Justise Winslow and Stanley Johnson duel at NBA Summer League (Video)

Two top 10 picks squared off Monday in an entertaining NBA Summer League showdown.

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No matter where their respective NBA careers take them, it’s going to be hard to avoid making comparisons between Stanley Johnson of the Detroit Pistons and Justise Winslow of the Miami Heat.

Both are ultra-athletic wings who play tenacious defense and can fill it up offensively, leading to close comparisons throughout the recruiting process and college. After Johnson was selected eighth and Winslow 10th in last month’s NBA draft, a debate over who would have the better professional career quickly started.

That hasn’t led to a rivalry between Johnson and Winslow, who are good friends off the court. When they squared off on the court Monday in a NBA Summer League contest, that friendship wasn’t so apparent.

In terms of individual performance, Johnson clearly won this round. While Winslow poured in 17 points on 5-15 shooting, Johnson showed his trademark versatility by putting up 14 points on 4-5 shooting, in addition to seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block.

Detroit made a bit of a surprise selection by taking Johnson at No. 8 over Winslow, who rounded out the top 10. Winslow was a key member of Duke’s championship run and has a higher upside than just about any other member of this rookie class. Miami was fortunate to grab Winslow at No. 10, as he is an early candidate for the steal of the draft.

That’s not to take anything away from Johnson, who showed an ability to do a little bit of everything at Arizona. Detroit has to be thrilled with the dominating performance Johnson has put up in his first three Summer League games.

This is just the start of what should be a very long NBA career for both, so the debate will continue to rage on for years to come.

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