BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Purdue All-American guard Jaden Ivey became Purdue's highest NBA Draft pick in almost 30 years when he was selected fifth by the Detroit Pistons in the 2022 NBA Draft held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Ivey became Purdue's highest draft pick since Glenn Robinson was taken No. 1 by Milwaukee in the 1994 draft. Since then, Purdue had managed just two first-round picks (JaJuan Johnson – 27th by Brooklyn in 2011; Caleb Swanigan – 26th by Portland in 2017). He is the seventh top-10 pick in school history and the third top-five pick (Robinson, 1st in 1994; Joe Barry Carroll, 1st in 1980).
"It's a blessing to be here and in this situation," Ivey said. "I would like to thank the Pistons organization, general manager Troy Weaver and coach Dwane Casey for believing in me. It's just a surreal feeling and I can't wait to get to Detroit and get to work."
"We are extremely happy and thrilled for Jaden to be selected by Detroit in tonight's draft," head coach Matt Painter said. "He's put in the work and deserves this. He has a lot of potential to be a star in the NBA and we are excited to watch his journey."
Ivey is the ninth draft pick under Painter and the first since Carsen Edwards was selected No. 33 in 2019 by Philadelphia. Other draft picks include Carl Landry (2007), Johnson and E'Twaun Moore (2011), Robbie Hummel (2012), A.J. Hammons (2016), Swanigan (2017), Vince Edwards (2018) and Carsen Edwards. Five of the picks have come in the last seven drafts.
The Ivey family now joins exclusive company as Jaden and his mother, Niele, become only the second mother-son duo to be drafted by the NBA and WNBA (Javale McGee – 2008; Pamela McGee – 1997) after Niele was selected by the Indiana Fever in 2001.
Ivey had a sensational season at Purdue, earning consensus All-American accolades after averaging 17.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. He was just the second underclassmen (freshman or sophomore; Swanigan) to be named a first-team All-American in any of the four major services in the last 92 years (John Wooden was consensus All-American as a sophomore in 1930).
He was named a finalist for the Jerry West Award and named to the Big Ten All-Tournament Team after averaging 19.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game in three games in Indianapolis.
Ivey played his best against ranked teams, averaging 19.3 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.6 assists in eight games. He was outstanding in a win over No. 18 North Carolina with 22 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, then added 10 points, seven rebounds and seven assists against No. 5 Villanova.
He had one of the signature moments of the college basketball season in an 81-78 win over No. 16 Ohio State, hitting a fadeaway 25-footer as the clock expired for the buzzer-beating victory. Three games later, he tallied 26 points with six assists and four rebounds to finish a season sweep of Illinois. He also had 25 points with four assists in a big win over a Rutgers team that had won four straight games against nationally-ranked teams.
Ivey will likely play in NBA Summer League contests starting in the next couple of weeks. Schedules will be announced soon.
Ivey became Purdue's highest draft pick since Glenn Robinson was taken No. 1 by Milwaukee in the 1994 draft. Since then, Purdue had managed just two first-round picks (JaJuan Johnson – 27th by Brooklyn in 2011; Caleb Swanigan – 26th by Portland in 2017). He is the seventh top-10 pick in school history and the third top-five pick (Robinson, 1st in 1994; Joe Barry Carroll, 1st in 1980).
"It's a blessing to be here and in this situation," Ivey said. "I would like to thank the Pistons organization, general manager Troy Weaver and coach Dwane Casey for believing in me. It's just a surreal feeling and I can't wait to get to Detroit and get to work."
"We are extremely happy and thrilled for Jaden to be selected by Detroit in tonight's draft," head coach Matt Painter said. "He's put in the work and deserves this. He has a lot of potential to be a star in the NBA and we are excited to watch his journey."
Ivey is the ninth draft pick under Painter and the first since Carsen Edwards was selected No. 33 in 2019 by Philadelphia. Other draft picks include Carl Landry (2007), Johnson and E'Twaun Moore (2011), Robbie Hummel (2012), A.J. Hammons (2016), Swanigan (2017), Vince Edwards (2018) and Carsen Edwards. Five of the picks have come in the last seven drafts.
The Ivey family now joins exclusive company as Jaden and his mother, Niele, become only the second mother-son duo to be drafted by the NBA and WNBA (Javale McGee – 2008; Pamela McGee – 1997) after Niele was selected by the Indiana Fever in 2001.
Ivey had a sensational season at Purdue, earning consensus All-American accolades after averaging 17.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. He was just the second underclassmen (freshman or sophomore; Swanigan) to be named a first-team All-American in any of the four major services in the last 92 years (John Wooden was consensus All-American as a sophomore in 1930).
He was named a finalist for the Jerry West Award and named to the Big Ten All-Tournament Team after averaging 19.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game in three games in Indianapolis.
Ivey played his best against ranked teams, averaging 19.3 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.6 assists in eight games. He was outstanding in a win over No. 18 North Carolina with 22 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, then added 10 points, seven rebounds and seven assists against No. 5 Villanova.
He had one of the signature moments of the college basketball season in an 81-78 win over No. 16 Ohio State, hitting a fadeaway 25-footer as the clock expired for the buzzer-beating victory. Three games later, he tallied 26 points with six assists and four rebounds to finish a season sweep of Illinois. He also had 25 points with four assists in a big win over a Rutgers team that had won four straight games against nationally-ranked teams.
Ivey will likely play in NBA Summer League contests starting in the next couple of weeks. Schedules will be announced soon.