JALEN DUREN

But the one thing that should garner significant recognition is the mature fashion he’s exhibited in accepting a new role on the team. However, since returning to the Pistons lineup on March 9, Duren been a reserve spelling James Wiseman, whom the Pistons acquired at this year’s NBA trade deadline. Over his last eight games backing up Wiseman, Duren has averaged 11.1 points on 61% shooting from the field, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists. Pistons coach Dwane Casey was not only pleased with Duren’s performance, but his overall approach to accepting his new role. After Tuesday’s practice, the Pistons’ rookie big man spoke about accepting his new role since his return.

DETROIT -- The Detroit Pistons’ rookie tandem was a force to be reckoned with on Monday for the shorthanded Milwaukee Bucks. Ivey stayed aggressive, scoring 14 points and dishing out three assists in the third quarter alone. Helping Ivey shoulder the Pistons’ scoring load was Jalen Duren. While Middleton led the Bucks in scoring, he wasn’t alone as three of Milwaukee’s starters also scored 20-plus points. Monday was a rough night for Pistons center James Wiseman, who received his 15th start in 17 games in Detroit.

Because it was a slam dunk contest for a better part of the game between the Detroit Pistons and the Denver Nuggets. In the end, the Nuggets dunked the Pistons to pick up a 119-100 victory on Thursday. Eugene Omoruyi set the tone for the Pistons early, scoring eight of their first 13 points. Duren showcased his passing abilities as a big man in the second quarter. He helped keep the Nuggets in the game, a catalyst of their 10-0 run in the second quarter off a pair of three pointers.

DETROIT -- Even with seven players scoring in double figures, the Detroit Pistons were not able to overcome the Indiana Pacers, falling 121-115 on Saturday at Little Caesars Arena. This marked the Pistons’ 11th straight loss this season. Jalen Duren -- who came off the bench for a second-straight game -- finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Indiana’s Buddy Hield led the Pacers in scoring with 17 points while also grabbing eight rebounds. The Pistons have a chance for quick revenge on the Pacers, as both teams face each other again on Monday at Little Caesars Arena.

Unfortunately for the Detroit Pistons, that took place during halftime only, as the Pistons fell 113-103 to the Charlotte Hornets. This now extends the Pistons’ longest losing streak of the season to 10 games. The last time the Pistons went on a double figure losing streak was last season when they lost 14 straight. With Duren coming off the bench, Pistons center James Wiseman started his seventh straight game. He finished with his second double-double of the season -- both of which were with Pistons--, adding 16 points and 13 rebounds.

With the NBA regular season winding down, it appears that Isaiah Stewart’s season is essentially over. The Detroit Pistons announced on Thursday that Stewart received an MRI on Tuesday, revealing that the 21-year-old forward has a left shoulder impingement. As he undergoes rehabilitation for the injury, the team said Stewart is set for re-evaluation in 3-4 weeks. Stewart’s shoulder issues this season date back to January, when he missed four games due to shoulder soreness. At that point, however, the Pistons only have five games left in the season, making it unlikely Stewart touches the court again this season.

Zach LaVine scored 41 points and the Detroit Pistons called one too many timeouts, helping the Chicago Bulls hold on for a 117-115 win.

DETROIT -- James Wiseman has been with the Detroit Pistons just shy of three weeks. In four games with the Pistons, Wiseman is averaging 13 points on 59% shooting from the field, and eight rebounds. As he settles into Detroit’s system, Wiseman has quickly made a strong impression with Pistons coach Dwane Casey. He’s a sponge.”Part of the reason Wiseman is a sponge as Casey noted is due to the championship culture he was drafted into. According to Casey, Wiseman has already brought a certain pedigree to the Pistons locker room, being very vocal on the court, especially when it comes to defensive assignments.

DETROIT (AP) — Pascal Siakam had 29 points and eight rebounds for the Toronto Raptors in their fourth straight win, a 95-91 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday afternoon. Detroit’s Marvin Bagley III piled up a season-high 21 points and 18 rebounds in his first game since fracturing his right hand on Jan. 2. Ivey made two free throws in the final minute to pull Detroit within a point. Bagley missed a shot in the lane that could have given Detroit the lead before Siakam made two free throws with 11 seconds left. Bagley split free throws with 4.1 seconds left and Siakam clinched Toronto’s win with two more free throws.

