Rodney Stuckey: In Stuck We Trust?

A friend of mine recently asked me a simple question: "Do you think Rodney Stuckey will ever be an All Star?" 

I think the answer is simple, but I'm not going to give a one word answer right away because I fear I'd lose the three people that happened upon this article: the two guys who Googled "Stuckey" and my wife, who I convinced I'm writing big-time Pistons articles in order to justify watching Detroit vs. Charlotte in mid-January.

I actually liked the question posed to me and feel it's a legit question to be asked. 

From one perspective you'd say, "Well, Joe D didn't trade Chauncey for nothing," while from the other perspective you'd say, "Wow, it seems like Stuck has regressed so far this season."  I think both of these perspectives are short-sighted and I'd like to explain why.

Rodney Stuckey was drafted by the Detroit Pistons as the heir apparent at the point guard spot to eventually replace Chauncey Billups.  The idea was that he'd back Billups up for a few seasons, learn the ropes, and then take the reigns to lead the Pistons. 

However, I don't think anyone knew he'd be thrust into this spot quite so early after Chauncey was traded for Allen Iverson almost three weeks ago.  Granted, the trade was made as much to clear cap space for the future as it was for acquiring a dynamic scorer for the present. Still, it was quite obvious that Joe Dumars saw enough from Stuckey to make him Detroit's starting point guard come the 2009-2010 season.

All this is already obvious, even to the casual observer.  The question is, can Stuckey be an All-Star? 

With a career scoring average of just under eight points and shooting percentage below 40 percent, the easy answer is "No," but I think that underscores what Stuckey can be when given the opportunity. 

I look at the 07-08 playoffs when he started in place of Chauncey Billups vs. the Orlando Magic.  It was at this point that everyone started saying, "OK, now I know what Joe D. saw in this guy."  Unfortunately for Stuckey, I think he was prematurely anointed as "The Next Great Point Guard."

Regardless, I think you saw a glimpse into the future of what this young man has the potential to be: a fearless, determined leader.

At this point, I'd imagine that those still reading have come to the conclusion that I believe Rodney Stuckey can be an All Star, and they would be right.  I think his ceiling is pretty high and he's got enough chutzpah to be a top tier scorer in the league. 

Before you go calling me out, let it be known that I feel he's still got a LONG way to go.  His shot selection is suspect, his defense is poor, and he's still learning how to lead a team. 

But keep in mind that Billups was also considered a "shoot-first point guard" who eventually settled in and became an NBA Finals MVP.  That's on top of the fact that this is only Stuckey's second year and he's still only 22 years old. 

I think Stuckey's got enough scoring potential that the worst case is that he becomes a (alert: Pistons reference) Jerry Stackhouse-type scorer who could find himself on a couple All Star teams simply by scoring in the mid-20s.  Best case, I see Stuckey realizing his potential, letting the game come to him, and developing into Detroit's next great scoring point guard to whom All Star appearances will come by default. 

Regardless, I think the question isn't whether Stuckey will ever become an All Star, but whether he will develop as the Pistons organization envisions: as a potential lynchpin to another World Championship.