12. Detroit Pistons: Tyrese Maxey, G, Kentucky
Questions surrounding Tyrese Maxey’s game don’t stem from his ability to score.
This kid can get 20 points in his sleep and in a variety of ways.
A relentless finisher at the rim who has the touch and set-up package to create looks for himself on a number of step-back and pull-up jumpers, Maxey has a refined scoring package that’s rare to find in a young guard.
His polish lends some to believe that he has a chance to go much higher in the draft than projected here, especially since he’ll be given the keys right out of the gate to go get buckets at Kentucky.
What will set him back from a projection standpoint is he isn’t a natural point guard and his 6’2″ size doesn’t scream NBA shooting guard by any means.
The game has opened up enough to allow smaller combo guards to become effective and even thrive offensively, but if a guard like Malik Monk hasn’t broken through the NBA ceiling just yet, why should it be a given that Maxey will?
He has enough to prove at the college level, but if all breaks right this could be too low of a projection for Maxey as an offensive dynamo.