NBA draft analyst: Luke Kennard is 'the best shooter in the draft'

Brandon Folsom | Special to the Detroit Free Press

Show Caption Hide Caption Meet new Detroit Pistons SG Luke Kennard Let's get to know Duke shooting guard Luke Kennard, whom the Detroit Pistons selected 12th in the 2017 NBA draft. Video by Marlowe Alter, Detroit Free Press

Here's what NBA draft TV analysts and former Duke shooting guard Luke Kennard had to say after the Detroit Pistons selected Kennard with the No. 12 overall pick in the draft on Thursday night:

ESPN analyst Jay Williams: "(Detroit) is getting the best shooter in the draft, and here's one of the beautiful things about Luke Kennard: There's still room for improvement in Luke Kennard's game. His ability to put the ball down on the ground and make a play (is a strength of his). He can put the ball down and create space. Luke Kennard's skillset is not just shooting, but it's also his ability to put the ball down on the ground and make plays with the dribble, and that makes him an exceptional player. As his game becomes more efficient, look out, NBA, because he's one of the quickest shooters there is in the game of basketball right now."

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ESPN analyst Rece Davis: "Luke Kennard is a gifted scored and played a couple of years at Duke. He averaged a little over 19 points per game. This guy is a crafty player. He is ambidextrous. He was a quarterback in high school and threw the ball naturally right-handed, but his dad made him dribble the ball home a few blocks when he was a little kid with his left hand all the time, and he turned into a left-handed shooter. He's a very skilled guy. He knows every word from the movie 'Frozen,' and you can't go wrong with that, I guess. ... Understand he's not an explosive guy, but he's a really good athlete. He's got exceptional hand-eye (coordination)."

Pistons take more than just a shooter in Luke Kennard Free Press sports writers Vince Ellis and Shawn Windsor break down the Pistons' draft pick, Duke guard Luke Kennard.

ESPN analyst Jay Bilas: "He's an excellent shooter. He's got the best footwork in the draft. When he puts the ball on the deck, he's got deep range, and he's a natural righty who shoots lefty but doesn't have a dominant foot, so when he gets into the lane, he can pivot and keep defenders off balance. His footwork is absolutely impeccable. He can shoot over the top of people and get around them. With that range, that allows him to separate from a defender. He doesn't have blazing speed, but he gets by people, and he's a competitor. He sticks his nose in there, and he rebounds at a really good rate for a guard. He's an underrated passer. His only issue is he doesn't project to be a great defender at the next level. He wasn't necessarily a great defender when he was at Duke, but I think with his offense, he'll be able to hang, and he moves really well without the ball. He's an excellent offensive player that can score in a variety of ways."