Detroit’s championship teams have always prided itself on getting down and dirty on the defensive end of the floor. From Dennis Rodman to Ben Wallace, the Pistons have always banked on elite dynamos.
Fast forward to today, the team had only begun clawing its way back to relevance after a playoff appearance from last season.
Andre Drummond anchors the paint, and he figures to become one of the league’s top defensive big men for years to come. Now, another piece to make opponents’ lives miserable on offense wouldn’t be so bad.
Enter Stanley Johnson. The incoming sophomore swingman showed flashes of brilliance last year on defense, and the team will bank on him to take a big leap in that department this season.
In Vince Ellis’ article for the Detroit Free Press, Johnson’s potential to be an elite defender was talked about by both his point guard and coach.
“On that defensive end, he’s really starting to be that anchor for us already,” point guard Reggie Jackson said last week after a day of precamp drills. “He’s constantly in talk, aggressive. He’s always been a dog, but he’s really believing in himself.”
“He has great instincts,” Van Gundy said Tuesday after the first practice of training camp. “I don’t think you wanna take that away totally, because one of the things that could help us is creating more turnovers.
He has the physical tools as well as the mental edge to play the part, and there’s no reason for Stanley Johnson to take a step back defensively this year. He will be a force, and a nightmare to opponents.
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