The Pistons added four players to the franchise in the 2021 NBA Draft, including the No. 1 overall pick.
The Pistons walked into the draft with four total picks -- three in the second round -- and they used all of them. Here’s a look at who is joining the Pistons.
Recommended Videos
No. 1: Cade Cunningham (Oklahoma State)
Okay, you already knew this one, that’s for sure. The first No. 1 pick for the Pistons since they drafted Bob Lanier back in 1970, Cunningham will make the Pistons better on day one.
At 6-foot-8, Cunningham, 19, has excellent size for a point guard. He averaged 20.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game for Oklahoma State while shooting 40% from three and 43.8% overall.
Cunningham’s ability to find open teammates, especially off the dribble, will immediately make the Pistons offense more dangerous. Saddiq Bey, Jerami Grant and company should improve from beyond the arc thanks to the attention Cunningham draws and the accuracy with which he passes.
Read more on this pick here: Detroit Pistons select Cade Cunningham with No. 1 pick in NBA draft
No. 42: Isaiah Livers (Michigan)
This pick has John Beilein written all over it. The former Michigan basketball coach is now in the front office with the Pistons, and you have to think he had some opinions on Livers at No. 42. He recruited Rivers to Michigan in the first place.
Livers, a Kalamazoo native and former Mr. Basketball (2017), spent four years at Michigan, starting 69 of 119 career games, and averaged 13.1 points and 6.0 rebounds a game in his senior season. Livers shot 43.1 percent from the 3-point line.
Livers will likely start his NBA career bouncing between the Pistons bench and the Pistons G League team, the Motor City Cruise, which will begin playing on campus at Wayne State this fall.
No. 52: Luka Garza (Iowa)
Another Big Ten addition just ten picks later, Garza was a stat monster with Hawkeyes, entering the draft after four years with Iowa.
Garza, 22, averaged 23.9 points and 9.8 rebounds as a junior and 24.1 points and 8.7 rebounds as an Iowa senior, sweeping the national player of the year awards in 2020-2021.
Garza is NBA ready and could be a nice little steal for the Pistons in the second round. His floor is probably one of the highest for anyone drafted in the second round. He’ll likely start on a two-way contract, too.
No. 57: Balsa Koprivica (Florida State)
This pick comes from the Pistons trading Mason Plumlee to Charlotte right before the draft started on Thursday.
Balsa Koprivica, originally from Serbia, played for Florida State for the last two years. The 7-footer is a rebounding machine and can score from the post. He averaged 9 points and about 6 rebounds in his sophomore year at Florida State.
Koprivica will join Livers and Garza as a two-way player to start his career.