Two weeks ago, Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren were slated to be the first pair of Detroit Pistons rookies to participate in the Rising Stars challenge together. The NBA announced on Thursday that Duren will miss Friday’s Rising Stars game as he is nursing a right ankle sprain. pic.twitter.com/1bDGNbWGqJ — NBA Communications (@NBAPR) February 16, 2023This year’s Rising Stars game will take place on Friday, Feb. 17 at the Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City. Duren is having a solid rookie season playing under Pistons coach Dwane Casey. Before he tweaked his ankle, Duren had a season-best performance last Friday during the Pistons’ win over the Spurs.

Since Friday, the multi-team deal that landed James Wiseman with the Detroit Pistons was in limbo. Here’s a look at how MLive and writers from across the country graded the Pistons recent acquisition. Depending on how Wiseman looks over these next few weeks, he could make someone in the Pistons’ frontcourt expendable in the offseason. 1 pick in 2021), and Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren (No. Wiseman is young and has the tools to be a good center, but Detroit has a better big man prospect on the roster in Jalen Duren.

DETROIT -- The Detroit Pistons snapped a three-game losing streak, beating the San Antonio Spurs 138-131 in double overtime on Friday night at Little Caesars Arena. The Pistons got off to a slow start, shooting 1-for-10 to start the game, finishing 7-for-24 from the floor by the end of the first quarter. Things didn’t get any better to start the second, as the Spurs pushed their lead out to 16. Duren wasn’t leading the Pistons’ scoring load. Bojan Bogdanovic -- who finished the game without making a three-pointer -- lead the Pistons’ in scoring with 32 points on 11-for-24 shooting.

Detroit Pistons general manager Troy Weaver joined 97.1 The Ticket’s Stoney & Jansen with Heather show on Friday to discuss the acquisition of James Wiseman. “In the East, if you want to compete and have a chance, you gotta have some big guys. “We’ve played all of those teams, and have been at a disadvantage, size-wise, against those teams,” Weaver said. Weaver is hopeful that Wiseman will be able to have similar success playing with the Pistons’ young core. Weaver has a scheduled press conference on Friday at 4:45 p.m. to discuss the Pistons recent acquisition of Wiseman.

Rookies Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren were two of the 11 first-year NBA players selected for the 2023 Jordan Rising Stars Challenge. This marks the first time that the Pistons have had two rookies selected to the game in the same season. The selection pool -- which consisted of 28 players -- features 11 first year NBA players, 10 second-year NBA players, and seven players from the NBA G League. The competition will consist of four teams -- three teams of seven NBA players and one team of seven NBA G League players. NBA players were selected on a special ballot by NBA assistant coaches, while the G League participants were chosen by the league office.

DETROIT -- Having an NBA career that spanned 10 seasons, former center Ryan Hollins knows a thing or two about longevity in the league as a big man. Because of that knowledge, he sees a bright future for Pistons center Jalen Duren. While he is familiar with Duren’s skills, he had never seen the rookie big man play in person. “You know, him (Duren) and Isaiah Stewart, that’s, that’s a force,” Hollins said. I think the three point era with Steph (Curry) and Klay (Thompson), I don’t think anyone’s going to replicate that.

DETROIT -- Monday night was a mixed bag of highs and lows for the Detroit Pistons. Despite losing to the Milwaukee Bucks on a night where the franchise honored of its greatest big men, the late Bob Lanier, Pistons center Jalen Duren was one of the lone bright spots. In limited action (18 minutes) during the Pistons vs. the Chicago Bulls game in Paris, France, Duren was matched up against Nikola Vucevic. Casey, however, is aware that Duren is a rookie, and said he can’t ask enough of him and fellow rookie teammate, Jaden Ivey. Along with earning his 10th double-double -- which leads all NBA rookies --, Duren etched his name into significant conversation among the best rookie seasons by a Detroit Piston.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 20 of his 29 points in the first quarter, returning to the lineup after a five-game absence to lead the Milwaukee Bucks in a 150-130 win over the Detroit Pistons.

The injury required surgery that will keep him out of the lineup at least a month. That’s when Pistons guard Cade Cunningham was sidelined with a stress fracture in his left tibia. Unfortunately for the Pistons, the injury required season-ending surgery. I’m happy about it, I’m happy I got it done. As he prepared for his first major surgery, Cunningham told Ellis he consulted with teammate Rodney McGruder and Dallas Mavericks guard and former Michigan standout Tim Hardaway.

