Pistons draft UK's Knight, Duke's Singler, & UF's Macklin

With the Collective Bargaining Agreement plaguing the future of professional basketball, it was business as usual as the NBA held it's 2011 Draft in Newark, New Jersey. Despite the absence of a head coach for the Detroit Pistons, their draft picks came from well-known colleges in Kentucky, Duke, & Florida. Needless to say, the boys in blue will continue to play in blue.



With the 8th overall pick in the 1st round, the Pistons selected Brandon Knight from Kentucky, an alma mater of Tayshaun Prince. Knight, a 6'4, 185 pound point guard, averaged 17.3 points, 4 rebounds and 4.2 rebounds in 38 games last season as a freshman for the Kentucky Wildcats. He shot 42% from the field, 38% from three-point range and 80% from the free-throw line on the season. Knight set University of Kentucky freshman records in points scored (657), three pointers made (87) and most 20-point games in a season (14). He also led the team in SEC play with 17.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 16 games to earn First-Team All-SEC honors by the coaches, Second Team All-SEC by the media and an SEC All-Freshman team selection.

Knight also scored a career-high 30 points vs. West Virginia in the third round of the 2011 NCAA Tournament. He then recorded 22 points, seven rebounds and four assists vs. North Carolina in the Elite Eight and was named the NCAA East Region All-Tournament Most Outstanding Player. In high school, he was named the 2008-09 Gatorade National Boys Basketball High School Player of the Year as a junior and the 2009-10 Gatorade High School Athlete of the Year as a senior while earning a 4.3 GPA.

Here is a sample of what Brandon Knight is all about



Detroit Pistons President Joe Dumars comments on Brandon Knight selected in the 1st round to join his team - PART 1 & PART 2

...and Brandon Knight shares his thoughts on becoming the newest Piston




In the 2nd round, the Pistons selected the 6'8, 230 pound small forward Kyle Singler from Duke with the 33rd overall pick. Singler averaged 16.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 148 career games (tied school record). A native of Medford, Oregon, Singler tied a career-high 30 points (5-5 3FG) in a homecoming game against Oregon at the Rose Garden in Portland last November 27. As a junior, he led the Blue Devils to a NCAA title with 16.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 37 games. He recorded 19 points, nine rebounds & two blocks in the 2010 NCAA Championship game vs. Butler and 21 points, nine rebounds & five assists vs. West Virginia in the Final Four to earn the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Final Four.




With the 2011 NBA Draft coming to a close, the Pistons' final selection at #52 was Vernon Macklin. Standing 6'10 & weighing 245 pounds, the center from the University of Florida averaged 11.6 points and 5.4 rebounds while shooting 59% from the field last season for the Gators. Macklin scored in double figures in 25 of 37 games as a senior including a career-high 25 points on 11-for-14 shooting in the 2011 NCAA Tournament against Butler. He played his first two seasons at Georgetown University, along side current Piston Greg Monroe, before transferring to Florida where he sat out the 2008-09 season to fulfill NCAA transfer rules.


IN OTHER DRAFT NEWS...

- Michigan's Darius Morris returns to his hometown of Los Angeles as the 41st overall pick of the L.A. Lakers.

- Oakland's 6'11 center, Keith Benson is drafted by the Atlanta Hawks at #48 in the 2nd round.