As the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft played out, the Detroit Pistons weren’t willing to wait until their pick to make a selection.
A player they thought highly of was sliding down the board, and Trajan Langdon clearly felt like it was close enough to pounce.
There was a lot of switching in the teens; the Pistons got in on the action, which included the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Memphis Grizzlies. The Thunder selected Ebuka Okorie out of Stanford, traded the rights to the Memphis Grizzlies, who then flipped it over to Detroit.
The Pistons gave away their original pick to snag the freshman star.
Detroit Pistons Get Strong Message From NBA Analyst After Ebuka Okorie Pick
GettyPALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 17: Ebuka Okorie #1 of the Stanford Cardinal stands on the court during their game against the Duke Blue Devils at Stanford Maples Pavilion on January 17, 2026 in Palo Alto, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Shortly after making the pick, the NBA Draft analyst Kevin O’Connor took to social media to send out a strong message, worth getting excited about.
“I love the aggression by Detroit to move up for Ebuka Okorie,” O’Connor said.
“Elite downhill attacker and will become a better shooter in the NBA. Gonna help the Pistons turnover problem. He logged only 1.9 turnovers per game. Stanford had an 11.9% turnover rate with Okorie on the floor and 20.5% with him off, the largest drop off in the entire nation, per CBB Analytics.”
With the Pistons’ original picks coming at No. 21, they were linked to many different players in major mock drafts.
Since Okorie wasn’t projected to fall that far, it was difficult for analysts to imagine Okorie would end up in Detroit. However, Langdon’s aggressiveness on draft night got them one of the most exciting guards in the draft this year.
Ebuka Okorie’s Run At Stanford
GettyPALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 14: Ebuka Okorie #1 of the Stanford Cardinal is guarded by Jaydon Young #4 of the North Carolina Tar Heels at Stanford Maples Pavilion on January 14, 2026 in Palo Alto, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
The 19-year-old guard out of New Hampshire attended Alabama for the 2025-2026 NCAA season.
Okorie started the 31 games that he played in, seeing the court for 35.1 minutes per game.
As a freshman, Okorie shot 46.5% from the field and hit on 35.4% of his threes. The incoming rookie produced averages of 23.2 points per game, along with 3.6 assists, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.6 steals.
Detroit Pistons In 2025-2026
GettyDETROIT, MICHIGAN – MAY 13: Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff and Jalen Duren #0 of the Detroit Pistons talk against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the third quarter in Game Five of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena on May 13, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Before Okorie was getting fully scouted by the Pistons, Detroit was making a run as the No. 1 team in the Eastern Conference.
Although they entered the 2026 NBA Playoffs in the top spot, the Pistons dropped off in round two. They clearly had a need for scorers at the guard position, and they’ll get a promising prospect in Okorie with the 17th pick.
Pistons Get Strong Message From NBA Analyst After Ebuka Okorie Pick