Stanley Johnson playing for Arizona (Photo : Harry How | Getty Images Sport)
Two rookies with very similar looks, physique, and style of play are projected to be an interesting match-up in the East.
Stanley Johnson and Justise Winslow were both outstanding lottery talents and most scouts agree that you couldn't go wrong with either one of them, although Winslow had a slight edge in popularity since the Duke Blue Devils won the NCAA championship
When the Detroit Pistons had a choice with both players on the board, they went with the Arizona Wildcat. Fans applauded the choice but it seems like the "Worldwide leader in Sports" did not agree with them.
Detroit Bad Boys, a Pistons fan site, vehemently criticized the player rankings for their top draft choice who performed very well in Summer League.
They took offense that Johnson was ranked 206th in ESPN's Annual Player Rankings and aired their reactions.
"Johnson ranks ninth in rookies on the list. Some are no surprise to be higher than him. Karl Anthony-Towns, D'Angelo Russell and Jahlil Okafor have yet to be ranked. Kristaps Porzingis, Willie Cauley-Stein, Emmanuel Mudiay and Frank Kaminsky III are all also ranked ahead of Johnson. So is Justise Winslow."
It is notable that the site did not seem to mind that Frank Kaminsky, who was drafted one spot behind Johnson at ninth - which meant that their beef was only with Winslow.
DBB explained their stand.Since the voters should also think consider the quantity and not just the quality of a players' contributions, DBB says Johnson should have the advantage.
"Winslow is listed on ESPN as a small forward. As such, he likely sits behind Luol Deng in the depth chart. If you look at the team-by-team listings, you'll see that they have Winslow right behind Deng on the team's roster, but Deng has yet to be ranked. Johnson is also behind his presumed starter, Marcus Morris, but he's also behind Jodie Meeks(as far as team listings go). Either way, they are both backups."
They note that ESPN and the Detroit Pistons as a whole are not given a fair shake by the sports media giant. ESPN has been accused of favoring the Miami Heat since LeBron James joined the team, and based on the accusations, even after he left.
