With all his missed games, it barely seems like Ben Gordon has joined the Pistons. He might return tomorrow, so I thought it would be a good time to take an in-depth look at him.

Ben Gordon (Daniel Mears / The Detroit News)

Essentials

Position: Shooting guard/ point guard

Age: 26

Height: 6-foot-3

Weight: 200 pounds

Years pro: Five

From: Connecticut

Role

Gordon is Detroit’s sixth man, but he should play close to the minutes of a starter. He’s owed more money than anyone else on the team. You don’t sign someone for so much money to play him like a backup.

Scouting report

Will: Score.

Gordon can shoot from the outside and mid-range. He can drive to the basket and get to the line. He makes easy shots, and he makes tough shots.

In many ways, Gordon is just a role player, and his role is scoring.

As note previously, just eight players scored more with a higher true shooting percentage than Gordo last season:

• Dwyane Wade
• LeBron James
• Danny Granger
• Kevin Durant
• Kevin Martin
• Chris Paul
• Brandon Roy
• Amar’e Stoudemire

When he’s healthy, Gordon will prove he belongs among the league’s elite scorers.

Won’t: defend.

I talked with Matt McHale of By the Horns (more from him later) a little bit before the season about Gordon’s defense. Matt said if Gordon is around good defenders, he won’t be a liability. Gordon just doesn’t have the size or instincts to be a good defender – no matter how hard he tries (and he does try).

Basically, Matt told me not to waste time figuring out how Gordon can become a better defender. It’s not happening.

That reminded me a lot of Richard Hamilton, who was probably the weakest defender in the Pistons’ recent-glory-days starting lineup. But Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace, Tayshaun Prince and Chauncey Billups didn’t really have to cover for him. Around those guys, he could hold his own.

So, even though Gordon won’t ever be a good defender, I’m encouraged for a few reasons.

1. Playing with Rodney Stuckey should allow Gordon to cover more point guards, who will probably be a better matchup for him.

2. Gordon has a 6-foot-8.5 wingspan, which should help make up his lack of lateral quickness.

3. With Gordon’s top-end scoring ability, it makes sense for the Pistons to surround him with good defenders in the long run, anyway. It’s nice to know he won’t cripple their defensive efforts.

Must improve: playmaking.

In the short term, it would be great if Ben Gordon could play some point guard, so he can play minutes with Richard Hamilton. This is especially important if Will Bynum remains out with an injury.

But the long term is much more significant here. Unless the plan has changed, Ben Gordon and Rodney Stuckey are the Pistons’ backcourt of the future.

As we’ve learned, Stuckey plays best when he spends some time off the ball. For Stuckey to do that, Gordon will have to play some point guard.

Gordon has talked about a desire to be more a playmaker, so I don’t think he’s just stuck on scoring. But he still needs to show he can be one.

Stock

Falling

With his injuries and lack of production so far, Joe Dumars has taken a lot of heat for signing Gordon. Gordon has only played 25 games with the Pistons, so this could easily change. But the early returns have been poor.

Three predictions

1. Gordon will lead the Pistons in scoring next season and several straight after that.

Since arriving in Detroit, Richard Hamilton has led the Pistons in points per game for seven straight seasons. He’s leading again this year, and I think he’ll hold on.

But I think he passes the torch to Gordon next year. Gordon will have a lengthy streak of his own, but I don’t think he passes Hamilton’s – whether it ends at seven or eight.

2. Gordon will be the Piston to make an All-Star team.

Ben Wallace might deserve to go this year, but playing strong defense on a bad team doesn’t usually garner an All-Star berth.

Gordon will develop the stats and recognition to become an All-Star. As I wrote above, Gordon might be just a role player. But his role, scoring, is the most noticed.

3. This season will be Gordon’s worst as a Piston.

He’s suffered multiple injuries and just hasn’t gotten into a rhythm yet this year. He’s only 26, so I think his best years are ahead of him. And there’s a decent chance Richard Hamilton isn’t a Piston next year.

Add all that up, and Gordon has plenty of room to go up.

In other words

Matt McHale of By the Horns sent this great analysis:

“Here’s the thing about Ben Gordon: He will always go balls to the wall (or all out, if you want to put it cleanly) at what he does best: scoring. Having a player who can give you 20 PPG, no matter what, is quite an asset, especially when that guy knocks down 40+ percent of his treys. He also can drill clutch shots, and he’s never afraid to take them. Ben’s not quite Reggie Miller in that respect, but he’s closer than you might think. (It would probably help if he got more chances to make waves in the playoffs.)

His weaknesses are in the following areas: ball-handling, playmaking and defense. Basically, everything else (other than scoring) that you want from a shooting guard. It’s not that Ben doesn’t try on defense — he does — but he’s simply too small for his position. He might match up pretty well against opposing point guards…I wouldn’t know. But he simply can’t match up against guys 6′5" or taller, because what he lacks in height, he does not make up for with quick hands or feet.

BG is a conundrum. On the one hand, he’s almost completely one-diminsional. On the other hand, his one dimension is pretty darn useful. I’ve always felt that Gordon would be an invaluable resource if he could find the right niche with the right team. Ideally, he could be a (much better) Eddie House for a contender: a fearless and unstoppable shooter/scorer off the bench.

Unfortunately, Ben (probably rightly) feels he should be starting. I mean, how many 20-point scorers come off the bench, right? (This is where guys like John Havlicek, Kevin McHale, Detlef Schempf and Ricky Pierce cough lightly and raise their hands.) He kinda wants to be The Man, but Ben Gordon cannot carry a team by himself (save for the occasional spectacular game).

To summarize: Great scorer, limited "other" skills, has to be hidden on defense.

One last thing (or perhaps a couple things) worth noting. The biggest dig on Ben has been "He may score 20 PPG, but he gives up 25 PPG." That’s not quite fair. According to 82games.com, the 2008-09 Bulls scored 23.8 PPG from the SG position while giving up 20.2. That’s a net production of +3.6, which ranked 6th in the league at that position. The Bulls also had a net PER of +2.6 at shooting guard, which ranked 7th in the league. Since BG played about 37 MPG, most of that was his handiwork. The point is, Ben Gordon — on average — solidly outperformed opposing shooting guards last season.”

Previous player previews

Deron Washington

Jonas Jerebko

DaJuan Summers

Chris Wilcox

Chucky Atkins

Austin Daye

Charlie Villanueva

Ben Wallace

Ben Wallace (Clarence Tabb Jr. / The Detroit News)

Essentials

Position: Center/ power forward

Age: 35

Height: 6-foot-9

Weight: 240 pounds

Years pro: 13

From: Virginia Union

Role

Ben Wallace is Detroit’s starting center and best defender. Nobody else on the team comes close to matching his inside presence. Ideally, he’d play big minutes. But at 35, he probably can’t sustain such a heavy load – no matter how much the Pistons try to give him one.

Scouting report

Will: defend and rebound.