When Detroit Pistons took their team photo after arriving in Paris, France on Monday, one player was noticeably missing: Jalen Duren. James Edwards of The Athletic reported on Wednesday morning that Duren has finally joined his team in France. The Pistons were said to be working diligently to have the matter resolved before Thursday’s 3 p.m. E.T. On the NBA’s latest injury report, his status for Thursday’s game vs. the Bulls is listed as questionable. In addition to being the Pistons’ leading rebounder, Duren leads all NBA rookies in rebounds per game and total rebounds (332).

Other times, reserve forward Kevin Knox II had his number called to fill the void. Although their 12-35 record will not show it, the 6-foot-7 Knox has been a sneaky asset for the Pistons. On Sunday afternoon vs. the Knicks, albeit in a losing effort, Knox was one of the most efficient Pistons on the floor. “I thought Kevin (Knox) playing the five was a weapon for us, and the fact that he made Mitchell Robinson come out and guard him and pop him back instead of rolling,” Casey said. In the Pistons’ last game vs. the Bulls, Knox only saw14 minutes of playing time, scoring five points.

Things weren’t supposed to go down this way for the Detroit Pistons. In his third season, Hayes is averaging 9.3 points and 5.5 assists per game, shooting 38% from the floor, and 32% from behind the arc. Right now, he’s shooting 57.3% from the line, making him a liability in late-game situations. For the season, he’s averaging 8.5 rebounds, the most among all NBA rookies. Also, he’s shooting 41.2% from the field and 32.3% from behind the arc, which is among the worst for rookies playing over 15 minutes per game.

None of that mattered on Wednesday, as the Pistons played one of their best games of the season, defeating the defending champion Golden State Warriors, 122-119. Pistons forward Saddiq Bey capped off a solid performance by hitting a game-winning three-pointer as time expired. It’s the first time that the Pistons have swept the season series against the Warriors since the 2008-09 season. The Pistons displayed a newfound poise on Wednesday, trading big shots with the Warriors in the game’s final moments. Hayes returns to the lineupAfter serving a three-game suspension for his altercation with Orlando’s Mo Wagner last week, Pistons guard Killian Hayes returned to the lineup.

Alec Burks scored a season-high 32 points, Saddiq Bey added 28 and the Detroit Pistons overcame the ejection of two players after a scuffle to beat the Orlando Magic 121-101 and snap a six-game losing streak.

He finished leading all Pistons’ scorers with 30 points, five assists and, and four rebounds. He finished with 38 points, shooting 9-for-13 from behind the arc, while also adding five rebounds. Jazz players Jordan Clarkson and Jarred Vanderbilt were right behind him, scoring 21, and 18 points, respectively. Unfortunately, the fans at Little Caesars Arena were treated to another third quarter collapse, as the Jazz outscored the Pistons, 32-23. “I feel like we were focused coming out of the third quarter,” Pistons guard Jaden Ivey said.

DETROIT -- After a strong first half on Friday night vs. the Sacramento Kings, the Detroit Pistons appeared to be on the verge of winning back-to-back home games for the first time this season. Unfortunately for them, the Kings caught fire in the third quarter, powering them to a 122-113 victory. Here are some takeaways from Friday’s game:Defense continues to struggleFor the first 24 minutes, the Pistons played solid defense, as they carried an eight-point lead into halftime. Pistons coach Dwane Casey wasn’t shy when criticizing his team’s defense in the second half. This now marks five straight games where Duren has had at least 12 rebounds in a game, something that delighted Casey.

DETROIT -- Detroit’s Bojan Bogdanovic led the Pistons in scoring with 22 points, but it wasn’t enough as the fell short to the Sacramento Kings, 122-113. Bey led the Pistons’ bench in scoring with 14 points, with Bagley chipping in 13 points and six rebounds. While it didn’t hinder him from finishing the game, he only had seven points and three rebounds. Pistons rookie Jaden Ivey shot 2-for-9, scoring nine points, while adding five assists and three rebounds. Domantas Sabonis was right behind him on triple-double watch, adding 21 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists.

DETROIT -- Following Wednesday’s victory over the Charlotte Hornets, Detroit Pistons coach Dwane Casey had high remarks for his new frontcourt tandem of Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren, specifically discussing the synergy between the two. It was on display vs. the Hornets, as both finished with the number 19 in their final stat line.

