Jaden Ivey has lengthy been surrounded by way of elite basketball avid gamers. He grew up in skilled arenas, following his mother, Niele, round WNBA practices in Indianapolis and the Palace of Auburn Hills. He attended numerous Notre Dame girls’s basketball practices and watched a number of long term stars, comparable to Skylar Diggins-Smith, up shut.
But his time following the Memphis Grizzlies used to be other. He were given to have interaction with NBA avid gamers who weren’t a lot older than he used to be. And Ja Morant, in specific, used to be eerily with regards to the NBA participant he envisioned turning into. This week, the No. 5 general select in the 2022 draft will get started his NBA profession because the Detroit Pistons open the season Wednesday at Little Caesars Arena.
And he has Morant — and his mother — to thank.
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Niele Ivey’s embellished basketball resume and knack for participant building made her a herbal have compatibility to sign up for the Grizzlies as an assistant in 2019. Memphis had a younger roster headlined by way of two then-20 year-old emerging stars: Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. Ivey changed into the 9th feminine assistant trainer in NBA historical past, employed to Taylor Jenkins’ workforce as an assistant, however she wasn’t employed to make historical past.
Ivey were with Notre Dame’s girls’s basketball program for 17 years — 5 as a participant, and 12 as an assistant beneath mythical head trainer Muffet McGraw — sooner than leaving for the NBA. She used to be integral to the Fighting Irish’s luck, main this system to its first nationwide championship in 2001 as a fifth-year senior and being provide for his or her 8 Final Four appearances since as a trainer. In between, she performed in the WNBA for 5 seasons, together with a stint with the Detroit Shock in 2005.
She used to be McGraw’s depended on level guard as a participant, and her right-hand girl as an assistant. On the sideline, she used to be a strategist who steadily drew up the Irish’s out-of-bounds performs. Off the ground, she led Notre Dame’s recruiting efforts and used to be answerable for bringing in a number of big names, together with Diggins who would cross directly to make six WNBA All-Star squads. On the courtroom, she led talent building paintings for Notre Dame’s guards. When McGraw retired in 2020 following a historical 33-year profession, Ivey used to be the no-brainer variety to exchange her.
Joining the Grizzlies used to be pivotal for Ivey’s private adventure as a trainer. She didn’t notice on the time that it will additionally jumpstart her son Jaden’s adventure again to Detroit.
A emerging senior, Jaden used to be a four-star recruit and Purdue dedicate. His ability used to be obtrusive, and he used to be naturally primed for luck due to his basketball bloodlines. But Niele’s time in Memphis allowed Jaden to turn into shut with a participant he deeply admired, and has since been in comparison to — Morant.
Together once more
Thursday’s preseason recreation between the Pistons and Grizzlies used to be a reunion, and confirmed why the Pistons decided on Jaden in June’s draft. Draft analysts broadly imagine Morant to be a best-case state of affairs for Jaden, who exploded onto the draft radar following a sturdy sophomore season at Purdue. Niele flew to Detroit — a town she and Jaden have deep familial ties to — to look at her son tackle her former crew. 2019-20 used to be a transformational season for the trio, and it got here complete circle Thursday evening.
Morant used to be in top shape, scoring 31 issues and showcasing his blazing pace, each as an athlete and recreation processor. Ivey, a rookie, had flashes of brilliance but additionally — understandably — has a tactics to head sooner than he reaches his ceiling.
The Pistons can be extremely joyful, to mention the least, if Jaden finally ends up turning into as transformational a ability as Morant has been for the Grizzlies. The dating between the 2 avid gamers, solid via Niele, is a big explanation why Jaden used to be thought to be by way of some to be the highest-upside participant in his draft elegance. He and Cade Cunningham dangle the keys to bringing the Pistons again from dormancy.
“He was like a little brother to all of us who were here when Niele was here, and now he’s in the big leagues,” Morant mentioned after Thursday’s recreation. “It’s a good thing. Me and him talked about it for years, and now we’re actually living it out.”
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‘A transformative yr’
Niele has lengthy juggled the difficult roles of being a full-time participant and trainer, and a full-time mother. She gave delivery to Jaden in 2002, not up to a yr after the Indiana Fever drafted her in 2001’s moment around. She used to be pregnant all the way through her whole rookie season. For maximum of her profession, she used to be in a position to stick in Indiana and lift Jaden. She performed for the Fever from 2001-04, then signed with the Shock in 2005.
By now, many Pistons enthusiasts are acutely aware of Jaden’s deep Detroit ties. His grandfather, James Hunter, used to be a defensive again for the Lions from 1976-82. His dad, Javin Hunter, used to be born and raised in Detroit and attended Birmingham Detroit Country Day sooner than turning into a standout receiver at Notre Dame and a Baltimore Ravens sixth-round select.
Jaden cried when the Pistons drafted him. More tears had been shed all the way through his introductory information convention in July, because the crew offered him with jerseys of his grandfather, father and mom.
Playing for the Shock used to be a circle of relatives determination, Niele mentioned. She prioritized protecting Jaden round his circle of relatives.
