3. Sekou Doumbouya
This may be a stretch for some, as the later stretch of rookie Sekou Doumbouya’s was rough to watch at times. However, the first eight games of Doumbouya as a starter gave Detroit fans something they had been missing for a decade: hope.
To say that he has the highest ceiling of a Piston drafted in recent memory is not an overstatement. Doumbouya is extremely raw, but the talent is there. Watching him dunk the soul out of people ignites the crowd every time. He has such smooth mobility that exceeds his years in the league.
Consistency and physicality are his two biggest weaknesses at this point. This should be expected given that he is only 19. He was never expected to contribute immediately. Trusting Dwane Casey to realize his potential is an essential part of whether this rebuild is successful in the short term.
His first eight games as a starter were special. He was averaging 14 points per game on 54.4 percent shooting. Impressively he was also 41.4 percent from long range. This plummeted over the next 23 games but this is not unexpected.
Development takes time. Doumbouya will develop and this offseason will be critical. This break may be as well. Separation from the coaching staff at the time of development is less than ideal but putting in reps in any way should accelerate his production.
If Doumbouya can get more consistent and pick up his defensive aptitude, he will earn Casey’s trust and earn more minutes,