The Detroit Pistons scored a season-high of 141 points against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night, picking up their eighth win of the season. Hayes’ season-best performanceWith a 1:11 left in overtime, Pistons guard Killian Hayes hit a step-back three-pointer to put the proverbial nail in the Hornets’ coffin. From the game’s onset, it appeared Hayes was on his way to a big night. Pistons’ frontcourt dominatesOn both ends of the court, especially defensively, the Pistons have had some difficulties in the paint this season. The difference in his game vs. the Hornets is that he appeared to be more involved in the Pistons’ offense, and made the most of his scoring opportunities.

Alec Burks scored a season-high 27 points off the bench, Killian Hayes added 25 and the Detroit Pistons spoiled LaMelo Ball’s return to the floor with a 141-134 overtime victory against the Charlotte Hornets.

The Pistons played stingy defense on Grizzlies’ All-Star guard Ja Morant throughout the game. The Pistons finished 1-2 on their three-game road trip, and will return home to host the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday. Here are some takeaways from Friday’s loss:Duren solid in first NBA startThroughout the season, Jalen Duren proved he’s worthy of being in the Pistons’ starting lineup. Bagley effective off the benchMarvin Bagley III was a non-factor during the Pistons’ 104-98 loss to the Pelicans on Wednesday. Before Friday night’s game vs. the Grizzlies, Bagley averaged 4 points on 32% from the field, and 3.7 rebounds.

The Detroit Pistons followed up a season-best win with an horrible shooting night on Wednesday, falling 104-98 to the New Orleans Pelicans. Detroit had another solid showing from their reserves, as Saddiq Bey led the Pistons in scoring with 25 points. That was about it for the Pistons regarding solid production, as they didn’t get much from the starting unit. With Cade Cunningham sidelined indefinitely, Hayes has provided the Pistons with the solid guard play they’ve been expecting since drafting him. Over their next two games, they face the Memphis Grizzlies and the Los Angeles Lakers, the NBA’s top two teams scoring points in the paint.

With their record at 6-19 through 25 games, one thing is obvious about the Detroit Pistons: they’re a bad basketball team. Despite their record, however, general manager Troy Weaver has constructed a young team filled with talent, and promise for the future. With a little over a third of the NBA season behind us, let’s take a look at the good, bad, and ugly of the season so far. The Pistons are a young team that still is trying to gel, and they’re going to make their fair share of mistakes. Thirty percent of the NBA season is complete, and the Pistons are better than they were at this stretch last season.

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 32 points and 12 rebounds and the Milwaukee Bucks matched a franchise record with their seventh straight win to open the season, beating the Detroit Pistons 116-91.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 31 points and Brook Lopez had 24 to help the Bucks (6-0) remained the NBA’s lone undefeated team. Cade Cunningham scored 27 points and Bojan Bogdanovic added 23 for the Pistons. The Pistons worked the ball to an open Cunningham, whose 3-point attempt with about five seconds left bounced off the side of the rim. Brook Lopez hit two free throws with 1.5 seconds remaining to seal the victory before Bogdanovic made a 3-pointer at the buzzer. The two-time MVP averaged 35.7 points, 15 rebounds, 6 assists and 1.7 blocks in the Bucks’ three games last week.

Jrue Holiday sank a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 45.3 seconds left and finished with 25 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists as the Milwaukee Bucks edged the Detroit Pistons 110-108 on Monday night to stay unbeaten.

The Detroit Pistons and Bojan Bogdanovic have agreed on a $39.1 million, two-year contract, according to a person familiar with the deal.

The Detroit Pistons took down the Orlando Magic 113-109 in the season opener thanks to an influx of talent, including newcomers Bojan Bogdanovic, Jalen Duren, and NBA Rookie of the year candidate Jaden Ivey.

Bojan Bogdanovic scored 24 points in his debut with Detroit, helping the Pistons beat the Orlando Magic 113-109 on Wednesday night.

The start of the 2022-23 NBA season is upon us, and your Detroit Pistons have created a buzz unlike any other seen in the motor city in the last decade.

