NBA: How the top 5 rookies from the 2022 draft class are faring so far

4. Jayden Ivey- Detroit Pistons

Jayden Ivey has been the most impressive rookie besides Banchero and has made the young Pistons must-watch. Ivey is averaging 16 points on 44% from the field, five rebounds, and 4.1 assists.

Besides Cade Cunningham, Ivey has been about the only other consistent shot-creator for the struggling Pistons and in Cunningham’s absence, the 20-year-old hung 26 points on the one-seed Boston Celtics on November 12. What Ivey lacks in shooting touch he makes up for with sheer explosiveness and has shown an innate ability to leave defenses scrambling as he drives to the rim like a running back hitting a gap.

While one of the knocks on Ivey as a prospect was his three-pointing shooting ability, he has been serviceable shooting about 34% field from downtown and even hit four in the aforementioned Celtics game. That will only improve as his career goes along.

The one knock on him this season has been his defense and it doesn’t help that his team hasn’t been much of a role model as the Pistons have the 28th-rated defense in the NBA. However, if his offensive talent continues to blossom and deliver at the rate it’s showing, the Pistons will be plenty forgiving and patient with his lacking defensive prowess.

Ivey can most certainly be a superstar alongside Cade Cunningham but the Pistons franchise has a lot of work to do before becoming competitive again. But you can’t help but be intrigued watching their backcourt.