“I chose Detroit because of the love of the city,” Niele advised the Free Press this summer season. “My parents actually met in Detroit, which is so crazy. I had family in Detroit. Jaden was very young and I knew his dad, grandfather and grandmother lived there. I just felt like it was a perfect fit for me. So much excellence, I would say, with their team. Bill Laimbeer, Rick Mahorn, they had that organization really rolling. I had an amazing time. It felt like home and I felt like it was a great change from where I was before. It was an incredible experience for me.”
When Niele joined the Grizzlies, it used to be a determination she made for herself. It separated her from Jaden for the primary time, appropriate as Jaden used to be at the cusp of beginning his senior season. That summer season, Jaden transferred from Marian High School, positioned in Mishawaka, Indiana, close to South Bend, to La Lumiere, a boarding faculty and basketball powerhouse in LaPorte County, Indiana.
It used to be a difficult yr for Niele and Jaden, however her determination proved to be fruitful. Niele used to be in a position to make use of the Grizzlies as a stepping stone towards training her alma mater, and Jaden won a mentor in Morant.
“Moving to the NBA, coaching men, coaching on a different level, coaching in the professional world, I knew it was going to be a challenge, and doing it without my son,” Niele mentioned. “We’ve only been with each other and I knew that that was going to be hard. We both agreed, we were both comfortable with the move, and it brought us closer, to be honest. It was something where you never realize how close you can get because we’re so close, but being apart, supporting both of our dreams, it actually brought us closer. It was an amazing year, a transformative year for me, and that hard work and that sacrifice paid off for both of us.”
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An prolonged circle of relatives
Morant reputedly got here out of nowhere when he emerged because the second-best prospect of the 2019 NBA draft, after Duke famous person Zion Williamson. His sophomore season at Murray State established him as one of the electrical avid gamers in the rustic. He averaged 24.5 issues, 10 assists, 5.7 rebounds and used to be a social media fixture due to electrical dunks.
He had a big fan in Jaden, who noticed similarities between his recreation and Morant’s. When the Grizzlies decided on Morant, Jaden used to be elated. He had already begun modeling his recreation after Morant. Now, he had a chance to be mentored by way of him.
“He was just on the radar, all of a sudden,” Jaden mentioned. “I watched them closely when he was in college at Murray State. He was something serious, and when I heard my mom got the opportunity to coach at Memphis and I knew he was going, I knew it was an opportunity for me.”
Niele, too, used to be struck by way of the similarities between Morant and her son. They had been more or less the similar dimension, had an identical builds and approached the sport the similar means. Ivey, like Morant, is an explosive athlete who’s at his perfect when attacking the rim. The Grizzlies tasked Niele with scouting opposing groups, however she additionally labored intently with Morant on talent building and remains to be shut with him. Every time Jaden had a vacation damage, he made the travel to Memphis.
“(Jaden) came up to visit and was telling me, ‘Ja is this and Ja is that,’ and I’m like, ‘Wow he really studied him,'” Niele said. “And then they met and they bonded right away. Ja always really reminded me of Jaden, just in general. They have the same hair, same temperament. Ja is a really caring young man, family man. We just really bonded just initially, Ja and myself. Ja kinda filled that void for me. I was away from Jaden for an entire year. That was hard for me as a parent. Those guys, like Ja, really filled that void for me.”
“We pretty much became family,” Morant said. “She’s family to us, family to me. I wish her luck a lot, and she does the same. Even this morning (Thursday), we messaged and it stays between us, just how big this moment is for us.”
Before and after games, Jaden and Morant would sit and talk for hours. They exchanged contact info and stayed in touch when Jaden went back to school. They connected with each other on social media. It boosted Jaden’s confidence entering his senior season.
“It helped a lot,” Jaden said. “Just learning the game, seeing it from a different perspective on an NBA level, a lot different, higher level. I got to experience that at a young age and it really motivated me. Just keep working hard and stay consistent with my work, and eventually it led up to this point.”
“It was really cool because Jaden had a chance to really connect with somebody and absorb and watch them work,” Niele added. “Normally you don’t get a chance to do that with somebody that you look up to, and Jaden had that opportunity firsthand to really absorb, and really watch and study what Ja did. Even when he was working out, every moment he had the opportunity to be in Memphis and at games, he wanted to come early so he could watch every game. He didn’t want to miss a moment and I think he realized, and I understand how powerful that was for him.
“A lot of guys that have had the opportunity to play at an elite level, they didn’t have that connection where one of their parents was an actual coach in the NBA. It was an incredible perk for him to have that behind-the-scenes look at what it really looks like.”
One of Morant’s main pieces of advice to Jaden? Have fun. It sounds simple, but few players play with the zest Morant has for the game. Little Caesars Arena was dotted with Morant jerseys Thursday. He put on a show, scoring 17 in the third quarter. His biggest highlight was a one-man fast break that saw him steal the ball from Bojan Bogdanovic, lose Cory Joseph with a behind-the-back dribble and dunk the ball in one fluid motion. It encapsulated everything that has propelled Morant to the forefront of NBA stardom.
Jaden shares Morant’s speed and athleticism, but he’s learning how to harness his gifts. It won’t happen overnight, and he could become a different type of lead guard compared to Morant. But already, Ivey has created issues for opposing defenses. He draws the eyes of all five defenders when he drives to the rim. He has a short highlight reel just from his four preseason games.
Jaden has a lot of support as he figures out what kind of NBA player he can become. And, thanks to his mother and from Morant, he knows what it takes to reach his best.
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