Fans can get a glimpse of the Detroit Pistons’ young talent, which includes Cade Cunningham, Saddiq Bey, Isaiah Stewart and 2022 draft picks Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren, before the season starts. The Pistons will host an open practice and team scrimmage Oct. 2 at Little Caesars Arena. Fans interested in attending can obtain a free general admission ticket by visiting pistons.com/openpractice (four ticket limit per account). Parking will be available for purchase at the LCA Garage (165 Sproat St.) with other surrounding lots available. More: Pistons add pair of former NBA players to coaching staff

The nation will get an early look at the Detroit Pistons’ 2022 draft picks, Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren, assuming they are in the lineup. The Pistons will open the preseason at the New York on Oct. 4 in a nationally televised game on TNT (7 p.m.). Local television and radio broadcast schedules for all preseason games will also be announced at a later date. The Pistons will open the regular season at home against Orlando on Oct. 19. More: Pistons regular season schedule

Few people are more worthy than Jerry Stackhouse to have an opinion on the Detroit Pistons bringing back the polarizing teal jerseys, so we asked him to share his honest thoughts.

Balsa Koprivica tallied 10 points on 5 for 5 shooting and pulled down 10 rebounds for the Detroit Pistons Thursday in an 82-79 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a Las Vegas Summer League game at the Thomas & Mack Center. No Pistons regulars played as Jaden Ivey, nursing a right ankle sprain, Jalen Duren, Saben Lee and Isaiah Livers were sat out. Jules Bernard led Detroit with 14 points off the bench and added five rebounds. Braxton Key scored 13 points and Buddy Boeheim chipped in nine points on 3-of-11 shooting, including 2-of-7 from 3-point range. Cam Young led the Cavaliers (2-2) with 15 points.

Jalen Duren got the party started, and Jaden Ivey sealed the deal as the Detroit Pistons defeated the Portland Trailblazers, 81-78, in the 2022 NBA 2K23 Summer League Midnight Madness at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas.

The Detroit Pistons will not remain dormant this offseason, and after they acquired Kemba Walker from the New York Knicks last week, they bought out the 32-year-old guard on Thursday. Walker was sent to Detroit in a three-team trade with the Knicks and Milwaukee Bucks, and Detroit received draft rights to Memphis big man Jalen Duren in the process. Kemba Walker trade, contract and salary cap impact after buyoutThe Pistons traded for Walker from the Knicks last week, and on Thursday, it was reported that the two parties were finalizing a contract buyout. Although this is the case, the trade will allow Cunningham and rookie center Jalen Duren to thrive next year. 2023 Detroit Pistons betting odds: Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren should benefitWe wrote yesterday about Jaden Ivey’s odds to win the 2022-23 Rookie of the Year, but newly acquired big man and the No.

The Detroit Pistons and Kemba Walker are finalizing a contract buyout, ESPN reported, a move that was anticipated after the team acquired the veteran guard on draft night from the New York Knicks in a salary dump. The Knicks shipped Walker and his expiring $9.2 million contract to Detroit on June 23 as part of a three-team deal that sent center Jalen Duren, the No. A four-time All-Star, Walker struggled last season in New York following two strong seasons in Boston. The Knicks and Walker agreed in February that he would be shut down for the remainder of the season to prepare for 2022-23. More: Some shooters the Pistons could target in free agency

The Detroit Pistons have reportedly acquired guard Alec Burks, center Nerlens Noel, and two second-round picks without giving up anything in a trade with the New York Knicks.

The Detroit Pistons have a wealth of cap space and a couple of holes to fill, but less urgency to splurge in free agency after feeling they hit the jackpot on draft night. The Pistons will have approximately $32 million in cap space, according to spotrac.com, after they buy out the final year of Kemba Walker’s contract ($9.3 million) and re-sign Marvin Bagley III. The Pistons need shooters and possibly a big man, even after landing Duren, who at 18 was the youngest player in the draft. Bridges, 24, would fill the Pistons’ need for a shooter (33 percent from 3-point range last season). The Pistons also could opt to save some cap space for 2023, when the free-agent class is expected to be stronger.

“I don’t want to put too much pressure on him, but he reminds me of a guy I recruited since he was 14 -- Shawn Kemp,” Casey said. Casey began following Duren early in the college season, after general manager Troy Weaver started talking about him. He likened Duren to Kemp in his desire to “tear down the rim.”“That’s the similarity,” Casey said. That’s going to come with hours and hours of work in the gym.”While Ivey might start as a rookie, Duren will need more time to develop. (Duren) is probably going to be the roller if he’s playing with Marvin or Isaiah, and even with Kelly (Olynyk).

When the league first announced the lottery, the Detroit Pistons, to many fans, got hosed, as experts believed this year’s draft was a four-person race featuring Paolo Banchero, Chet Holmgren, Jabari Smith, and Jaden Ivey.