He might not be as athletic as he once was, but he’s smarter. His positioning is excellent, and that’s why he’s still effective.

Won’t: score.

Wallace has virtually no offensive game. He has no post moves, no jumper and is a terrible free-shooter. Most of his points come from put-backs and other hustle plays.

Must improve: free-throw shooting.

I was nearly inclined to put nothing here. By three seasons, Wallace is Detroit most-experience player. At some point, you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.

But Wallace is making a career-high 49.1 percent of his free throws this year, and he can keep that up. He actually has decent form in warmups. His problems are mental.

Maybe he’s past them and has improved from the worst free-throw shooter of all time to merely terrible.

Stock

Rising

Before the season, Wallace spoke to the media and gave short answers to every question. It seemed like desperately just wanted the crowd to focus on another player. Finally, some flatly asked him if he was trying to downplay his return to the Pistons.

“It’s kind of hard for me to downplay my return,” Wallace said. “I mean, I’m 6-9, 240. I’m pretty sure everybody sees me coming.”

I don’t think anyone saw this coming.

Wallace has been remarkable, and nothing shows that more than his playing time. Despite John Kuester’s preliminary plans to sit Wallace at times, Big Ben has played in all 30 of Detroit’s games and is second on the team in total minutes.

Nobody else on the roster comes close to matching his interior defense and rebounding.

Three predictions

1. His passing will become overrated.

Wallace is an excellent passer for his size. His passing was always pretty good, and it’s really improved since he first left Detroit.

He hasn’t gotten much credit for the skill, but that’s beginning to change. I think it’s only a matter of time until it goes too far.

Wallace was underrated for much of his career. Finally, people noticed, and it became chic to say Wallace was underrated – to the point he probably became overrated. I suspect his passing ability will receive the same fate.

One reason it’s easy to overrate his passing: his assists look remarkably skillful. But he either makes the pinpoint pass when he sees an opening or makes an easy pass back to a guard near halfcourt.

He’s not involved in the offense enough to make the quality in-between passes that teams must make to facilitate good ball movement.

2. Wallace will be a factor in end-of-season-award voting again.

Since he won the 2005-06 Defensive Player of the Year award, Wallace finished sixth for the award the next year. Otherwise, he hasn’t even received a single vote for any major award.

But that could change this year. Wallace should garner attention for Defensive Player of the Year and Most Improved Player. His numbers are better than they’ve been since his first year with the Bulls, and he’s forcing teams to account for him when they’re on offense.

3. Wallace will return next season.

It would be easy to look at Wallace’s near-decision to retire this offseason as evidence he’s almost done.

“Oh no, that wasn’t the first time I thought about retiring,” Wallace said. “I was pretty much retired. So, that’s not frustration. I know what I can do in this league. I know what I’ve done in this league. It was just one of those things where I thought I was closer to the end than the beginning.”

Wallace doesn’t seem very introspective. And I don’t think the season he’s having will push him any closer to the end. Trying to get a read on him, let’s look at why he returned to Detroit.

“I just figured that, if I was going to retire, this would be a good spot for me to retire,” Wallace said.

Why?

“C’mon, man,” he continued. “That’s a no-brainer.”

Maybe his only reasons for returning to Detroit were the painfully obvious ones. But I think it’s more likely he hadn’t put much thought into it. He liked it it in Detroit, and that was it. I don’t buy he was thinking about retiring when he made that decision.

A lot of speculation here, but my gut says he’ll be back.

Previous player previews

Deron Washington

Jonas Jerebko

DaJuan Summers

Chris Wilcox

Chucky Atkins

Austin Daye

Charlie Villanueva

I didn’t forget about those last three “player previews.” Now, I should have a chance to finish them – slightly modified as “player reports.”

Charlie Villanueva (Robin Buckson / The Detroit News)

Essentials

Position: Power forward/ small forward

Age: 25

Height: 6-foot-11

Weight: 232 pounds

Years pro: Four

From: Connecticut

Role

Regardless of who starts, Villanueva is Detroit’s top power forward. He’ll play big minutes.

His backups, Jason Maxiell and Chris Wilcox, haven’t played consistently enough to prove to Pistons coach John Kuester they deserve a lot of playing time.

Scouting report

Will: score in a variety of ways.

Villanueva likes to drive to the basket, which makes sense considering he’s usually quicker than the power forward guarding him. He’s not shy about launching 3-pointers, either. He has an ugly-looking hook shot when he’s inside that’s fairly effective. And he’ll take a few mid-range jumpers, too.

Won’t: keep the ball moving.

Many have compared Villanueva to Rasheed Wallace because of their similar outside-inside offensive game and length. But passing is a key difference between the two.

Detroit could run its offense through Wallace because he was such an able and willing passer. Give him the ball in the high post, and he’d hit cutters in stride.

Villanueva hasn’t shown anywhere near that ability.

There might be some about concerns Villanueva’s willingness to pass (see Jeremy Schmidt’s “In other words” below). But I think the biggest issue is his ability to do so effectively.

Must improve: his defensive footwork.

Villanueva leads the Pistons with 3.2 fouls per game. But a lot of those are easily avoidable.

The biggest key for him has been moving his feet. Villanueva gets in stretches when he’s on heels and just reaches to help on drivers. Obviously, that ends up in a lot of fouls.

When he’s active and moving his feet, he’s actually a pretty good defender. He just needs to do it all the time.

Stock

Falling

Villanueva missed most of the preseason with an injury, and his rust showed early in the year. He got in a groove for a while. But now he’s battling plantar fasciitis, and even though he’s playing through it, he’s extremely limited.

Three predictions

1. Villanueva will have the best defensive year of his career.

Playing for Scott Skiles last season certainly set the defensive tone for Villanueva. With Kuester also emphasizing defense, I think Villanueva has bought in.

I’m not sure Villanueva has the lateral quickness to be a great defender, but he has the length to be a good one.

Playing next to Ben Wallace won’t hurt, either. Villanueva had to play center at times in Milwaukee, even guarding Dwight Howard once. But he shouldn’t have to face matchups like that with Detroit.

2. He will have a tweet that makes news.

I’m not sure if it will be intentional (like the follower contest with Chris Bosh this summer) or unintentional (like the halftime tweet). But I think Villanueva will have a news-worthy tweet this year.

Villanueva straddles the line of completely understanding Twitter’s impact and being naive about it. Just look at these quotes from before the season:

“Twitter is all fun and games. It’s a way to stay connected with the fans. I think the fans deserve that. And I have a good time doing it.”

“(On the halftime tweet:) The crazy thing is I didn’t even mean for it to get that much of attention.”

“I don’t know how it happened, but Coach Skiles called me into the office and, ‘What’s this about?’ I was like, ‘Whoa, how did he know about this?’ ”

“Some people didn’t know who Charlie Villanueva was, but they know now.”

“It’s cool. It doesn’t hurt me at all. The more attention, I guess the better. Marketing your self — you’ve got to brand who you are. So, the Twitter incident definitely helped me out.”

