The Detroit Pistons moved up in the first round to select Stanford guard Ebuka Okorie, who looked like Tyrese Maxey at times last year according to coach Kyle Smith
In the 2026 NBA Draft, the Detroit Pistons proved many projections correct by trading up in the first round to select Stanford guard Ebuka Okorie at No. 17 overall. Considering the Pistons were in the market for a playmaker who can create their own shot while still acting as a facilitator and playmaker, Okorie is a point guard who possesses both of those traits in spades, which makes his landing spot with Detroit a relatively good fit on paper.
During the pre-draft process, the Pistons scouted Okorie all season long during his freshman campaign at Stanford where he put up over 23 points per game in the ACC, but Cardinal head coach Kyle Smith said that Okorie was surprisingly left off many draft boards until the second half of the season, which he found a bit puzzling.
“I’ve coached enough NBA players,” Smith said. “I was like, this one is by far the easiest one for me to diagnose. This guy, he looks like Dennis Schroder right now and plays like him at worst. And then, by the end I was like, jeez, is he Maxey? Is he Tyrese Maxey? He’s one of those. He’s just got incredible speed. The NBA guys always seem to, the guys that have differentiating talents as speed, athleticism or shot-making or something like that, they tend to rise.”
If there was a knock on Okorie coming into the draft, some could say that his size was a bit underwhelming at just 6-1.25 while barefoot at the NBA Combine, but Smith said that Okorie’s height was a non-factor while in college due to his 6-8 wingspan.
”I think he‘ll be fine there just because of his wingspan,” Smith said. “Kind of like Rondo. I don’t know what Rondo’s size was, but that’s who he looks like running around— different player, but the shoulders and the length and that. So, I think once they discovered that he has real NBA length and weight to him, that makes it easier to make that decision.”
From a physical standpoint, Rondo is actually a terrific comparison to Okorie considering that the 16-year NBA vet measured at 6-1 with a 6-9 wingspan to boot. Clearly, Rondo’s size did not serve as a limiting factor for his pro career, but Okorie has a more refined scoring touch than Rondo ever did.
”I think it’s really impressive what he did this year as a point guard,” Smith said. “To shoot 35.7%, the ball is in your hand that much, and I don’t think you’ll find many point guards that shoot that well with the minutes played at almost any level. It’s just a high usage and end-of-clock situation, and as a freshman? Just really impressed because he works at it. He’s disciplined, [the] most disciplined guy. After a game, he’s in the gym at 7am the next morning getting his shots, taking his vitamins. He’s just kind of that guy.”
In terms of his shooting ability, Okorie posted an 83.2% free throw rate, so he clearly has the mechanics and ability to knock down open looks at a consistent level. Okorie was pigeon-holed into a role as Stanford’s go-to scoring threat last season, so he found himself in a position where the squad needed him to take some less-than-ideal looks in order to give the Cardinal unit a fighting chance. But with the Pistons, Okorie will be surrounded with a locker room full of players who can knock down shots and contribute offensively, so it would not be unreasonable to suggest that his three-point percentage could balloon closer to the 38% range by the time his rookie season is over.
Overall, Smith was effusive in his praise for Okorie, who was selected as an AP All-American Honorable Mention. Now, it’s time to see what his impact looks like in the Motor City.
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