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Detroit Pistons Crack Draft Day Joke After Breaking Odd Trend

The Detroit Pistons felt relaxed without the fifth pick on Wednesday.
Justin Grasso|
Jun 26, 2024; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Ron Holland II poses for photos with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected in the first round by the Detroit Pistons in the 2024 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Jun 26, 2024; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Ron Holland II poses for photos with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected in the first round by the Detroit Pistons in the 2024 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

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Detroit Pistons

For the past three years, the Detroit Pistons entered the NBA Draft with the fifth-overall pick.

It never mattered how many games the Pistons lost. Even after winning just 14 games and securing a league-worst 14-68 record, the Pistons lost the lottery and ended up with pick five.

This year, the Pistons weren’t slated to go on the clock at pick five for the first time since 2021. Before the start of the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft, the Pistons’ social media team poked fun at the fact that they no longer have to go on the clock at No. 5.

via @DetroitPistons: Admin while the fifth pick in the NBA Draft is announced tonight

The Pistons could relax on Wednesday without worrying about which prospect they selected, and whether or not they made the right choice.

While it’s unfortunate the Pistons’ pick couldn’t remain protected with a playoff appearance, they’ll get an opportunity to add another rookie during the second round with the 37th overall pick.

For what it’s worth, the Pistons have done pretty well with their top lottery pick since 2021. While the 2020 selection of Killian Hayes leaves a bad taste for many, Detroit has made up for it by landing Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson, and Ron Holland all within the top five.

As a first-overall pick, Cunningham was viewed as a potential All-Star. At this stage, he’s got that. Jaden Ivey’s fit alongside Cunningham came into question at first, but he started living up to the hype last year before suffering an injury.

Although Ausar Thompson dealt with health concerns towards the end of his rookie year and into his sophomore season, the young forward has proven to have an elite skill set on the defensive end of the floor. As he continues improving on offense, Thompson is proving plenty of value as a starter in the NBA.

Detroit’s last first-round pick, Ron Holland, had an immediate role on the team last year. As a rookie, Holland appeared in 81 games. He averaged six points and three rebounds. Holland proved to be a decent defender and played with a high level of intensity.

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Justin Grasso was a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s 76ers On SI Network. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoMedia

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