I’m not sure which of the line Villanueva will fall on. He might let emotions get the best of him at some point, or he might have a tweet designed to get attention. Either way, I bet he tweets something news-worthy.

3. He will start more games than he comes off the bench.

Villanueva has started 16-of-28 games so far this year, but he’s been coming off the bench lately. For a couple reasons, I think he’ll return to the starting lineup.

1. Maxiell and Wilcox just don’t offer that much. They’re not special offensively or defensively. They’re not young players who need to be force-fed minutes. Anything they do would be just as, if not more, effective off the bench.

2. With Ben Gordon and Will Bynum coming off the bench, I don’t think the second unit will lack a scoring punch.

That said, when Tayshaun Prince returns, Jonas Jerebko could be a threat to start at power forward. But I’m not convinced Prince will return soon. And I think Jerebko’s high-energy game is a good fit off the bench.

In other words

Jeremy Schmidt of Bucksketball kindly wrote about Charlie Villanueva for us. After seeing a bit of Villanueva with the Pistons, I think I mostly agree with Jeremy’s assessment.

There are a lot of things to like about Charlie Villanueva. He’s funny, his cup seem to overfloweth with offensive skills, he’s athletic, he seems to be capable of being a good passer, and he dresses well. The thing is, as many things as there are to like about Charlie Villanueva, there is one thing which offsets so many of his great basketball skills, and for some reason I didn’t realized until I saw someone else suit up in his position for the Bucks.

He’s a ball hog.

Possessions come to Charlie Villanueva to die. But I don’t blame Chuck V. for this. Last year, he was responsible for scoring points in bunches after Michael Redd and Andrew Bogut went down. He was one of the Bucks only true scoring threats left along with Richard Jefferson.

The problem is, Chuck V. isn’t excessively gifted at scoring quickly or with great ease. His primary weapon by the end of the year seemed to be trailing on a slow to develop fast break and breaking out his three point shot from near the top of the key. By season’s end, he was converting this more often than not, but that still didn’t always make it efficient offense.

Quick decisive decisions never appeared to be Villanueva’s strong suit. He seemed to frequently hold the ball for a few seconds after he got it on the wing before making his move to the basket. This bogs down offenses and makes him easier to defend.

Although his PER ranked 11th among power forwards last year, there is still light years difference between him and the best (and most complete) power forwards in the game.

Previous player previews

Deron Washington

Jonas Jerebko

DaJuan Summers

Chris Wilcox

Chucky Atkins

Austin Daye

Austin Daye (Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)

Essentials

Position: Small forward/ power forward

Age: 21

Height: 6-foot-11

Weight: 200 pounds

Years pro: Rookie

From: Gonzaga

Role

Jonas Jerebko beat Daye for the backup small forward spot. With Tayshaun Prince out with an injury, Jerebko has moved into the starting lineup. That has meant consistent minutes for Daye.

But he hasn’t done anything to pass Jerebko. When Prince returns, Daye is likely out of the rotation again.

Scouting report

Will: Jack up 3-pointers.

Daye’s skills are limited at this point. He knows how to get his shot off (see Matt Santangelo’s last question below for more info). And he has a sweet shooting stroke.

So, when Daye gets in the game, expect him to try to contribute how he can. For now, that means a lot of jumpers.

Won’t: Jump out of the gym.

Daye’s pre-draft combine numbers were embarrassing. His rankings out of fifty players:

• No-step vertical: 49th
• Max vertical: Tie for 49th
• Bench Press: 49th (Of 49 because Sam Young didn’t lift)
• Agility: 49th
• Sprint: 50th

Kevin Durant couldn’t lift the bench press once either, and I’d say his career has turned out OK. But he’s playing small forward and shooting guard. Daye projects to be a 3/4.

These numbers don’t put a kibosh on his NBA potential. But make no mistake, they’re an issue.

Must improve: His toughness

In the limited minutes he’s played so far, I haven’t really seen a mean streak from Daye.

He can create a lot of mismatches as a power forward. But he’ll also have learn to take an elbow from stronger players – and dish it out, too.

I think if Daye was given steady minutes, he’d just get pushed around on a nightly basis.

Stock

Falling

In the summer league and preseason, Daye seemed like he had worked himself into the rotation. The initial assessment that he wouldn’t be ready to do much this year looks true again.

Three predictions

1. The more Daye plays, the fewer Tayshaun Prince comparisons you’ll see.

They’re both thin. We get it. That doesn’t make them the same player.

Daye is a better outside shooter than Prince. Prince is a better ball handler, defender and rebounder. In time, that will show.

2. Daye will get stronger.

From Chris McCosky of the Detroit News:

Dumars consulted with strength and conditioning coach Arnie Kander before selecting Daye.

"We met several times on Daye, just about his body and his ability to get stronger at that size," Dumars said. "If Arnie looks at me and says, ‘I don’t think I can put weight on this or get him stronger,’ I don’t know if I back away, but it would have given me more pause."

Clearly, Kander sees an NBA body lurking within Daye.

"Remember, he’s younger than Tay was and it’s really just a matter of taking care of his body," Curry said. "He will get stronger as he gets older. It’s not a matter of putting a certain number of pounds, it’s just about continuing to get his core stronger, get a routine and he should be fine."

Kander is the best in the business, so I trust Daye can add weight. But I’m not sure if Kander can project how added weight will affect Daye’s play.

3. Jerebko will have a better career than Daye.

Someone asked in one of the ESPN chats which of the two players I thought would have a better career. To me, it’s basically a toss up.

Daye has more upside, but I’ll take Jerebko because he’s better right now.

For each of the Pistons’ new players, I want  get another voice (or more) besides my own into the previews – someone who has seen these players up close more than I have. I call this feature “in other words.”

In other words: The Slipper Still Fits

Zach Bell and Max Mandel of The Slipper Still Fits were a big help and sent over their evaluation of Daye.

Impact

Austin Daye’s legacy at Gonzaga University will always be a point of contention.

The main reason for this intense scrutiny is because Gonzaga has typically been a place where stars have stood out. Adam Morrison, Dan Dickau, Ronny Turiaf all put teams on their backs at varoius points in their careers. 

With Daye, this was never the case. Austin’s impact at GU and numbers were impacted by two things that many people tend to forget. 

First, he was a prototypical guard in high school before hitting a major growth spurt which launched him to 6-feet-11. Because of this, he was still growing into his body at
Gonzaga and many would argue that he was forced to play out of his comfort zone in Spokane. 

Austin’s biggest strength is his ability to play from the outside and use his above average handles to create plays and get into the lane. At Gonzaga, he was forced to play mainly
as a power forward which forced him to spend a great deal of time in the paint rather than on the perimeter. 

Secondly, Gonzaga was extremely deep last season. This was not the Gonzaga of old where Austin could take an Adam Morrison type role and score 25 points in a half. Six players from last year’s team averaged nine points or more a season ago so obviously, the ball was in great demand. 

