Detroit rookie Jaden Ivey: 'I want to be a Piston for life'

The Detroit Pistons have a proud history of championship basketball. The issue in Detroit is that it's been a while since anything other than mediocre if not straight-up bad basketball has graced the court.

The Pistons took a huge step in the right direction when they won the NBA Draft lottery in 2021 and brought in Cade Cunningham with the No. 1 overall pick. Though he didn't win Rookie of the Year last season, most around the NBA feel that Cunningham is one of the rising superstars in the league.

General manager Troy Weaver followed that draft up by snagging two lottery picks in 2022 in the form of Purdue's Jaden Ivey in No. 5 overall and No. 13 overall pick Jalen Duren from Memphis — who ended up in Detroit via a draft day trade between the New York Knicks, Charlotte Hornets, and Pistons. Duren was technically drafted by the Hornets.

Though both rookies have immense potential, fans in Detroit are especially excited for Ivey. Not only does he have elite athletic and scoring potential as a backcourt mate to Cunningham, but he has strong ties to the city. 

Ivey's mother, Niele Ivey, played for the WNBA's Detroit Shock in 2005. His father, Javin Hunter, was born in Detroit and was a star player for Birmingham Detroit Country Day before going to Notre Dame. Lastly, his late grandfather, James Hunter, played for the Detroit Lions from 1976-1982 and was the No. 10 overall pick by Detroit in 1976.

The ties to Detroit are deep, and Ivey already knows he doesn't want to play NBA basketball anywhere else.

"Growing up, I always loved Detroit. I want to be a Piston for life, that's for sure," he recently told the media. "It runs deep. Every single day I wake up, just try to rep the city well and put that pride on my back."