CHICAGO -- Stanley Johnson has seen the projections, knows the Detroit Pistons' needs, knows how seamlessly he potentially could fit there, and even has had that conversation with some of the players.

The Arizona small forward said Thursday at the NBA Draft Combine that he knows Pistons point guard Reggie Jackson through a mutual friend, and has played through the years with center Andre Drummond going back to their high school days.

Johnson was effusive about how he might fit.

"I think the position I play, it's wide open for me to go in there and do something special," Johnson said. "I know Reggie and I know Andre really well. So they told me if they drafted me, obviously, that's where the team needs help at, and I'm a really good player and I'd be able to help out in that way."

If the Pistons remain at or about No. 8 overall, their position going into Tuesday's draft lottery, there is a good chance Detroit nabs Johnson to fill a gap at his position.

"I didn't do a lot of looking into the league this year, being into college and stuff like that, so I really wasn't paying attention to the draft boards," Johnson said. "My agent does that for me, so I don't have to worry about that."

DRAFT COMBINE NOTES

Another Wildcat prospect: The Pistons also might have interest in another Arizona swingman, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who was informed the team needed help on the wings. "Well," he said, "if they need wings, this is where they should be looking."

Non-participants at the top of the draft: Players projected to go at the top of the draft frequently skip the combine, and that decision is epidemic this year. Five players who could be in the top 10 picks opted not to attend, including power forwards Karl-Anthony Towns of Kentucky and Jahlil Okafor of Duke, who potentially could be the top to selections in the June 25 draft. Three international prospects projected near the top of the draft, point guard Emanuel Mudiay, and wings Mario Hezonja and Kristaps Porzingis, also opted not to come here.

Might Pistons draft a center?: Detroit general manager Jeff Bower didn't rule out taking a first-round center, though with a premier rebounder like Andre Drummond, it seems unlikely the Pistons would go that direction in the draft. Still, Bower said the emphasis in a big rebuild is acquiring assets, and one of the top center prospects, Texas' Myles Turner, has been projected to the Pistons in some mock drafts. "I personally don't pay attention to projections," Turner said. "That's my agent's job. That's why I hired him. It's out there. Sometimes, you'll run across it, and sometimes it's hard to ignore. But I try not to let it have any effect on my experience." Turner acknowledged he did interview with the Pistons here. Among the other teams that talked to him was the Indiana Pacers, with team president Larry Bird in the room. "Nervous isn't the word for it," Turner said of that experience. "It's a little surreal, though. I'll say that."

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