Detroit Free Press

LAS VEGAS — Ausar Thompson outscored Victor Wembanyama by 18 points Friday night at the Thomas & Mack Center. He outrebounded him by 14 and if you allow a bit of the transitive property to carry over from the NBA Summer League to the NBA’s big-boy league, then the Detroit Pistons just drafted the rookie

Victor Wembanyama didn’t make an appearance in Friday night’s summer league matchup between the Detroit Pistons and the San Antonio Spurs, but there was still plenty of action. The Pistons jumped out to an early 12-4 lead, but the Spurs fought back to keep the game close building an eight-point lead to start the fourth

This is Part 5 of the Free Press’ “Five most important players” series, in which we take a look at the x-factors for the six major beats. Check out Part 1 on the Detroit Lions, Part 2 on the Detroit Tigers, Part 3 on the Michigan football team, and Part 4 on the Michigan basketball team. For

This is Part 5 of the Free Press’ “Five most important players” series, in which we take a look at the x-factors for the six major beats. Check out Part 1 on the Detroit Lions, Part 2 on the Detroit Tigers, Part 3 on the Michigan football team, and Part 4 on the Michigan basketball team. For

LAS VEGAS — Ausar Thompson has created buzz in the NBA’s Summer League. And after another fluid and all-court performance Wednesday night, imagining his future with the Detroit Pistons got buzzier. From the courtside announcers to the league’s cognoscenti rimming the court — hey, there’s Joe Dumars — to his teammates and coaches, a single

LAS VEGAS — Already, he makes winning plays. More to the point, Ausar Thompson makes the right play. Maybe you want more than that from the No. 5 pick in the NBA draft, and that’s your right. But teams don’t win — and win big — without the kind of player Thompson has the chance

The Detroit Pistons showed true grit Wednesday night against the Toronto Raptors, overcoming a 17-point deficit to take a 94-90 win and move to 2-1 in NBA Summer League play. Without Jalen Duran and Jaden Ivey, the two rookies, Ausar Thompson and Marcus Sasser stepped up as leaders on the stat sheet. Thompson, the No.

LAS VEGAS — After signing his rookie extension, Isaiah Stewart understands he’s still only getting started. The 6-foot-8 big, now entering his fourth season, inked a four-year rookie extension worth up to $64 million on Monday. The contract is a testament not only to what he has accomplished through three seasons, but to what he

LAS VEGAS — After signing his rookie extension, Isaiah Stewart understands he’s still only getting started. The 6-foot-8 big, now entering his fourth season, inked a four-year rookie extension worth up to $64 million on Monday. The contract is a testament not only to what he has accomplished through three seasons, but to what he

Andre Drummond went from the Detroit Pistons‘ franchise player to being discarded for scraps and earning a minimum salary. He’s sharing his story with young hoopers. Drummond is a two-time All-Star who spent nearly eight full seasons with the Pistons in a complicated tenure. Drummond, now 29 and with 11 years of NBA experience, was

Less than two weeks after making history as the first player signed under the NBA’s second-round pick exception, Colby Jones, who inked a four-year, $8.76 million contract with the Sacramento Kings, is already turning heads in the 2023 NBA Summer League. On Monday night, Jones finished with team-highs of 19 points (8-of-13 from the field)

Apple Podcasts | Spotify • Hosts: Bryce Simon (@MotorCityHoops) and Omari Sankofa II (@omarisankofa) • Producer: Wes Davenport • Editor: Robin Chan • Executive producers: Anjanette Delgado, Kirkland Crawford • Email: brycesimon3309@gmail.com; osankofa@freepress.com Like our work? Please consider becoming a subscriber. On this episode: Bryce and Omari reunite in person to cover this year’s NBA Summer League in Las Vegas! The guys talk their biggest Detroit Pistons takeaways so far from

Since he was drafted in 2020, Isaiah Stewart has established himself as a difference-maker for the Detroit Pistons. His future with the franchise has now been secured. Stewart signed a four-year, $64 million rookie extension with the Detroit Pistons on Monday, league sources told the Free Press. His contract is guaranteed for $45 million through

LAS VEGAS — Through two Summer League games, Ausar Thompson feels as though he hasn’t given his best effort. It hasn’t mattered — the Detroit Pistons have been very encouraged by what they’ve seen from him so far. “That guy, he’s a special talent,” Jalen Duren said. “At the core of him, he makes winning

LAS VEGAS — It was expected to be a marquee matchup against the fourth and fifth overall picks of the draft — twin brothers Amen and Ausar Thompson. Instead, it was the Jabari Smith Jr. show. The Detroit Pistons didn’t have an answer for the third pick of the 2022 draft, who put on one

Detroit Pistons (1-0) vs. Houston Rockets (1-0) in NBA Las Vegas Summer League exhibition When: 6 p.m. Sunday. Where: Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas. TV: ESPN2. • Box score Pistons starters: TBD. Notes: This game was supposed to be the Thompson brother showdown, but after Amen Thompson, the No. 4 pick in the NBA draft, hurt his ankle,

LAS VEGAS — In the Detroit Pistons’ Summer League opener on Saturday, Jalen Duren looked both familiar and new. There was the dominant athleticism that powered his encouraging rookie season, which earned him a second-team All-Rookie selection. He muscled through defenses and out-jumped opposing bigs to grab rebounds while serving as a frequent lob target.

LAS VEGAS — The Detroit Pistons finished their first Summer League game better than they started it, and it ended with a double-digit victory. The Pistons defeated the Orlando Magic, 89-78, at Thomas & Mack Center on Saturday. They were powered by strong performances from their starting big duo of Jalen Duren (17 points, eight

As we’re reminded annually, there are no sure things in the MLB draft, whether you’re picking first, 30th or third, as the Detroit Tigers will on Sunday night in Seattle (thanks to a win in December’s first-ever MLB draft lottery). It’s the fifth time the Tigers have had the third overall pick in the draft,

It was an early December 2021 game against Alcorn State, which at 1-6 was already halfway to its season win total. Houston was 7-1 overall — coming off a Final Four run in April 2021 and early in a season that would end in the Elite Eight — and had little to prove. Yet, Marcus