Last Tuesday, Austin Daye showed why he was drafted 15th overall by the Detroit Pistons in the 2009 NBA draft.

In just under 15 minutes of playing time, Daye scored an impressive 10 points during
Pistons’ 101-98 loss against the Washington Wizards.
Daye is a standout from Gonzaga. He displayed his shooting range with two three-point baskets. And when the defense started adjusting, so did he. He penetrated to the basket to get easy scores.

“Austin knows how to play, and those guys [Daye and fellow rookie Jonas Jerebko] have a bright future in this league, and I wanted to give them an opportunity,” explained Pistons coach John Kuester in a post game interview. 

He continued: “Austin is very skilled and has a lot of confidence in his game. We talked to the players about having their motors ready to run. We have enough depth, so if a player is struggling, we have those who can come out and get it going.”

With the Pistons trailing 75-68 in the third quarter, Daye came up with a crucial three-pointer from the corner. In the succeeding possession of Detroit, he went strong to the basket to score a conventional three-point play this time.

“With the veterans we have, I know I won't get a whole lot of time, so whatever time I get on the floor I will cherish,” commented Daye. “I was happy to contribute, and I think this was a good experience for us to be down and come back.”

Daye will be an off-the-bench player for Detroit. And as of today, no definitive playing time has been promised by the coaching staff.

The 6-foot-11 rookie hopes that he gets an opportunity to prove himself of the floor come the 2009-2010 NBA season.

Source: mlive.com