Nov 29, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey (23) in the first half against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Pistons' Jaden Ivey Makes Appearance on NBA Top 100 List

Originally posted on Detroit Pistons on SI
By Kevin McCormick | Last updated Sep 25, 2025 6:00 AM ET

In the midst of the Detroit Pistons' historic turnaround, one of the main storylines was the emergence of Jaden Ivey. Though his time on the floor was cut short due to injury, the young guard still received proper league-wide recognition.

When the Pistons drafted Ivey fifth overall in 2022, they envisioned him as a long-term backcourt partner next to Cade Cunningham. This didn't come to fruition early on in his career, partially due to Monty Williams keeping him in a limited role.

A narrative quickly started to form that Ivey and Cunningham wouldn't be able to co-exist, but J.B. Bickerstaff didn't buy into it. Upon arriving in Detroit, he stated on numerous occasions that the guard duo can still figure things out.

Under Bickerstaff's guidance, Ivey took a big step forward in 2025. He averaged a career-high 17.6 PPG and knocked down 40.9% of his attempts from beyond the arc. Well on his way to his best year in the NBA, things went off the rails for Ivey when he suffered a season-ending leg injury in a New Year's Day matchup against the Orlando Magic.

Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

While he only played in 30 games last season, Ivey made a strong enough impression to make an appearance on ESPN's latest top 100 player rankings. After being unranked in 2025, he comes in at No. 85 this time around.

One spot ahead of Ivey is one of his teammates, Tobias Harris.

Before the injury, he was showing signs of a breakout, recording 17.6 points per game on 46% shooting (41% from 3), both of which were career highs. But he never got to play out his full potential. Now extension eligible on his rookie contract, Ivey will have something to prove this season: Can he be a major part of Detroit's next playoff run?

NBA Rank is back! Our experts voted on which players will be the best in 2025-26

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— ESPN (@espn) September 23, 2025

Heading into the 2026 season, Ivey's return is a major storyline for the Pistons. Following what he showed last year, many are eager to see if his play was a flash in the plan or a developmental leap. If the latter, he has a chance to be a key contributor for Detroit as they attempt to take advantage of a weakened Eastern Conference.

Seeing that he still hasn't inked a contract extension, Ivey has a lot riding on getting back to where he was before his devastating injury.

This article first appeared on Detroit Pistons on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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