ACC Basketball: What will ACC prospects bring to their NBA teams?
By James Bowers
SG Gary Trent Jr., Portland Trail Blazers
School: Duke
Pick: 37th Overall (selected by Sacramento, rights traded to Portland)
Height/Weight/Age: 6-6/209/19
Gary Trent, Jr. will head to Portland after the Blazers traded two second-round picks to his original selector, the Sacramento Kings. The former Duke Blue Devil was a 40% three point shooter and averaged 14.5 points a game when he played for Coach K. Trent will be a second generation Blazer; the senior Gary Trent played for Portland from 1995-1997. Jr credits his father with helping him prepare for a career in the NBA.
Trent will join a team that won the Northwest division of the Western Conference last year. He will add another scoring threat to a team that includes breakout star Damian Lillard. Trent had worked out with the Blazers earlier in the month, and execs liked what they saw out of the 6-foot-6 shooter.
SG Bruce Brown Jr., Detroit Pistons
School: Miami
Pick: 42nd Overall
Height/Weight/Age: 6’5″/190/21
Bruce Brown, Jr. was once graded as a first-round pick. However, a statistical dropoff following his freshman year in Coral Gables relegated him to the early second-round. He’s still lauded for his size and strength. Critics also praise his tenacity as a defender and competitive spirit. Fine-tuning is required for attributes like his shooting and “basketball IQ”. However, the Pistons are willing to invest in the former ‘Cane, based on his attacking style around the boards.
Bruce Brown, Jr. joins a team deep at the shooting guard position. Reggie Bullock, Luke Kennard, and Langston Galloway are the guys Brown will compete against for minutes in his rookie year. Brown will hope to have a good summer league season in order to earn the favor of head coach Dwane Casey.