Detroit Pistons fans went back overseas on their next selection for the Official Detroit Bad Boys Big Board, taking two-way forward Deni Avdija at No. 4. Avdija seems like a player who will grow into power forward strength with small forward athleticism and point guard playmaking.
That’s, obviously, a best-case scenario, but drafts are often built on best-case-scenarios, and it’s easy to see why Detroit Bad Boys fans were intrigued enough by Avdija’s potential to make him the next selection.
There are red flags to his game, however. He is not a consistent shooter and has never converted well from the line. His mechanics are also all over the place as coaches continually tweak his form in an attempt to up his consistency.
The optimist says that Avdija is so young and already so good, if he can fix his shot and become a plus shooter, he has the chance to become an elite player. The pessimist says remember Stanley Johnson and how everyone talked themselves into him (present company included) and the shot never came.
Whereas Johnson had an admirable quiet confidence bordering on stubbornness, Avdija has loud swagger bordering on obnoxiousness. The kind Detroit hasn’t had since Brandon Jennings was in town (though, I wouldn’t be surprised if Sekou Doumbouya develops some swag as he grows in age and confidence). That larger-than-life personality at 18 years old helped garner comparisons to Lukak Doncic. Deni is no Luka. Doncic was a superstar in the making. Deni is an intriguing prospect. I’ve also seen him compared favorably to Boris Diaw and Joe Ingles. Makes sense to me, though you’d hope his athleticism gives him a chance to excel in ways they could not.
The battle for that fourth spot wasn’t particularly close, but it points to an intriguing matchup for the next selection on the Big Board. It appears that big men James Wiseman and Onyeka Okongwu, athletic forwards Obi Toppin and Aleksej Pokusevski and point guard Tyrese Haliburton are all in play.
The next vote will be open until 8 p.m. on Sunday. If you are reading this and you don’t see the poll, you can view the poll by clicking the link from the DBB homepage, which bypasses Google Amp and Apple News layout restrictions.
Official Detroit Bad Boys Big Board
- Anthony Edwards
- Killian Hayes
- LaMelo Ball
- Deni Avdija
- ???
Poll
With the fifth pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the Detroit Pistons should select ...
This poll is closed
-
11%
Obi Toppin
-
19%
James Wiseman
-
25%
Tyrese Hailiburton
-
7%
Onyeka Okongwu
-
6%
Devin Vassell
-
5%
Isaac Okoro
-
2%
Cole Anthony
-
6%
Kira Lewis Jr.
-
0%
Tyrese Maxey
-
0%
Aaron Nesmith
-
1%
Saddiq Bey
-
0%
Isaiah Stewart
-
0%
Precious Achiuwa
-
11%
Aleksej Pokusevski
-
0%
Leandro Bolmaro