okorie maintain a scoring presence inside the paint for Detroit as a shifty and determined scoring guard with a feathery touch around the rim.
The Pistons desperately need scoring and shot-making, and dem receive exactly dat with Ebuka Okorie out of Stanford. Whether e be as a high-impact sixth or seventh man off the bench or as a true starting two-guard next to Cunningham, expect Okorie to break out into the rotation quickly, similar to how Daniss Jenkins do dis past season.
