The Detroit Pistons are in the market for reliable three-point shooting, a quality happens to be one of Christian Anderson’s specialties
Now that the New York Knicks have finally broken their title drought with a five-game NBA Finals victory over the San Antonio Spurs, the entire league is on equal footing once again in the offseason together. Less than 10 days remain until the 2026 NBA Draft, which marks a quick turnaround for all the playoff squads who have had varying lengths of time to bring in prospects for workouts and evaluate what is widely believed to be a deep crop of incoming rookies.
Along those lines, the Detroit Pistons have control of the 21st overall selection in the first round after a Trade Deadline deal with the Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves. In that three-team trade, the Pistons acquired a pick swap with the T-Wolves, otherwise Detroit wouldn’t step up to the podium until later in the round. So, the Pistons have a chance to add either a talented three-point shooter, an accomplished ball handler or a long-term answer at power forward considering those are the most pressing needs for Detroit entering the summer.
If the Pistons opt to pursue a perimeter threat, Texas Tech sophomore guard Christian Anderson is a name to keep in mind after he registered a 41.5% mark from three-point range last season. Anderson, who stands 6-3 and 178 pounds, built his reputation as a dangerous lethal scorer beyond the arc while averaging 18.5 points, 7.4 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game for the Red Raiders, which speaks to his productive impact all across the game.
With the ball in his hands, Anderson has the first-step quickness to burn defenders and the scoring instinct to finish through contact when driving the lane when the three-ball is less available. As a whole, Anderson can score at all three levels, but he proved himself to be a skilled playmaker who understands how to set his teammates up for open looks by soaking up pressure.
During his sophomore season, Anderson was named to the AP’s All-America Third Team while also earning All-Big 12 First Team honors. Anderson was dubbed the conference’s Most Improved Player and also set a single-season school record for dimes with 244 assists last year.
Since the Pistons could serve to add another three-point shooter through the draft, Anderson’s ability to knock down shots at a high rate (above 80% from the free throw line as well) meshes well with his resume as a facilitator who can keep his teammates involved. Detroit will have five guards on the roster at the start of next season, but the Pistons often flexed to a backcourt-dominant lineup in the latter part of the second round against the Cleveland Cavs in an effort to stack the three-point line with more dangerous shooters.
The Pistons have already hosted Anderson for a pre-draft workout in late May, so it’s clear that the organization is evaluating whether the sniper would be a good fit in the Motor City. Based on recent mock drafts, Anderson has been a late-stage riser in terms of his draft stock, but he’s mostly been considered a mid-to-late first round pick, which would be directly in the Pistons’ wheelhouse.
From a three-point shooting perspective, Duncan Robinson was the only Detroit player to register a long-range conversion rate over 40%, so there is no debate that the Pistons could use more firepower from that distance. Detroit also has clear interest in Anderson with the No. 21 pick, but it remains to be seen whether he’ll still be on the board at that time given his surging draft profile.
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