Vegas Summer League 2012 Stats: Detroit Pistons' Youngsters Shine on Thursday

It's tough to gain much information from a Summer League game, but if Thursday's 93-79 victory over the Boston Celtics is any indication, the Detroit Pistons have a promising future.

Second-year point guard Brandon Knight was particularly impressive, putting up an excellent stat line of 19 points, 14 assists, three rebounds, two blocks and one steal. He shot the ball well, kept his teammates involved and generally dominated in the way you'd hope a former lottery pick would.

The most encouraging aspect of his performance were those 14 assists. Knight wasn't a prolific passer in college, and not surprisingly, that carried over to the NBA. Among all point guards who appeared in at least 50 games and averaged at least 25 minutes, only three had fewer assists per game than Knight (3.8) last season. 

However, he looks ready to improve that area of his game. He was a willing distributor on Thursday, routinely getting the ball to his teammates in a position where they can succeed.

One of those teammates was rookie big man Andre Drummond, who went for 10 points and eight rebounds against the Celtics. Drummond flashed some of his dazzling potential, mainly his incredible mobility for a man his size.

He made some good defensive plays, but my favorite moment was his second effort on the offensive end. After missing a dunk, he corralled the rebound and sank a pretty turnaround jump hook.

This was a promising move from Drummond, as he needs to refine the more technical aspects of his game. He has a lot to learn offensively, and in order to reach his enormous potential, he'll have to improve his understanding of things like positioning, awareness and timing.

According to Knight (via Pistons.com editor Keith Langlois), Drummond is well on his way to becoming a great player.

"

Brandon Knight on Andre Drummond: "He’s a sponge. He wants to learn. He’s a smart kid and I know he’s going to be a great player."

— Keith Langlois (@Keith_Langlois) July 6, 2012"

A few days after Langlois tweeted that quote, Drummond himself posted his excitement over his new-found knowledge.

"

Everyday is a new learning experience for me! Soaking up all theses new information to become a great player! #DetroitPistons

— Andre Drummond (@DRE_DRUMMOND_) July 11, 2012"

Drummond still has a long way to go, but these early steps should be highly encouraging for Pistons fans. Greg Monroe has already established himself as one of the best young big men in the league. If Drummond can match his progress, they will have a dominant frontcourt for years to come.

Throw in Knight and his improvements on the perimeter, and the Pistons have a promising young roster.