Jaden Ivey

Ivey is an American guard who entered the NBA as the fifth overall pick in the 2022 draft by the Detroit Pistons after a decorated two-year career at Purdue. He spent three and a half seasons in Detroit before a February 2026 trade sent him to the Chicago Bulls, where he was waived in March 2026.

Born on February 13, 2002, Ivey grew up playing football, basketball, and soccer, and practiced karate before focusing on basketball as a high school freshman. He attended Marian High School in Mishawaka, Indiana, for three years and transferred to La Lumiere School in La Porte, Indiana, for his senior season. A consensus four-star recruit, he committed to Purdue over Butler and Notre Dame.

As a Purdue freshman, Ivey averaged 11.1 points and 3.3 rebounds and earned Big Ten All-Freshman Team honors. On January 19, 2021, he hit a game-winning three-pointer with five seconds remaining in a win over Ohio State. He scored a season-high 26 points in an NCAA tournament first-round loss to North Texas. As a sophomore, he averaged 17.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.1 assists and was named First Team All-Big Ten and a second-team All-American. On January 30, 2022, he hit another game-winning three against Ohio State with 0.6 seconds left. He declared for the 2022 draft on March 31.

The Detroit Pistons selected Ivey with the fifth overall pick. He made his regular season debut on October 19, 2022, recording 19 points, three rebounds, and four assists in a win over Orlando. As a rookie, he averaged 16.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 5.2 assists and finished third in Rookie of the Year voting. On December 26, 2024, he converted a game-winning four-point play with 3.1 seconds remaining against Sacramento. On January 1, 2025, he suffered a broken left fibula after colliding with Cole Anthony and missed the remainder of the season. In 2025–26, he appeared in 33 games, averaging 8.2 points.

On February 3, 2026, the Pistons traded Ivey to the Chicago Bulls in a three-team deal involving Minnesota. He averaged 11.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.0 assists in four appearances before a left knee injury ended his season on March 26. On March 30, he was waived by the Bulls.

Ivey is an explosive, athletic guard with elite speed and verticality. At Purdue, he demonstrated the ability to score from all three levels and deliver in clutch moments. In the NBA, he has shown scoring burst, playmaking vision, and defensive potential, though injuries have interrupted his professional trajectory.

Ivey played for the United States at the 2021 FIBA Under-19 World Cup in Latvia, averaging 12.3 points and helping the team win gold. He was named to the all-tournament team. His mother, Niele Ivey, played five WNBA seasons and is now Notre Dame—s head women—s basketball coach. His father, Javin Hunter, played in the NFL for the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers, and his grandfather, James Hunter, played for the Detroit Lions. He and his wife Caitlyn welcomed a son in 2023.