If Austin had stayed another year at Gonzaga, he would have had the chance to be the guy but unfortunately for Gonzaga fans and luckily for Pistons fans he decided to go pro.

Skills

As far as his skill set, I’m sure you all have noticed that he really can do it all. He’s got a beautiful perimeter shot. I’ve always been a little upset with the Tayshaun Prince comparison because Austin’s shot is so much more pure than Tay’s hitch n’ go. 

He can rebound well in traffic thanks to his length and it already looks like he has put
on some strength over the summer. That will continue as his body is still developing.

He’ll be a great locker room guy for the franchise as well. He sometimes lets his passion get the best of him on the court but that is just the kind of player he is.

I honestly feel like the Pistons are getting a real gem that can contribute now and has
star potential down the line.

In other words: Matt Santangelo

Matt Santangelo played point guard for Gonzaga’s 1999 Elite Eight team. He blogs for Lost Lettermen and was kind enough to answer a few questions.

What do you think of Austin Daye?

“I think Austin’s going to be a great pro. I think because of the situation at Gonzaga, it was good for him to go to the NBA because I think he needs to be around grown that are examples of how to be professional, how to carry yourself on and off the floor. And, hopefully in Detroit, my understanding is that the type of team Detroit has, he’ll get that from day one — good examples. This is how you act. This how you interact with the media. This is how you treat your teammates, the coaches. …

I think he’s a tremendous talent. I think he’s going to be a very good NBA player because of his versatility, his length and his skill set. I think being in that league with the better examples, they’re going to toughen him up quicker, which is one of the things he needs to work on.

Obviously, his body needs to get stronger, which he’ll get that at the NBA level because they’re investing a lot of money in that body. So, they’re going to take the time to develop it and work with it if he’s committed to making those improvement – which I think he is.

I think as far as how The Gonzaga team is, I think they’re a better, more cohesive unit now than they would’ve been had Austin come back.”

Looking at his stats compared to other players picked in that range, they’re not overwhelming. Did Gonzaga just have a balanced offense?

“I think some of that was toughness. Some of that is you have five seniors on that team. So, he was kind of battling that, too. By all means, if he would’ve come back this year, I think expectations around Gonzaga would be a lot higher. I think their talent level, you just can’t replace a guy like that because there’s just not that many Austin Daye-type players. …

Once he got into the workouts for the NBA and obviously summer league and everything else, when he really got to show off his skill set, he shined. And there’s no question about his talent, and like I said, his versatility.

I think if he had come back to Gonzaga this year, his whole mindset would’ve been playing for the lottery for the draft. I think that would’ve thrown off the whole cohesive unit, and Gonzaga would’ve struggled, battled with that all year long.”

When he went to the combine, his strength and speed numbers weren’t very impressive. Is he just not that athletic or could that have just been a bad day? Does that show up on the court?

“Obviously, Kevin Durant had a huge amount of publicity for his combine scores as well, the weight lifting and that kind of thing. And he’s Kevin Durant. He’s one of the premier players in the league.

Austin’s not real explosive. He doesn’t jump out of the gym. Some of the dunks he had barely got over the front of the rim.

But what he does is he’s a tremendously skilled basketball player. He handles that he’s 6-11 and 7-foot-whatever wingspan. He has tremendous timing defensively.

Like I said, there’s going to have to be a lot of development, and it’s going to have to happen pretty quick. He’s going to have to get a lot stronger or people are just going to put him on the block and go to work.

But at the same time, they’re going to put him on the block because they’re stronger than him, but he’s going to be longer than a lot of guys he’s going with. That’s going to affect them. That’s what we saw during the good games at Gonzaga.

And I like I said, hopefully the examples around him with Tayshaun Prince and Rip and Stuckey and the rest of the guys, hopefully, he learns pretty quick about being tough and competing ever play, every possession – offense and defense.

I think if he can figure that out, coupled with his skill set, he’s going to be a tremendous NBA player. And I think he’ll learn that quicker at the NBA level than he would have had he come back for his junior year at Gonzaga.”

When he was drafted, the buzz was that he wouldn’t contribute much this year or maybe even next year. From what you saw at Gonzaga, does he have some NBA-ready skills?

“Oh, yeah. He really shoots the ball well. He can get to it. Like I said, he’s so long, he creates his own shot.

Defensively, there’s a couple question marks there: his lateral quickness and his physical strength. But he’s long enough that he’s still going to make an impact on the defensive end. …

His ball handling for his size is amazing. His footwork for his size – that’s such a skill that not too many people talk about it, but he has great footwork. And that’s what allows him to get his shot off a lot.

Where some guys might rely on their speed or maybe jumping ability to get a shot off, he has to rely on his footwork and ball handling to get his shot off because he’s just not that explosive athletically.

So, he’s really skilled. I think, yeah, he definitely has some NBA-ready (skills).”

Previous player previews

Deron Washington

Jonas Jerebko

DaJuan Summers

Chris Wilcox

Chucky Atkins

Chucky Atkins (Denver Post)

Essentials

Position: Point guard

Age: 35

Height: 5-foot-11

Weight: 185 pounds

Years pro: 10

From: South Florida

Role

Atkins will be the team’s third point guard. If he plays regular minutes, there’s a problem.

Scouting report

Will: Make me happy.

I always felt bad for Atkins. He was the starting point guard when the Pistons went from 32 to 50 wins, and he did everything then-Pistons coach Rick Carlisle asked of him.

But But Detroit brought Chauncey Billups in the next year. Billups was bigger, more talented and ready to become one of the league’s top points guards.

Atkins went to the bench, a role that doesn’t really suit him. He’s a streaky shooter and needs minutes to get in rhythm.

He was good enough to help the Pistons turn around. But he wasn’t good enough to make Detroit elite, like Billups did. So, he was cast aside after toiling on the bench for two years.

I feel for a guy who did all he could, and it still wasn’t enough. By making the team this year, Atkins finally has karma swinging in his direction.

Won’t: Play.

Rodney Stuckey, Will Bynum, Ben Gordon and maybe even Tayshaun Prince will see minutes at point guard before Atkins gets on the floor.

Must improve: His point guard play.

Before the season, Atkins talked about how he had become more of a true point guard in the last few years. I’m not sure how true that is since he played just 56 games the last two seasons, but that also means there’s little reason to assume it’s not.

“Over the years, I’ve learned how to hold back and do other things and let the scoring game come to me,” Atkins said. “So, I’ve learned over the years. I was a young, brash kid when I first got here. I’m a little older now.”

Atkins said the main thing he’s learned is how to conserve his energy. There’s no need to burn out right when he enters the game.

“The game may not dictate you scoring a lot of points at that time,” Akins said.

Know of any point guards on the Pistons who sometimes try to score too much and tire because of it – either in the course of a game or a season?

If Atkins keeps improving his ability to be a true point guard, his value as a mentor will increase.

Stock

Rising

Atkins appeared washed up when Detroit signed him for training camp. And he still might be, but at least he made the roster. That’s a pretty big upset.

