Sekou Doumbouya

PF, Detroit Pistons

Pistons head coach Dwane Casey said that Sekou Doumbouya has caught his eye this summer with his diligence in the weight room and his ballhandling improvement.

The Pistons knew what they were getting when they made Doumbouya the youngest player drafted in June of 2019. The rookie’s first five starts saw him go head to head with Kawhi Leonard, Draymond Green, LeBron James, Kevin Love and Love again, exceeding all expectations by averaging 12.0 points and 5.9 rebounds on 49 percent shooting while holding his own defensively. There were plenty of highs and lows the rest of the way, including a 17-point outing in a Super Bowl Sunday win over the Nuggets, when the season abruptly ended in March. Casey planned a rigorous and well-rounded summer apprenticeship for the French forward but the Pistons have had to adjust to pandemic restrictions that still to this day limit them to individual work with a single coach per player. As much promise as Doumbouya showed as a rookie, they know he has miles to go to reach his immense potential, but from what they’ve seen from him this summer, he’s got a real shot to do so.

Source: NBA.com