Detroit Pistons pick Bruce Brown's future at point, says college coach

Vince Ellis | Detroit Free Press

Show Caption Hide Caption Watch: Ed Stefanski says Detroit Pistons 'fortunate' to grab Thomas, Brown Detroit Pistons senior adviser Ed Stefanski feels team was "fortunate" to grab two wings in second round of 2018 NBA draft June 21.

Jim Larranaga anticipates many questions from prospects while on the recruiting trail.

While recruiting Boston-area standout Bruce Brown Jr. several years ago, the Miami (Fla.) head coach faced an unexpected question.

Meeting with Brown’s mentor on a Boston street corner, there was one question.

Can you convert Brown, a highly recruited swingman, into a point guard?

An easy answer since Larranaga expected Brown to provide minutes at backup point guard.

But after watching him on the Miami campus, Larranaga began to realize the Detroit Pistons draft pick’s long-term potential is at point guard.

More: Detroit Pistons' Dwane Casey praises Tom Gores in coach of year speech

“The more I observed him and evaluated him, the more I realized his long-term potential is really as a point guard,” Larranaga told the Free Press on Monday. “I think he’s going to be a point guard in the NBA.

“He makes good decisions. He can guard all different kinds of positions cause of his size, speed, athletic ability and toughness. I think in the NBA everybody likes to switch, I don’t think he’ll have any problem switching on to a bigger player.”

The Pistons first acquired swingman Khyri Thomas in a trade with the Philadelphia 76ers for the No. 38 overall pick in Thursday’s NBA draft. The Pistons will send two future second-round picks to the 76ers in the deal.

The Pistons then used their second-rounder (No. 42 overall) to select Brown.

There were five players the Pistons targeted in that range — Brown and Thomas were in that group. The Pistons' cap situation doesn't allow for high-profile free agent signings in the near future so draft maneuvering is one way to add cheap talent.

“Time will tell in a couple of years if we’ve made a good move, but I’m happy tonight,” Pistons senior adviser Ed Stefanski said on draft night. “It’s a lot more than I thought we were going to get.”

More: Greatest Detroit Pistons player of all time? Vote now #DetroitGOAT

Stefanski said Brown is capable of playing the point, but he was drafted to provide wing depth.

Brown, 21, is 6-feet-5, 195 pounds. He measured a 6-9 wingspan at the combine. Fans will get their first glimpse soon when Las Vegas summer league action begins July 6.

Larranaga thinks Brown should get time at the point.

Brown averaged four assists per game before missing the last 12 games of his sophomore season with the Hurricanes with a foot injury.

A solid number, but big man Dewan Huell struggled when Brown went down.

Huell averaged 13.5 points per game before Brown’s injury; he averaged seven points after.

“He was very good at evaluating his teammates and getting the ball to them in good spots,” Larranaga said. “The lob passes and pocket passes were not there as often from other players as it once was from Bruce.”

Brown figures to be a plus defender and rebounder. He likely fell to the Pistons because he was still recovering from the injury while going through the predraft process.

And he struggled from behind the 3-point line last season, shooting 27 percent.

“The most important thing I need to work on is shooting the ball from three, off the dribble and catch and shoot,” Brown told reporters after the draft.

Follow Vince Ellis on Twitter @vincent_ellis56.

Download our Pistons Xtra app on iTunes or Android!