Three predictions

1. Stuckey will repeatedly praise Atkins for mentoring him.

Joe Dumars is banking on Stuckey being the future of the franchise. Without having observed training camp, I have to think Atkins made an impression on Stuckey. That would be the most logical reason Atkins made the team.

2. Atkins will be a positive force in the locker room.

I don’t think Atkins will even be active for more than 25 games this year. But I think, as a 10-year veteran, he knows how to act.

Sometimes, you can put up with shenanigans from your star. But it makes no sense to allow nonsense from your 14th man. In that sense, Atkins was a good signing.

3. Atkins will be in the NBA, but not Detroit, next year.

Atkins was in the right place at the right time to make the roster this year. The odds of everything working out in Detroit again next year are pretty slim.

But I think a year with Arnie Kander will do his body wonders. I don’t see Atkins, 35, retiring quite yet, and I think he’ll be healthy enough to latch on somewhere.

Previous player previews

Deron Washington

Jonas Jerebko

DaJuan Summers

Chris Wilcox

Chris Wilcox (Nike)

Essentials

Position: Power forward/ center

Age: 27

Height: 6-foot-10

Weight: 235 pounds

Years pro: Seven

From: Maryland

Role

Wilcox played just six minutes against the Grizzlies in the season opener – a blowout the Pistons dressed just 10 players for.

Besides Kwame Brown and Ben Wallace, Wilcox is the Pistons’ only other legitimate center. Wilcox isn’t that good, but he’s in a good position to see minutes – at least compared to where he’d be on other teams.

Scouting report

Will: Score

Wilcox runs the floor pretty well, and he can finish on the break. He also has couple of low-post moves.

He’s not great, but he can put the ball in the hoop. His career offensive rating of 108 is solid.

Won’t: Defend.

On the other hand, Wilcox’s career defensive rating is also 108 – pretty dismal. It’s never seemed like he wants to absorb and dish out the contact that good interior defenders must.

Must improve: His outlook.

Wilcox and Kwame Brown are very similar. Both were high draft choices who haven’t performed up to that billing. And both have tremendous physical statures.

Brown has reinvented himself as a defender and a rebounder, and it’s worked out great. Wilcox would do well to take a lesson from his new teammate.

Stock

Falling

Wilcox is entering his seventh year in the league. And the former No. 8 pick still hasn’t made a significant impact.

He’s talented enough to hang around the league for a while. But time is quickly running out (if it hasn’t already) for him to make the type of impact many though he could.

Three predictions

1. Wilcox will be the last player from the opening-night roster (including the suspended players) to crack the rotation.

He’s a step ahead of DaJuan Summers and Chucky Atkins – but that’s it.

Pistons coach John Kuester preaches defense – not exactly Wilcox’s strong suit. Wilcox isn’t on the fast track to endear himself.

But he’s still talented enough that he will get a chance at some point when injuries strike.

2. Wilcox will have the best offensive game of any Pistons center this year.

Wilcox doesn’t produce consistently, but he’s definitely capable of putting together a few monster games. His offensive ceiling is much higher than Wallace’s or Brown’s. Even with fewer opportunities than them, Wilcox will have at least one great game. 

3. Wilcox won’t be a Pistons next year.

Everyone said Ben Gordon was a bad fit with the Pistons. But what about Wilcox? At least Gordon tries on defense.

Wilcox has a $3 million player option for next season. If he picks it up, I bet Joe Dumars will look to move him.

For each of the Pistons’ new players, I want  get another voice (or more) besides my own into the previews – someone who has seen these players up close more than I have. I call this feature “in other words.”

In other words: Royce Young

Royce Young, who runs Daily Thunder, explains what the Pistons should expect from Wilcox.

If there is one word to describe Chris Wilcox, it’s inconsistent. He can actually drive you nuts with it.

He’ll go through a lull of four games doing nothing – 18 minutes, four points, two rebounds two turnovers, or something like that.

But then on the fifth night, he’ll blow up for 16 points, 11 boards and a crucial block or two. He’ll energize the arena with a soaring dunk. And you’ll think, "Okay, here we go! Let the Chris Wilcox era begin!"

Sadly though, the next game it’s back to another lackluster performance. I don’t know if he’s unfocused or uninspired, but it really drives you batty. To have that much skill and ability and not work to harness it.

It finally got to Scott Brooks last year as he stuffed Wilcox on the end of the bench before Presti finally got him shipped to New York after the failed Tyson Chandler deal.

Wilcox can definitely help win you a game here and there, but that’s the problem. He’s all here and there.

Previous player previews

Deron Washington

Jonas Jerebko

DaJuan Summers

DaJuan Summers (Sports Illustrated)

Essentials

Position: Small forward/ power forward

Age: 21

Height: 6-foot-8

Weight: 240 pounds

Years pro: Rookie

From: Georgetown

Role

Summers is buried on the bench right now. He’ll probably be inactive to start the season. I see a lot of D-League games for him this year.

Scouting report

Will: Score in many ways.

He can make jumpers, drive against bigger defenders and post up smaller threes. He will be a tough matchup (if he cracks the rotation).

Among the 13 small forwards drafted this year, Summers had the second-best true shooting percentage (via DraftExpress).

Won’t: Produce if Kuester decides to slow the tempo.

In a good interview with Dan Steinberg on the D.C. Sports Bog, Summers said his strong summer league play didn’t surprise him.

Did you come in with that kind of chip on your shoulder, to prove the kind of player you know you are?

Not so much. I mean, I always knew I was that player, so just because things were different in college–it’s not an open system and not a high-tempo team–it never discouraged me. I knew when I got here I would be able to play my game. Coach always said the same thing. It’s just not the run and shoot we play at Georgetown. So nah, I don’t feel like I’m proving anybody wrong. It’s just me. I’m just playing.

Must improve: His focus.

Summers has an NBA body. But he doesn’t lock in and get the little things done that he clearly could be capable of doing.

Among the 13 small forwards drafted this year, here’s how Summers’ ranked last season*:

Rebounds: 13th.

Assists: 11th.

Turnovers: 12th.

Summers has the tools to improve all those. He just needs to put his mind to it.

*The numbers are per 40 minutes and paste adjusted – basically a way to put everyone on equal footing – and also come from DraftExpress.

Stock

Falling

Summers was the star of the Pistons’ summer league team, if not the entire Las Vegas League.

But he has missed two of Detroit’s six preseason games. And only Chucky Atkins, Deron Washington and Maceo Baston are averaging fewer minutes.

With Tayshaun Prince’s injury, maybe Summers sees some minutes as the backup small forward. But even with Prince out, Jonas Jerebko and Richard Hamilton might see more time filling in at the three than Summers.

Three predictions

1. It will be at least a month before Summers dresses for a game.

From The Oakland Press:

Kuester downplayed Summers’ struggles and said Summers has shown flashes in practice.

“DaJuan is learning as he goes,” Kuester said. “I tell you this, he has a bright, bright future in this league because he’ll continue to work hard and he’s a great kid. Do not read into that at all.”

