Pistons calling the next man up as Tolu Smith dominates off the bench in loss to Clippers

You can't be a Detroit Piston without putting in maximum effort on the defensive side of the ball. It's the foundation in which the Pistons organization was popularized on. It's the mindset head coach JB Bickerstaff has instilled in all players.

Of course some defenders are better than others, but everyone on this Pistons team has a high motor and is willing to swarm. Injuries to Jalen Duren, Tobias Harris, and Cade Cunningham have really challenged Detroit. It's led to schematic adjustments and different personnel being experimented with.

In last night's game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Bickerstaff called the next man up in the frontcourt and an opportunity was seized once again. Tolu Smith is a 25-year-old 6-foot-11 forward out of Mississippi State. Smith went undrafted in 2024 and since then he's hovered between the G-League Motor City Cruise and the Pistons. When Duren went down, the Pistons had a more serious size problem to address.

Jan 10, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; LA Clippers guard Jordan Miller (22) drives to the basket and is fouled by Detroit Pistons forward Tolu Smith (35) during the second quarter at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images | David Reginek-Imagn Images

A career high in minutes

Smith not only played 20 minutes or more for the first time this season, but he logged 20 or more minutes for just the second time in his entire two-year NBA career and logged the most minutes (26) he ever has in a single game . This was a big night for the young big man.

Smith collected 14 boards and swatted four shots away from the rim. He missed six of his seven shots from the field, but shot eight free throws as well and only missed one of them. Smith finished with nine points in the game. The team lost the game, but Smith remained poised while speaking to the media after the game. He explained why his team doesn't let losses like this phase them.

"I just feel like when bodies are down, it's a next man up mentality and I think that our culture and our ability to just play with whoever we got, we got a group of dogs who are just willing to play. We all got that winning mindset going out and we know we're gonna keep doing this."
Tolu Smith

The Pistons may have lost, but Smith earned more playing time. Smith is easily the tallest active player on the roster and his rim protection proved to be a valuable asset for the defense. The Clippers erased a 19-point deficit to beat the shorthanded Pistons Saturday night.

What the experience was like

Smith also spoke on what it was like to face one of the better center combinations in the league. Brook Lopez was held scoreless in 12 minutes while Ivica Zubac scored 17 points in 32 minutes.

"Yeah it was exciting man, I grew up watching Brook Lopez a lot. It's really cool to just be on the same floor as him. To be able to share moments like that and personally I feel like I held my own, I think P held his own as well."
Tolu Smith on facing Zubac and Lopez

Smith also emphasized how important it was to make sure he stayed ready for an opportunity like this one. He referenced the road Daniss Jenkins took into the rotation. Jenkins is also still a two-way contract player, but has emerged as a major contributor to the team's bench unit.