Potential Detroit Pistons Draft Pick Compared to Derrick White

For the third year in a row, the Detroit Pistons will have the fifth pick in the NBA Draft. While breaking down the 2024 class, one analyst compared a potential target to a key piece of a contender.

With about three weeks to go until draft night, Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer updated his mock draft. At No. 5, he has the Pistons taking Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard. Though slightly undersized, he is regarded as the top shooting prospect in this year's draft.

In his lone season at Kentucky, Sheppard averaged 12.5 PPG, 4.1 RPG, and 4.5 APG. What stood out most was that he shot 52.1% from beyond the arc on over four attempts per game.

While breaking down each prospect, O'Connor also gave player comps for each prospect. For Sheppard, he listed Boston Celtics guard Derrick White.

Sheppard would be an awesome pairing with Cade Cunningham, since both can thrive without the ball. And there’d be low pressure on Sheppard to become an on-ball guy; he could instead develop those skills over time. As a gritty defender himself, he’d be surrounded by size that could help mitigate some of his flaws, as well, making Detroit one of his ideal destinations.

Sheppard is slightly smaller than White, but showed he can be impactful on both ends of the floor in college. Along with his stellar outside shooting, the young guard also averaged over two steals per game.

White is far from a flashy player, but if Sheppard could mirror his game, he'd be an excellent fit for the Pistons. Most of their young core is already in place, and now the front office has to find players that fit. Given his ability to knock down threes at an efficient rate, Sheppard could instantly slide in next to Cade Cunningham in the backcourt. More importantly, Detroit has the size and length on their roster to hide a slightly undersized guard.

The Pistons will have countless options once their on the clock to pick at No. 5. That said, Sheppard is a prospect who should be near the top of their draft board.

KEVIN MCCORMICK