Detroit — As the final buzzer sounded inside Little Caesars Arena on Sunday night, it marked the end of the Detroit Pistons’ 2025-26 season.
The Pistons, who had won 60 games in the regular season, fell short of reaching the Eastern Conference Finals, following a 125-94 Game 7 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the conference semifinals.
As players began to show respect for one another, Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell approached Daniss Jenkins. The two guards stood near half-court and engaged in a lengthy conversation. For Mitchell, it was his way of showing respect to a former college prospect he first met during an open gym session at Iona University. For Jenkins, it was a latest testament to his journey, from an unranked prospect at Hillcrest High School to a sensation with the Pistons.
“He (Mitchell) was just telling me that he was proud of me and to keep going,” Jenkins said. “He was telling me how I put a lot of people on notice, but this was just the beginning. Cade (Cunningham) was telling me the same. I was just scratching the surface this year. So, to hear that from guys of that nature, I know I am doing the right thing.”
During the opening gym session, Jenkins and Mitchell faced off. They were able to connect because of their shared ties to Rick Pitino, who was Jenkins’ coach at Iona before both moved on to St. John’s University ahead of the 2023-24 college basketball season.
Once the session was over, Pitino shared stories about his time with Mitchell, discussing all the work they put in together at Louisville. Pitino explained how that experience laid the foundation for Mitchell’s success in the NBA, where he has become an All-NBA guard with seven All-Star selections since entering the league in 2017.
Jenkins took the advice he received from Pitino and Mitchell that day and used it as one of the many pillars of his breakout year.
“I always knew that once my opportunity came, the world was going to be shaken because not a lot of people saw my work or watched my journey,” Jenkins said. “It is all about the process. All of the work I’ve put in and the mentality I had while I was working and waiting for my opportunity.”
Captured this moment between Daniss Jenkins and Donovan Mitchell shortly after Game 7 on Sunday.
Asked DJ about their exchange following the game:
“He was just telling me that he was proud of me and to keep going. Telling me how I put a lot of people on notice.” #Pistonspic.twitter.com/13K2bQnvum
— Coty M. Davis (@CotyDavis_24) May 21, 2026
Jenkins went from receiving advice from Mitchell to facing him in the Eastern Conference semifinals nearly four years later. He started the final three games of the series and outplayed Mitchell during the Pistons’ Game 6 victory at Rocket Arena on Friday night. Jenkins scored 15 points on 5-for-11 shooting, while Mitchell finished with 18 points on 6-for-20 shooting in the potential close-out game.
Jenkins started the season as a two-way prospect determined not to spend the entire year in the G League. Seven months later, he became one of the central pieces who helped the Pistons put together their most successful season in 18 years.
Jenkins continued, “Even like now, getting this far with the team — this was not our end goal. The Eastern Conference Finals were not our end goal. It was getting to the Finals, but we came up a little bit short.”
After helping the Pistons secure a 137-135 overtime victory against the Washington Wizards on Nov. 10, Jenkins emerged as one of the most compelling stories in the league, transitioning from a two-way prospect to a key reserve.
Jenkins quickly gained the confidence of coach J.B. Bickerstaff and his teammates to take the helm as the team’s secondary scorer and facilitator, and appeared in 72 games while averaging 9.3 points on 40.8% shooting, 4.0 assists and 1.0 steals. His greatest contribution came in the 11 games he started while Cunningham was out due to a collapsed lung.
Jenkins led the Pistons to an 8-3 record in the absence of their All-NBA guard, averaging 18.9 points with shooting splits of .455/.431/.920. His best performance of the season came during Detroit’s 113-110 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on March 23, when he scored a career-high 30.
“This time last year, he barely played any basketball. If he takes a similar leap this summer like he did last year, who knows how he will impact us (next season),” president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon said. “We saw his growth over the summer. He had a really good Summer League, and you saw his growth throughout this season, and the way he has impacted us.”
Jenkins’ consistent contributions throughout the season have made him a significant part of the Pistons’ future plans. He is entering the offseason with the team option for the 2027 season. Given his importance, it’s highly likely the Pistons will exercise their option on him.
“He helped us win a lot of games and in our playoff run. He is a worker, and he is not scared,” Langdon said. “I know he is going to have a big summer of working and coming back as a better player when we come back here in the fall.”
For Jenkins, staying focused on the moment was essential during his breakout season. From the moment he had his coming-out party against the Wizards, he avoided dwelling on his success and only reflected on it after the final buzzer signaled the end of what he considered his rookie year.
In the locker room at Little Caesars Arena, Jenkins said he was keeping the jersey he wore during Game 7 as a souvenir to remember his standout year.
Jenkins is looking forward to embracing his accomplishments with his family and friends back in Texas. However, losing in the second round of the postseason serves as motivation for Jenkins to continue refining his game and build upon his success for next season, especially when it comes to a potential postseason rematch against Mitchell.
“I am happy and blessed. Every day when I wake up, I thank God for the position I’m in because I know where I was just a year ago,” Jenkins said. “This summer, there is motivation. Playoff basketball means everything to me. I think I’ve handled myself well in my first year in it. Now, I have more stuff to strive for this summer.”
coty.davis@detroitnews.com
@cotydavis_24
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: How Game 7 served as a full-circle moment for Pistons’ Daniss Jenkins