NBA Draft 2016: Pistons select Henry Ellenson with 18th pick

With the 18th pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, the Detroit Pistons have selected Marquette’s Henry Ellenson, the 2015-16 Big East Freshman of the Year.

The 19-year-old big man is coming off a sensational season at Marquette, where he proved his worth as an NBA power forward who could jump into the center position in smaller lineups. At 6’11 with a 7’2 reach and a soft touch, Ellenson averaged 17 points and 9.7 rebounds per game in his one season at Marquette.

Before that, Ellenson developed into a McDonald’s All-American in Rice Lake, Wis., a small town of 8,000 about 100 miles northeast of Minneapolis. Ricky O’Donnell’s SB Nation story on Ellenson took a look at his development -- he spent most of his life as a point guard, but when he grew to 6’9 by his sophomore year in high school, he started developing a post game.

With an extra 2 inches, he blossomed into a stellar post player, but one who can also shoot. At Marquette, he hit nearly 43 percent of his two-point jumpers and hit 63 percent of his shots at the rim, per Hoop-Math. He made less than 29 percent of his shots from deep, but scouts believe his shooting ability is going to make a difference in the NBA.

His polished offensive game is NBA-ready, but his defense is lacking. He’s not the most athletic and his quickness isn’t ready to defend wings on the perimeter, and he lacked intensity defensively during much of his time at Marquette. When he was engaged, he showed glimpses of skill as a rim protector.

Defense will likely be a problem for Ellenson, but his offensive abilities and toolset make him ready to contribute right away -- even if it’s only for stretches off the bench.

A big man with scoring instincts and shooting ability like Ellenson is going to have a spot in the NBA, but whether he develops into a starter or more will depend on how much he can improve defensively. It’s not out of the question -- he developed his offensive game, there’s no reason to believe he can’t learn to put himself into the right spot at the right time. His athleticism may keep him from being an elite defender, but there’s room to grow. Even without much of a defensive repertoire, Ellenson is ready to make an impact.