Post-All-Star break means it is officially the 2023 NBA Draft season for the Detroit Pistons and for Pistons fans. In that spirit, Detroit Bad Boys is sharing weekly articles and prospect breakdowns from our own Bryce Simon, who is analyzing prospects for Sports Illustrated’s Draft Digest.
This week, Bryce explores a pair of under-the-radar prospects in University of Kansas defensive stalwart, Kevin McCullar Jr., and Iowa sharp shooter, Payton Sandfort
The Best 3-Point Shooters in the NBA Draft (via Cerebro Sports)
Cerebro sports has their 3-point efficiency (3PE) metric, explained in the article, that gives us a deeper look at some of the best 3-point shooters in the 2023 NBA Draft. Considering the Detroit Pistons need for floor spacing, the five names mentioned in the article may be of particular interest. You will find breakdowns on Brandon Miller (Alabama), Brandin Podziemski (Santa Clara), Jordan Hawkins (UConn), Tucker DeVries (Drake) and Jett Howard (Michigan).
The Best Non-Bigs Bucket Getters in the NBA Draft (via Cerebro Sports)
Cerebro sports has their point scoring prowess (PSP) metric, explained in the article, that gives us a deeper look at some of the best scorers in the 2023 NBA Draft. NBA teams, especially the Detroit Pistons, are always looking for more guys that can get a bucket. You will find breakdowns on Kris Murray (Iowa), Brandin Podziemski (Santa Clara), Jalen Pickett (Penn State), Tucker DeVries (Drake), and Keyontae Johnson (Kansas State).
Kevin McCullar Jr., Kansas Senior Wing
Kevin McCullar Jr. is a Texas Tech transfer who tested the NBA waters last year before coming to college basketball to play for the University of Kansas. While McCullar has struggled from the 3-point line, he does provide offensive value in other areas. That is not what makes him so intriguing, Detroit loves defense and this kid just might be the best wing defender in the 2023 draft class and overall, one of the best defenders in the country.
Payton Sandfort, Iowa Sophomore Guard
Payton Sandfort is a name that may not be well known nationally but should ring a bell for most fans that watch the Big Ten. He recently won the award for 6th man of the year and as the article states, he is sneakily one of the most productive offensive players in the country by some metrics. A slow start to the season shooting the ball hinders Sandfort’s overall shooting numbers but he has been on fire since and is truly one of the best shooters in the country. While he may not end up entering the 2023 NBA Draft, he is still a name to know, especially for a Pistons team that is always looking for shooting and floor spacing.
If you want to stay up to date on all of this year’s NBA Draft prospects, you can read all of Bryce’s work for Sports Illustrated’s Draft Digest.