DETROIT (BVM) — It has been a painful 17 years since a championship basketball team has graced the Motor City, and it’s been even longer since the Detroit Pistons have gotten their hands on the  first overall pick. It’d be shocking for the Pistons to choose anyone not named Cade Cunningham, but General Manager Troy Weaver may go a different route with other names like Jalen Green and Evan Mobley on the draft board. 

It’s been over 50 years since the Pistons have had the first overall pick in the draft, drafting Hall of Famer Bob Lanier in 1970. Though he was a perennial all-star, Detroit wouldn’t reach championship status until drafting guards Isiah Thomas with the second pick in 1982 and Joe Dumars in 1985 with the 18th pick. 

The legacy of the “Bad Boys” Pistons ended in the early ‘90s, but Detroit still had a bright future. They drafted Grant Hill with the third pick in the 1994 NBA Draft. Most people who watched Hill play for six years in Detroit, thought he’d be one of the greatest players ever. In fact the 6-foot-8 slashing all-star was well on his way. Unfortunately, his prime years were cut short due to nagging knee and ankle injuries.

The Pistons responded by acquiring several players through trades and free agency; guys like Chauncey Billups and Ben Wallace who became cornerstone players for the franchise in the early to mid-2000s. 

That team, coached by Larry Brown, would go on to play twice in the NBA Finals, winning the 2003-2004 NBA Championship. However, since the dismantling of that team often nicknamed “Bad Boys 2.0”, the Pistons have struggled with bad draft luck.

The 2003 NBA Draft is probably the one Piston fans want to forget the most, when Detroit drafted Darko Milicic with the No. 2 pick. At the time it seemed like the right move for GM and former Piston, Joe Dumars. In hindsight however, the draft board still had players like Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, and Hall of Famer Chris Bosh. 

Miliic would be traded after two years, and despite winning a championship the very season they drafted him, Detroit passed on three future Hall of Famers for a guy who would never pan out as a cornerstone player for any organization. 

The Pistons also have had terrible luck in the draft lottery. One first overall pick in the last 50 years is bad enough, but Detroit’s lottery luck is so bad that since the lottery’s inception in 1985, the only other team that’s picked as high as six three times or less is the Houston Rockets.

For better perspective, teams that are still considered relatively new to the association like the Minnesota Timberwolves, who joined the association in 1989, have had 16 top-six picks while the Grizzlies, who joined in 1995, have had 13. 

Detroit now has a chance to usher in a new era by drafting Cade Cunningham, a silky quick 6-foot-8 point guard who can come in and be a star right away as the primary ball handler. 

Cunnigham is a shifty scorer with great playmaking ability and the height to see over defenses. He also shot 40% from three and 84% from the free throw line which gives the Pistons an immediate perimeter threat that they desperately need. 

Cunnigham averaged  20.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists last season at OSU, he has shown that he can be an elite offensive talent in the NBA. His 1.6 steals and almost a block per game, also show that he is an active and willing defender. His ability to be a two way player adds to his potential as a future superstar in the league. 

However, there are others that could be the No. 1 pick like USC Freshman Evan Mobley, a 7-footer oozing with athleticism and guard-like handles. His combination of offense and his even more impressive defense put him on every scouts radar. 

The same can be said for Jalen Green who decided to forgo college all together, and instead played in the NBA Developmental League. This allowed Green to play against NBA caliber talent, and do so in impressive fashion. His otherworldly athleticism is rivaled only by players like Zach Lavine and Donovan Mitchell, and his ability to put the ball in the basket is his best attribute. 

With that being said, the Pistons can not afford to pass up on the premier talent in this draft that is Cunningham, especially when considering their past struggles. 

Detroit needs a face for their franchise, a guy who will embrace and embody the grit of the city and the team, along with having the talent to do so. Cunnigham could be that guy and the one to end the Pistons bad luck in the draft.

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