Three reasons to be excited about the Detroit Pistons

Out of the four major Detroit sports, it is safe to say that the Pistons have the least support from young fans. They missed the playoffs for the majority of our childhood, and their last championship was when high school seniors were just starting kindergarten. But unlike the Tigers, Red Wings, and Lions, the Pistons have recently put themselves in a position to be the most successful out of the four major Detroit sports teams.

Last season, the Pistons finished with a record of 44-38, good enough to make the playoffs for the first time in seven years. The team is headlined by young center Andre Drummond, a fan-favorite because of his superb rebounding ability and high flying dunks. Head Coach and President of Basketball Operations Stan Van Gundy is one of the most respected basketball minds across the entire NBA, and has put the team in a position to succeed for the next several years.

Fans are usually pessimistic about the Pistons, but they shouldn’t be, at least not this year. General Manager Jeff Bower has brought in players that fit the culture of hard work and defense that remind you of championship teams of the past. The team is built to compete every night, and fans should tune in when they can. Here’s three reasons why you should be excited for Detroit Pistons:

Andre Drummond

The fourth-year center from UConn has quickly become one of the league’s top 30 players. He averages over 10 rebounds a game. On offense, he draws an entire defense trying to stop him on pick and rolls. Keeping him out of the paint has proven to be one of hardest things for teams to do.

“He’s a fun player to watch,” said Brian Woigdka. The most common knock on his game has been his horrendous free throw shooting, which results in him not being able to play in the ends of close games. When he is motivated and out of foul trouble, Pistons fans are watching one of the most intriguing players in the league.

Added depth

Over the offseason, the team picked up new players and dumped out some old ones, while still maintaining their core pieces. Henry Ellenson, the 18th overall pick in the 2016 draft, looks to be the prototype forward for a Stan Van Gundy team. Ish Smith provides a more than serviceable backup to rising point guard Reggie Jackson, who will miss the beginning of the season with a knee injury.

Jon Leuer is a jack of all trades and looks to earn his paycheck by doing some of the dirty work, making hustle plays down the stretch. And lastly, the player who will quickly become a fan favorite: Boban Marjanovic. The 7’3”, 290 pound Serbian is a human cheat code, who doesn’t have to jump more than a few inches to dunk, and he looks fresh out of a zombie movie. All of these additions give the Pistons something they have been lacking for a long time, which is a bench that can come in and make an impact.

The core

The team outside of the first 6 players of the rotation looks very different, but the core of the team has grown together and looks to improve. Drummond, Jackson, along with Stanley Johnson, Marcus Morris, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Tobias Harris are all young, talented, gritty players. They play with a sense of togetherness and unity, with an obvious attempt at trying to get back to being a tough, defensive-minded team, which is what made the Detroit teams of the past.

The Pistons are known for their tenacious defense, hard work, and toughness, and this team embodies those characteristics more than any other Pistons team we’ve had since the 2000s. The players, both new and old, are going to make the team exciting. If there’s a time to have high hopes for the Pistons, it’s right now.