Detroit Pistons select Luke Kennard with 12th overall pick
The Detroit Pistons selected Duke shooting guard Luke Kennard with the 12th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft on Thursday.
The Detroit Pistons added a shooter to their roster on Thursday by drafting Duke shooting guard Luke Kennard with the 12th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.
Kennard played for two seasons at Duke, where he shot 49% from the floor, 43.8% from beyond the arc and 85.6% from the free throw line during his sophomore season in 2016-17 while averaging 19.5 points in 35.5 minutes per game. He and third-overall pick Jayson Tatum led the Blue Devils to an ACC Tournament title and a number-two seed in the NCAA Tournament, where they lost to Final Four-bound South Carolina in the second round.
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Kennard was a consensus second-team All-American selection in 2017, first-team All-ACC selection and the ACC Tournament MVP. After the season, he declared for the draft instead of staying at Duke for his junior and senior seasons. Kennard was the first non-freshman college player selected in the draft.
At the combine, Kennard measured 6’4 1/2″ and weighed 196 pounds. Mike Schmitz of DraftExpress called him “a versatile shot maker who’s not afraid of the moment.” Schmitz also said that Kennard has “proven that he can make quick decisions on the move and navigate a ball screen…” but he is “not the toughest defender.”
Duke Basketball Report says that Kennard praised his versatility and said he “might be the best shooter in the draft,” but raised questions regarding his ability to defend NBA-level athletes at the perimeter.
CBSSports.com gave the pick an “A” grade, calling it “smart,” saying Kennard is “not just shooter — he’s a scorer. Fits need.” CBSSports graded ten of the first 14 picks with an “A-” or better, never giving a grade lower than a “B+.”
Luke Kennard is 2nd Duke player to be drafted in 1st round by @DetroitPistons.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) June 23, 2017
The last one? Grant Hill in 1994 (3rd overall) pic.twitter.com/bV6S2MImYS
There had been speculation before the draft regarding the status of Andre Drummond and whether or not the Pistons might trade him or attempt to move up in the draft, but so far Detroit has not made any moves.
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The Pistons will open the 2017-18 season in October in the new Little Caesars Arena in downtown Detroit.