Sorry, John. I’m going to read into it. I think Kuester wants to keep Summers’ spirits up when the rookie is buried on the bench for the first time in his life.

Summers really hasn’t done much to that kind of deserve praise.

2. Summers will never post better numbers than he did in the summer league (18 points and 5.4 rebounds per game).

Not in the summer league next year, not in a preseason and certainly not in a regular season. Summers was clearly on a hot streak in Las Vegas.

His preseason struggles suggest the summer league was an aberration. And even if he develops into a pretty good player, those are some gaudy numbers.

3. Summers will be one of the 2009 draft’s better second-round picks.

I liked Summers a good deal coming into the draft. But he didn’t seem good enough for the Pistons to take him at 15. And he seemed too good to slip into the second round.

But to the shock of many, including Joe Dumars, he was available for Detroit’s second pick. There’s a reason many projected him to go higher, and the summer league reinforces the thinking.

That said, being a fairly good second-round pick in a specific draft doesn’t mean much. He could be out of the league in a few years, and I could be right.

But I like his chances better than most of the other late picks.

For each of the Pistons’ new players, I want  get another voice (or more) besides my own into the previews – someone who has seen these players up close more than I have. I call this feature “in other words.”

In other words: Jeremy Hofmann

Jeremy Hofmann, a 2008 Georgetown graduate, analyzes Summers.

DaJuan Summers will be a very good professional basketball player. Let’s start right there. 

Will his LeBron-esque body and ferocious athleticism tantalize Pistons fans into expecting more than he can deliver? Absolutely.

That was the problem Georgetown fans had with DaJuan in his three maddening years on the Hilltop. He looks like he should be a star.

He is 6’8” 240 lbs with 25 foot range and a 40+ inch vertical leap. Yet, there were countless games in his three years where he seemed disinterested and would finish with a stat line like 2-9, 7 points, 2 rebounds and 4 fouls. 

DaJuan is to Georgetown fans what Vince Carter is to Nets or Raptors fans. A guy that settles for too many jumpers, barely makes an effort on the glass or defensive end, has one or two “wow” plays a game and leaves you with a bad taste in your mouth more times than not.

Still, I was absolutely shocked that he slipped to #35 in the draft, especially in a draft like 2009. Even DeMarre Carroll went ahead of him. DeMarre Carroll?

DaJuan was projected as a near lottery pick after his freshman year. Even in January of this year, when Georgetown was in the top 10, DaJuan was expected to be a lottery pick. The only reason he slipped so far was because of the Hoyas’ pathetic end to its 2008-2009 campaign.

Being a second round pick will end up being the best thing that ever happened to DaJuan’s career and will greatly benefit the Pistons. NBA athletes with questionable motors need slights to prove their worth.

Just like previous second round picks of the same mold – Gilbert Arenas, Carlos Boozer and Rashard Lewis come to mind – DaJuan will use his draft position to prove himself for his entire NBA career. He will never forget the feeling of having his family and friends with him in the ESPN Zone in Baltimore waiting for 34 names to be called before his.

Both his performance in the summer league, when he was arguably Detroit’s best player, and his “I’m going to prove everyone wrong through cliché rap lyrics” on his Twitter page tell me that for the first time in his life, DaJuan’s work ethic will finally match his prodigious athleticism.

Previous player previews

Deron Washington

Jonas Jerebko

I’m sure you’ve noticed, but I’m way behind on the previews. There were some sudden changes at my job, and I’ve been pretty busy.

The new plan is to only profile the Pistons’ newcomers. So, previews will still be coming for Chris Wilcox, Austin Daye, Ben Wallace, Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon.

Jonas Jerebko answers questions at a press conference to introduce the Pistons’ recent draft picks. (Julian H. Gonzalez / Detroit Free Press)

Essentials

Position: Power forward/ small forward/ center

Age: 22

Height: 6-foot-10

Weight: 231 pounds

Years pro: Rookie

From: Kinna, Sweden

Role

These player previews are coming out in reverse order of who I expect to have the biggest impacts this season. But if I had waited a bit to decide the order, you probably wouldn’t see this post for a few more days.

By all accounts, Jerebko is impressing Pistons coach John Kuester. But where will he play?

Austin Daye seems to have solidified the backup small forward spot.

It seems like the Pistons want Jerebko to develop into a center, and that’s where he played in the summer league. But I’m not sure he’s ready to play there (if he ever will be). Via the Detroit News:

"I’ve never done it before (play center), so it’s a new experience," Jerebko said. "It’s physical but I like it. I don’t like to play the five, but to get minutes, I will do it."

That leaves power forward, which is probably his most natural fit going forward. But the Pistons have a pretty talented player in Jason Maxiell already there (more on this later).

Kuester has fueled speculation the rotation could go 11 deep. But I don’t see that happening.

Coaches talk all the time before the season about having long benches. But when push comes to shove, there just aren’t enough minutes to go around.

I don’t see Jerebko cracking the rotation – at least for now.

Scouting report

Will: Do more than his stat line suggests.

For better or worse, Jerebko is good at a lot of things — but a master of none. A lot of his contributions will go unnoticed by many.

Kuester gives a few examples from Detroit’s preseason game against the Hawks in The Oakland Press:

“You can’t look at what he did, in regards to six points, six rebounds in 17 minutes and understand the impact that he had on the little things that we want to get accomplished,” Kuester said. “Whether it be shows on the high pick-and-rolls, his second and third energy efforts going after the boards, whether he got it or didn’t get it. I was very proud of him. I’ve seen that in him in practice.”

Won’t: Slow down.

Jerebko might not always look smooth, but he has a big motor. He played a preseason-27 minutes against the Wizards. And even then, his effort didn’t waver. Kuester via the Detroit Free Press:

"His energy has been outstanding," Pistons coach John Kuester said. … "Jonas has a motor that keeps on running and running at a high level," Kuester said. "He knows what a coach wants. That kind of energy is contagious and excites a coach."

He’s going to make it as hard as he can for Kuester to keep him off the court.

Must improve: His comfort on the court.

Jerebko might be all over the court, but it doesn’t look smooth. I’m not sure if this comes from his age, the transition from Europe or what.

At least the issue seems to be ironing itself out. From Keith Langlois of Pistons.com:

Jerebko, less than three weeks into his first NBA training camp, feels more comfortable by the day. In fact, last week’s debut already seems like a long time ago, when he was so hyped. Pistons strength coach Arnie Kander said he was almost hyperventilating.

“I was excited,” he grins. “Family was there, from Buffalo. The first three minutes, you go in cold, the first time you get on the floor, the chest doesn’t want to go with your legs. But it was fun.”

Every day will be something new for Jerebko for a while. Once that phase passes, we’ll get to see what he can really do.

Stock

Rising

Jerebko is the first Swedish player in the NBA, so that’s pretty cool. And every time you hear his name mentioned lately, it’s something positive.

