Sacramento Kings draft Bismack Biyombo; Detroit Pistons get Brandon Knight -
NBA Draft 2011 Part 4
No. 7 - Sacramento Kings
Bismack Biyombo
The Sacramento Kings have already agreed to trade their number seven pick to the Charlotte Bobcats. So it was the Bobcats pick rather than the Kings’.
It’s an interesting one. Bismack Biyombo is a Congolese centre who played in the ACB league, Spain, last season. Amid questions about his age and offensive acumen, the 6-foot-9 player has already made tall claims about what he
is going to achieve in the NBA - Lead in rebounds and blocks.
So is he really going to do that?
Well, he impressed in the Nike Hoop Summit, recording a triple double, the first in Hoop Summit history and it included 10 blocks. He has tremendous heart when it comes to defence. Pure fighter, hustler, he has a “never say die”
attitude.
Physically he is very impressive as well. He is short for a centre but makes up for it with an incredible 7-foot-7 wingspan and 9-foot-3 standing reach. If the Charlotte Bobcats are looking for a defensive anchor, Biyombo could
be their man.
But, he does have glaring weaknesses as well. He simply doesn’t have an offensive game outside the paint and it’s unlikely he will be given any room inside by the larger centres around the league. Also, Biyombo can’t shoot from
anywhere, including the free throw line.
It could come down to faith with Biyombo. If the Charlotte Bobcats persist with the player and help him acclimatise to the league, he could do very well and take Kwame Brown's place. Or else, he could go bust.
No. 8 - Detroit Pistons
Brandon Knight
The Detroit Pistons are in turmoil and that is an understatement. The team just recently fired head coach John Kuester whose tenure saw pretty much a player rebellion. Not to mention a playoffs drought that has left the Pistons
faithful yearning for some sort of success.
They got some good news though when the Detroit Pistons picked Brandon Knight on Draft night. With most teams having top picks, going for players from outside the United States, Brandon Knight was left unattended to until the 8th
pick and Detroit took advantage.
The team is in need of some serious overhaul and now it can begin with the talented point guard at their disposal. Brandon Knight is a fine young player. He is good at shooting, good at distributing and recorded high numbers for
3-pointers last season.
The player’s downsides include a weak frame and perhaps the lack of a mid range game, but that can be worked on once he is in Detroit.
If the Pistons can get rid of deadwood like Richard Hamilton and Tracy McGrady in the summer, they now have a good nucleus of young players to build around for the future in earnest.
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