The Detroit Pistons were one of the best stories in the NBA last season.
And they did that for the most part without one of their recent high draft picks, Jaden Ivey.
Ivey played just 30 games because he fractured his left fibula midway through the season.
Now, he's back to full health.
“The journey has been definitely a grind to get back, to get healed, to get stronger,” Ivey told Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press. “It’s definitely been a grind. I’m definitely thankful to be in this position right now, be able to be back healthy and to do what I’ve been working for my whole life, to be able to play this game. I’m healed now and looking forward to this next season.”
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Ivey was the No. 5 overall pick out of Purdue in the 2022 NBA Draft.
He was putting up his best numbers yet in 2024-25 before his injury. His averages were 17.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 0.9 steals per game. Ivey was also shooting a career-high 40.9% on 3-pointers and 49.0% on 2-pointers.
He's one of the fastest players as a dribbler in the NBA, so the hope for Detroit will be that he's indeed at full throttle after the tough return from injury.
Ivey doesn't need to lead the show, because that's Cade Cunningham's job. He'll also get a chance to learn from the veteran wing Caris LeVert, who signed with Detroit in free agency.
All in all, it's a good opportunity for everyone involved. The Pistons get Ivey back. He knows what it's like to miss out on the action. And he's got a strong team around him to lean on as he gets back up to full speed and tries to impact winning basketball.
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