The Team That Should Draft Cole Anthony

The best fit for the combo guard.

Death, taxes, and Cole Anthony a lottery pick? This time last year that answer would have been "yes". This time 11 months ago that answer would have been "absolutely", and he’s going top five!

After an up and down freshman season at North Carolina, Anthony declared for the 2020 NBA Draft on April 17, 2020 via Instagram. It shouldn’t come as a surprise since Coby White did the same thing the previous season, and most are expecting Caleb Love to follow suit in six months.

Some of the reasons why Anthony struggled at UNC was because the team wasn’t truly built around him, and his knee injury didn’t help matters.

Looking back the previous year White started with three proven seniors in Luke Maye, Kenny Williams, and Cam Johnson. The fourth starter? Some defensive hustler named Garrison Brooks. He was also blessed to play with fellow freshmen Leaky Black and Nassir Little. So already that team was not only talented, but experienced.

Brooks was the lone starter left when Anthony arrived, and there wasn’t a freshman to bring along slowly off the bench. Anthony Harris and Jeremiah Francis were thrown into the fire once they were healthy.

Despite all of that Anthony still averaged 18.5 points per game, 4.0 assists per game, and 5.7 rebounds per game. Anthony’s natural position is more of a shooting guard, but for UNC he ran the point.

What team should draft the UNC stud? Where would he fit in the best?

The Detroit Pistons. An Eastern Conference team with the seventh pick, and are in need of star power. Anthony can learn under Derrick Rose, develop under Dwane Casey (like Kyle Lowry did), and bring his scoring and rebounding to a team that desperately needs it.

According to basketballreference.com last season the Pistons ranked 25 in points per game, and 28 in pace with only 20 wins.

Drafting Anthony with the seventh pick won’t be a reach; in fact the last time the Pistons had the seventh pick they passed on Gordon Hayward, and Paul George. Sorry, Greg Monroe.

If the Pistons want to matter in the Eastern Conference, they will be selecting Anthony on November 18.

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