Pistons Sign Draft Selections<br>Brandon Knight and Vernon Macklin

December 9, 2011
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – Detroit Pistons President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars announced today that the club has signed draft selections Brandon Knight and Vernon Macklin to contracts. Per team policy, terms of the contracts were not disclosed.

Knight was drafted by Detroit with the eighth overall selection in the first round of the 2011 NBA Draft. A 6-3 guard from the University of Kentucky, Knight averaged 17.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.2 rebounds in 38 games last season as a freshman for the Wildcats. He shot 42% from the field, 38% from three-point range and 80% from the free-throw line on the season. Knight set University of Kentucky freshman records in points scored (657), three pointers made (87) and most 20-point games in a season (14). He also led the team in SEC play with 17.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 16 games to earn First-Team All-SEC honors by the coaches, Second Team All-SEC by the media and an SEC All-Freshman team selection.

Macklin was drafted by Detroit with the 52nd pick in the second round. He averaged 11.6 points and 5.4 rebounds while shooting 59% from the field last season for the Florida Gators. The 6-10, 227-pound forward/center scored in double figures in 25 of 37 games as a senior including a career-high 25 points on 11-for-14 shooting in the 2011 NCAA Tournament against Butler. Macklin played his first two seasons at Georgetown University before transferring to Florida where he sat out the 2008-09 season to fulfill NCAA transfer rules.

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