The Detroit Pistons chose Louisville point guard Peyton Siva with the No. 56 pick in Thursday's NBA Draft. The four-year point guard for the Cardinals helped lead Louisville to the 2013 national championship.
NBA Draft 2013: Detroit Pistons select Peyton Siva at No. 56
At No. 56, the Pistons drafted Peyton Siva, who helped lead Louisville to a national title.
Streeter Lecka
More: Detroit Bay Boys
Siva's development in Louisville was one of the key factors pushing Rick Pitino and the Cardinals to consecutive Big East Tournament championships in 2012 and 2013, a 2012 Final Four berth and the 2013 national championship. Siva showed up in Louisville a talented but reckless point guard with a penchant for turnovers. He left as a solid floor general.
His jump shot still isn't great, as he shot 40.4 percent from the floor as a senior and a mere 28.8 percent from 3-point range. However, he has improved his mid-range jumper and has shown proficiency scoring on spot jumpers and drives to the hoop on pick-and-roll plays. His two skills at Louisville that pushed him into the national spotlight were his excellent passing and perimeter defense. He was 31st in the country in 2012-13 in steal percentage; combine that with Russ Smith's skills as ball-seeking defenders, it's easy to see why Louisville was as good as it was in the full-court press.
The Pistons could use some point guard depth, and Siva may be able to provide a nice spark off the bench. He doesn’t help Detroit’s three-point shooting woes, but he can help in other areas.
• Draft resources: Scouting reports | Team Needs | Big Board
See More:
