The Detroit Pistons entered Thursday night with a hole in their backcourt, and exited with one of the most athletic guards in the draft.
The Pistons selected Jaden Ivey with the fifth overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft. A year after adding a potential star in Cade Cunningham with the No. 1 pick, the Pistons took a swing and will pair Cunningham with a high-upside off-guard with the tools to become a go-to option.
The Sacramento Kings took Iowa forward Keegan Murray at No. 4, making way for Ivey to come to the Pistons.
Ivey, who has many family ties to Detroit, broke down in tears after commissioner Adam Silver announced the pick, before hugging his mom, Notre Dame women’s basketball head coach and former Detroit Shock guard Niele Ivey.
“This is everything, man,” Ivey said on stage at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. “I worked day in and day out just to get to this level. I know I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for her and I’m just so happy.
“I’m going to give it my all every single day,” he continued. I’m going to work my hardest to help my team win and just going to give it my all.”
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Ivey had a breakout sophomore season at Purdue, averaging 17.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists. He’s a gifted athlete with perhaps the best first-step in the draft, enabling him to break down defenses and get to the rim with ease. That, along with his explosive vertical, turned him into a nightly highlight reel in college and will give the Pistons a jolt when he’s on the floor.
He was widely projected to go top four, and some analysts considered him to be the highest-upside player in the draft. Per sources, rival teams inquired about Ivey’s availability in a trade even after the pick was in. The Pistons, for now, plan to keep him.
Ivey comes from an athletic family. His grandfather, James Hunter, was a cornerback for the Detroit Lions from 1976-82 and passed away in Allen Park in 2010. Ivey’s father, Javin Hunter, was born and raised in Detroit, attended Detroit Country Day and was a wide receiver for the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers from 2002-06. Ivey’s mom, Niele, played for the Shock in 2005.
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