That can’t last forever, but I’m not sure any Piston has seen his reputation rise more since the preseason started.

Three predictions

1. Jerebko will be one of two Pistons whose roles are being overinflated right now.

Kuester has been gushing about Jerebko, absolutely gushing. I think the coach likes Jerebko, but that might be based on expectations.

Jerebko is playing very well for a rookie in the preseason. That doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be better than veterans in the regular season.

(More on the second Piston who I think is overhyped in a future player preview)

2. He won’t get the benefit of the whistle.

Call it the Zeljko Rebraca effect. He’s not the most athletic. He plays physical. And he’s a rookie. I don’t see refs reacting favorably.

3. Jerebko will give the Pistons a better backup power forward than they had last year.

Jerebko will help Detroit, but it might not be the way he wants.

Jason Maxiell’s production slipped across the board last year. It’s hard to believe the contract extension he signed at the beginning of the season didn’t have something to do with it. He just didn’t look hungry on the court.

Jerebko might just be the kick in the butt Maxiell needs. And if that doesn’t work, that likely means Jerebko is playing well.

Win-win.

For each of the Pistons’ new players, I want  get another voice (or more) besides my own into the previews – someone who has seen these players up close more than I have. I call this feature “in other words.”

In other words: John Beilein

Michigan men’s basketball coach John Beilein recruited Jerebko when he was at West Virginia and is a friend of his family. For more info, check out this Buffalo News article.

You recruited him at West Virginia?

He ended up actually attending one of our summer camps. But the big thing is his dad, Chris, played at Syracuse.

And his uncle, Peter Jerebko, both played and was my assistant coach at Le Moyne College. He was one of the greatest shooters, could be as good of a shooter I’ve ever had at any time. And I’ve had some shooters. He’d be in the Pittsnogle range of consistent shooters.

So, (Jonas) looked at Syracuse. He looked at University of Buffalo. And he looked at West Virginia.

He chose University of Buffalo because that’s where the family’s real home is. That’s where the grandpa is. All the uncles are there. A lot of the grandchildren are there.

But then, (he) decided in that spring to go pro instead of going to college.

How far along did you get recruiting him before he picked Buffalo?

I was going to over and visit him in the fall and have him in for an official visit.

Did you offer him a scholarship?

We were going to offer him an official visit in the fall. Our standard thing is an official visit usually has a scholarship offer on the table.

But not at that time. We didn’t have all those things yet.

He had the talent. We wanted to see all the other things.

What did you like about his game?

He really had a great feel for the game. He could really shoot the ball, really shoot the ball.

I loved that he could block shots. At the college level, he was going to be able to block some shots, even though he’s a forward. He had great timing.

Did you see him as more of a small or power forward in college?

Oh, you know how are forwards play. They would have been very much the same. He would’ve played either forward for us.

What did you see that you wanted him to work on? Which parts of his game weren’t as developed?

I don’t think they was anything in particular. We saw him as a very, very good prospect to play in college.

A lot of people, if they had reservations, it was about a kid from Europe. You get a verbal from them, and then they go pro and while you told everybody else no.

Those things are typical of European players because there are so many great opportunities for the ones that are already over there.

If there wasn’t that concern, how hard do you think he would’ve been recruited?

I think he would’ve been recruited at a very high level had he been in the United States …

He was basically unknown in the States, unless you know the Jerebko family. … If he had the exposure, he would’ve been a highly sought after recruit.

Is there anybody you can compare him to in stature coming out of high school if he would’ve had those opportunities?

Kyle Singler, that type of player. (Singler was a five-star recruit, according to rivals.com) … But this is four years ago now.

Is there anything else to know about him?

He comes from a great family. He’s a great kid with a great family.

His brother played at Syracuse. His other brother played Division II, but could’ve played anywhere. He could’ve played Division I anywhere.

Just a real solid family.

Previous player previews

Deron Washington

Deron Washington scores over Greg Paulus. (HokieSports.com)

Essentials

Position: Small forward/ shooting guard

Age: 23

Height: 6-foot-7

Weight: 210 pounds

Years pro: Rookie

From: Virginia Tech

Role

Not much of one for now. I had hopes Washington could be a defensive stopper off the bench. But this obviously isn’t an indicator of getting on the court much:

Said (Pistons coach John) Kuester, “That first week of practice, he was lost.”

Although Washington didn’t play in the Piston’s first preseason game, he has played in the three since.

Still, a slipup like his first week on such a deep team probably puts him behind the curve in the fight for minutes.

Scouting report

Will: Show off his athleticism.

That might mean a number of things – defending, running the fast break, getting loose balls or grabbing offensive rebounds. When he’s on the court, his energy should stand out.

Won’t: Make jumpers.

Washington made just 26.9 percent of his 3-pointers his senior year at Virginia Tech. And that was after making them a point of emphasis the previous summer.

Must improve: Free-throw shooting.

There are two main ways Washington can earn minutes: running the court well on fast beaks and coming in as a defensive stopper at the end of games.

And he would be so much more valuable at both if he was a just a little better of a free-throw shooter.

Washington made just 61.6 of his free throws at Virginia Tech and 37.5 percent in the summer league this year. If he can get that to 70 percent, his value skyrockets.

Stock

Rising

Washington has a non-guaranteed contract, but it’s well-accepted he’ll make the team. After playing in Israel last year, that has to be a good feeling for him.

Three predictions

1. The first time Washington plays meaningful minutes, he will impress.

Kuester probably won’t go to Washington until there’s a situation where Detroit looks lethargic. Washington will come in and inject life to he Pistons and look like one of their top players.

2. Washington will play in fewer than half Detroit’s games this year.

I think he’ll spend a good amount of time on the inactive list. And isn’t he a prime candidate for the D-League?

3. Washington will never receive regular NBA minutes.

A lot of players come through the NBA with great athleticism, but limited skills. A large majority don’t stick.

Washington seems like a good guy, but just playing the odds, he won’t last in the NBA.

For each of the Pistons’ new players, I want  get another voice (or more) besides my own into the previews – someone who has seen these players up close more than I have. I call this feature “in other words.”

In other words: Brad Greenberg

Before he became the head coach at Radford, Brad Greenberg was an assistant on his brother Seth’s staff at Virginia Tech, where he coached Washington for three years.

Brad Greenberg was also the Philadelphia 76ers’ GM from 1996-97, when they drafted Allen Iverson, and spent seven years in the Portland Trail Blazers’ front office.

He was nice enough to answer a few questions about Washington.

When you coached him, did you see any skills that were NBA-ready?

He had a tremendous quickness and spring and courage. He was a fearless player.

Some people don’t think those are skills, but I think those are pretty valuable things in the NBA, as athletic as the players are.

He has the physical attributes to get to balls and make some plays that players who just aren’t as quick or as springy or as bold and courageous can make.

What do you think about his label of being more of an athlete than a basketball player?

I think he’s worked hard to develop a lot of his basketball skills. He’s improved over the years as a shooter. He’s improved as a ball handler. He’s improved, I think, as a passer.

