For the past few months, mock drafts have been circulating online suggesting the Detroit Pistons would likely be in position to pick in the top two picks. Actually not.
The Pistons once again ended up selecting No. 5 overall, despite having the best odds to land the top pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Now, with that being the case, the Pistons have several rookies in their post-lottery mocks.according to athletic Sam Veceny, the Pistons could look to NBA G League ignite wing Matas Bouselis with the No. 5 pick.
“First, his size, off-ball ability, and athleticism with the ball in transition allow him to make a high-upside swing in a draft class that lacks those things. Second, Skills that large wings with similar profiles, such as Charlotte's Brandon Miller, Memphis' GG Jackson, Washington's Bilal Koulibaly, and Houston's Cam Whitmore, have not consistently displayed in their pre-draft seasons. He put together a promising rookie season.”
Bouzelis, who played for the Ignite, was a five-star recruit coming out of high school, but decided to skip the NCAA to NBA path. The 19-year-old Buzelis' professional experience may come in handy in his first year, but the Ignite prospect's transition to the big leagues has had mixed results.
In his only season with Ignite, Bouzelis appeared in 26 games and averaged 32 minutes per game. During that run, he shot 45 percent from the field and scored 14 points per game. Bouzelis made 3.4 threes per game, but averaged just 27% from beyond the arc.
On the glass, he produced seven rebounds per game. He also averaged two assists, one steal, and two blocks per game.
Bouzelis has some defensive intrigue going into the draft, but even after his time in the G League, there are still question marks over his shooting. Detroit needs reliable shooters around Cade Cunningham, who continues to develop as a playmaker. If Bouzelis remains confident in his ability to develop his shot in the short term, he could be a solid addition next month.