“It was an incredible night.”The Pistons are being universally lauded for a great night after adding the 6-4 lightning-quick Ivey out of Purdue with the No. Incredible work by the staff, kept grinding and coming away with ideas and thoughts that resulted into this. Casey called Ivey and Duren two of the most dynamic players in college basketball this season. “These two guys add something we didn’t have -- size and speed,” Casey said. More:Pistons envision dynamic backcourt with Cunningham and IveyDraft capital allows Pistons to acquire second lottery pick in Duren

Not a single NBA game was played on Thursday night, but the Detroit Pistons still came away winners, at least in the eyes of NBA draft evaluators. Here’s a sampling of NBA draft grades from across the internet. CBS SportsGary Parrish gave the Pistons’ pick of Ivey an ‘A+.’ “Ivey is an explosive athlete who plays big and is capable of attacking the rim in a variety of ways. 5, that locked up their backcourt of the future alongside Cade Cunningham. “If that’s the case, a guard combination of Cade Cunningham, Saddiq Bey and No.

The Detroit Pistons have selected Purdue's Jaden Ivey with the No. 5 overall pick in the NBA draft.

The Detroit Pistons didn’t keep the first-round pick they acquired Wednesday in the Jerami Grant trade for long. The Pistons used that pick during Thursday’s draft to acquire 6-11 center Jalen Duren, the 13th pick by the Charlotte Hornets, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. It was a three-team deal with the New York Knicks that also sends guard Kemba Walker to Detroit. The Pistons are Walker are expected to discuss a contract buyout that will allow him to become a free agent. Duren, 18, averaged 12 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in 29 games for the University of Memphis as a freshman.

The Detroit Pistons have reportedly traded for Memphis star Jalen Duren -- who was selected by the Charlotte Hornets with the No. 13 overall pick in the NBA draft -- as part of a three-team trade involving the New York Knicks.

Drew Timme scored 21 of his 25 points in the second half, and top overall seed Gonzaga rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to beat No. 9 seed Memphis 82-78 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

DeAndre Williams had 14 points and Memphis held off a second-half Boise State rally for a 64-53 victory Thursday in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

DeAndre Williams had 20 points and six assists, Jalen Duren added 14 points and Memphis finally played to its potential, beating No. 6 Alabama 92-78 to snap a four-game skid.

Emoni Bates began his Memphis basketball journey with a solid showing in the season opener against Tennessee Tech on Tuesday. The Ypsilanti native and 5-star recruit scored a game-high 17 points to help the No. 12-ranked Memphis men’s basketball team open the 2021-2022 season with an 89-65 victory. The 17-year-old phenom wasted little time getting going for the Tigers as his first regular season shot was a 3-point basket that gave Memphis a 9-0 lead. Memphis will next host North Carolina Central on Saturday.

Emoni Bates has taken the first step toward capitalizing on his Name, Image and Likeness as he begins his college basketball journey. The Memphis basketball freshman phenom and Ypsilanti native signed with agent Raymond Brothers and Roc Nation Sports for NIL representation, Roc Nation Sports announced via Twitter Wednesday morning. Brothers serves as the President of Roc Nation Sports’ basketball division, which was founded in 2013 by music mogul Shawn “Jay Z” Carter. Roc Nation Sports represents NBA stars Kyrie Irving and LaMelo Ball as well as NFL running backs Saquon Barkley and Leonard Fournette, among other professional athletes. Memphis will open its season with an exhibition game against Lemoyne-Owen on Sunday, Oct. 24 and will begin regular season play versus Tennessee Tech on Nov. 9.

Bates is heading to play basketball at the University of Memphis, according to his father, Elgin’s Instagram account. The elder Bates made the announcement Wednesday evening, despite saying late Tuesday night that the decision would come on Friday. 3 prospect in the 2021 recruiting class, according to ESPN after reclassifying from the 2022 class earlier this month. The 5-star prospect joins fellow 5-star forward Jalen Duren, who also reclassified to the 2021 class is ranked No. Bates took an official visit to Memphis last Wednesday and made his decision exactly seven days later.

Juwan Howard and his staff assembled the top recruiting class in the country this year. Michigan has offered scholarships to a handful of players in the 2022 class, including some of the nation’s best prospects. Williams, ranked No. Michigan offered point guard Dug McDaniel (No. As acclaimed as Michigan’s incoming freshman class is, there’s no sure-fire one-and-done in the bunch.