But he’s still a young player. I think most people, when they say that, they’re talking more about offensive skills. His defensive instincts are advanced.

He’s a young player and still developing and will keep working to get better

Kuester said Washington looked “lost” the first week of practice, but that he picked things up after that. When he first came to Virginia Tech, did he have similar problems?

No, he was able to learn offensive and defensive tactics – no problem. The NBA is a much more complicated and fast-paced process for young players. …

Even now, watching preseason exhibition games, teams are running are running fairly complex offenses and reading off each other while playing. And they haven’t been going very long.

So, I think for any young player, that’s an adjustment.

In college, Washington guarded anywhere from point guards to power forwards. Is he limited to covering shooting guard and small forwards in the NBA?

I think that’s ideal. He matches up best with players close to his height. …

He’s very quick, though, and hard-working if he were matched up with a bigger, stronger guy who tries to post him up. He’s learned how to use his quickness to compensate for if he’s giving up some size or giving up some weight.

Is the ideal system for him offensively something more up-tempo?

I don’t know. … It might be easier for him to attack the basket on a team that was extremely aggressive at trying to create open-court situations.

That’s one of his best things – to use that quickness to drive to the basket. So, he probably have a few more opportunities to do some things with the floor spread out. …

He’s pretty good at one or two dribbles, 25 feet and in, and just attack the basket and use his quickness. That could play to his strengths more than a team that was going to walk the ball up the court.

Everybody talks about his dunks, but what are some nuances in his game that, unless you watch him closely, you’re not going to appreciate?

I think he moves well without the ball. He’s a pretty good cutter. …

He can get out and fill the lane. So, obviously, he’s a good runner to go out and fill the lane.

To dunk the ball, you’ve got to get yourself in position. He’s got great instincts at trying to crash the offensive glass. …

He’s got a unique ability to chase down a breakaway and block what looks like a clear-path layup from behind. …

There are some players who have done that over the years in the NBA that I was always amazed by. I was lucky, in my years with the Trail Blazers, Jerome Kersey was incredible at that. He could be five feet behind a guy on a breakaway. And miraculously, he could catch up and time it and pin the ball to the glass.

Deron is incredibly aggressive at trying to make that kind of play. He’s able to make some plays that basically erase clear-path layups.

What’s something about Deron most people would be surprised to know?

His mom was a great athlete. He’s probably the third best athlete in his family behind his dad and his mom.

(His mom, Denise, played basketball at Xavier University in New Orleans. His dad, Lionel, played defensive back at Tulane and for 15 seasons in the NFL. He’s now the Oakland Raiders’ defensive backs coach.)

What’s Deron like off the court?

He’s a very nice, wonderful young man, respectful, quiet, loves basketball. He’s a good guy. He’s just a good guy.

He’s been raised real well. He’s been around pro athletes with his dad and football. I think he knows that character is an important part of having a chance to be a pro player.

In other words: Darryl Slater

Darryl Slater covers Virginia Tech for the Richmond Times-Dispatch and also took the time to answer a few questions.

How would you assess Deron’s game?

He’s a great defender. He’s so long and lanky. He was their guy at the top of their press when they did press.

He was a versatile defender. He was able to guard anyone from a point guard to a power forward. His length really helped him with that.

And that’s why he fit so well into Seth Greenberg’s system. Seth likes gritty kind of defenders. And Deron, as I recall, was that.

He’s not a great shooter. I know that’s one thing he wanted to work on going into his senior year. … I don’t think he ended up doing much in terms of his field-goal percentage. (It actually dropped from .503 to .416.) …

I think that’s what, obviously, has kept him from being very attractive to NBA teams. …

But he’s a pretty tenacious player. I think another knock on him is his frame. …

He’s pretty swift in his ability to get to the rim. He’s one of those gliding kind of guys.

I’m sure you’ve seen some those dunks that he’s had, like the one where he got over Greg Paulus. He’s iconic here for those.

Do you agree with the assessment that Washington is more of an athlete than a basketball player?

At the college level, where I saw him, he was a very good player. He wasn’t a 100-percent complete player, but few guys are. He was very effective in the ACC.

But as a pro, that probably is more true.

You mention he got to the rim very easily and smoothly. Was that mostly in transition, or could he do it in the half-court, too?

Definitely in transition, for sure, he could out-run guys.

I think of one moment from his senior year. They were playing Virginia up in Virginia. … He drove to the basket (for the game-winning layup at the buzzer). It was a half-court situation off an inbounds play. …

That’s one of the iconic moments of his career, for me at least. People talk about those dunks and stuff like that, but this was just a great sense of basketball awareness.

I mean, he’s not like Dr. J or anything getting to the rim. But that’s good basketball sense.

Do you have a sense of what kind of guy he is, what kind of presence he is in the locker room?

Great guy. …

He was so close to his mom. He’s from New Orleans, and she was living down there after he came to college. After Katrina, their house got destroyed. …

She moved to Blacksburg, and she got an apartment, so she could be close to him. He’s really, really close to his mom. She’s like one of his best friends.

He’s really a super approachable guy. He’s one of the nicer guys I’ve dealt with. … Always willing to talk after the game, never got snippy, never got surly.

I don’t know how he did with his teammates, but I always got the sense that he wasn’t necessarily a really, really vocal leader. …

But I got the impression guys like him. I liked him. Really down to earth.

Anything else Pistons fans should know about him?

He can’t palm a basketball. For a guy who’s a great dunker, I remember writing that a few times, how ironic.

The guy’s got smaller hands than I do I think, and I’m like 6-foot-2, 6-foot-3.

Slater was kind enough to send over his pre-draft story on Washington, too. A couple excerpts:

Few college players leap higher than Washington, a 6-7, 205-pound forward blessed with an elastic body that makes him a fast-break offensive threat and versatile defender. Problem is, Washington won’t be able to play in the NBA as he did in college.

Because of his spindly build, he’ll have to move farther from the basket, where his weaknesses could be exposed. An NBA team will insist that Washington develop an outside shot; he made 41.6 percent last season and 26.9 percent on 3-pointers.

"It’s not just shooting," said Keith Drum, a North Carolina-based college scout for the Sacramento Kings. "He’s going to have to improve ballhandling, decision-making with the ball away from the basket. His athleticism and energy are good enough. It’s the physical strength and the skill set that will have to get a little bit better. But the strength is less of a problem as he moves away from the basket."

Washington’s scoring and rebounding averages increased every year at Tech, and his career averages were 11 points and 5.4 rebounds. But (Virigina Tech coach Seth) Greenberg knows Washington’s defense might be his biggest asset.

"How many guys in the draft can guard Sean Singletary, Jack McClinton and [James] Gist?" he said, referring to Virginia’s shifty 6-foot point guard, Miami’s 6-1 perimeter ace and Maryland’s 6-9 power forward.

Said Drum: "Defensively, I think he’s capable of guarding people away from the basket because of his energy and his athleticism."