CLEVELAND – Two years ago, former St. John’s guard Daniss Jenkins was preparing for a 2024 NBA draft that he ultimately wasn’t selected in. Tonight, the Detroit Pistons guard is expected to start in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
A win tonight for Jenkins sends the Pistons to their first Eastern Conference finals since 2008 and adds another chapter to his Cinderella story.
“It’s just one of the situations where if you work hard, you believe in God and your circle is right, the sky is the limit,” Jenkins, 24, told Andscape after scoring 15 points in the Pistons’ series-saving 115-94 win in Cleveland on May 14. “Anything is really possible. No matter what route you take, no matter how many obstacles you got to go through, as long as your end goal never changes, [and you] leave life the right way, God can bless you.”
Jenkins was lightly recruited at Dallas Hillcrest High School before beginning his college basketball career at mid-major Pacific University with then-head coach Damon Stoudemire. After two seasons at Pacific, Jenkins went the junior college route to Odessa College back in Texas then to Iona College to play for legendary coach Rick Pitino for a season before following Pitino to St. John’s to play his final season as a graduate student. The 6-foot-4, 165-pounder averaged 14.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.6 steals per game during the 2023-24 season for St. John’s but ultimately wasn’t selected in the 2024 NBA draft.
Jenkins said he chose to sign a two-way contract with the Pistons over two other NBA teams. He played in only seven games as a rookie with Detroit during the 2024-25 season. Jenkins, however, solidified himself as an NBA player by averaging 9.3 points and 3.9 assists per game in 72 games this season. The Pistons rewarded him with a two-year contract with a team option for 2026-27 on Feb. 8. Jenkins has already proven worthy by averaging 8.5 points per game in the playoffs and scoring a combined 34 points in the past two contests.
“His story is crazy,” said Pistons All-Star guard Cade Cunningham about his fellow Dallas native. “When I first met him he was at Pacific and he had three more stops after that to finish out college. He was a big-time player though. I met him at open run with some pros. But he was a player.
“He could shoot the mess out the ball. He can score still being skinny. Me and him were some of the younger guys there. But he could really play and he was fearless.”
The following is a Q&A with Jenkins in which he talked to Andscape about overcoming the long odds of making it to the NBA, his confidence in himself, the impact Pitino had, advice he would give to undrafted NBA prospects, taking advantage of the opportunity given to you, playing in Game 7 and much more.
What’s the best way to describe your college basketball journey?
I just think I just kept getting better every year. I just kept trying to go to the best position that I possibly could put myself in. My end goal was always the NBA. I knew I always had talent, especially for my position. I knew I was athletic. I played both sides of the ball, defense and offense. I know my mentality. I just had to be pushed by the right people. Every coach I came across in college was perfect for me.
Did the NBA seem like a realistic dream when you started at Pacific and then went to a junior college?
Yes, if I’m being honest with you. At Pacific I knew I was doing good, but I knew I could keep getting better. So, that kind of led me to believe it could be done. I was being talked about in good ways and my coaches [were] telling me good things. I really saw what I could be better at.
What confidence did Pitino instill in you?
He always told me I’m going to get my [NBA] shot from the [team] workouts. Once I’m in front of those teams and I’m working out, he said that’s where they’re going to pick me up. He said don’t worry about my stats. This was when I was at Iona before we left to go to St. John’s. That was before that. He just told me don’t worry about no stats, worry about me. The only thing that matters is winning and I’m going to get my opportunity from the workouts.
I knew I could make it to the NBA. I’m telling you, honestly for real, man. I’m not just saying this. I really knew that my end goal never changed no matter where I went in my job. God just put me in the right positions at the right time. Pitino was who I needed last to prepare me for stuff.
What the day of the 2024 NBA draft like for you?
I knew realistically that I probably wasn’t going to get drafted, especially the first day. So, when the second day came, I thought it was a possibility just because I was looking at all the guys that was left and I knew I was better than them. But I was just like whoever gave me the chance I knew they weren’t going to regret it.
Why did you sign a two-way contract with the Pistons?
At that time I had three choices. I had a different agent. The communication about it was like, ‘This team they like you, this team likes you.’ But Detroit just felt right. They embody who I am. And it’s perfect. The grit, the determination, the city, it is who I am. So, it just felt right. And just some of the stuff that they told me personally in those meetings when you go through the pre-draft [interviews], it was just about changing the culture. With my skillset, culture-wise and mentality wise, I’m a guy you want to go to war with.
What would you say was your breakout moment here?
These guys saw how hard I was working last year around this time. I remember I was working out hard and I really took it personally because I didn’t even travel with the team last season [during road playoff games]. So, I didn’t even get to see what that environment was like. I only got to see it in Detroit. I just was taking it personally. I just knew once I got my opportunity, I was going to give my all and let them know they made the right decision.
What did the Pistons signing you to a standard contract mean to you?
It was really big personally for me. I haven’t had time to reflect on it because I’m in it right now. Everything was happening so fast. I haven’t even really had a chance to look at it with my family. I always tell people, man, my biggest thing is I know I’m inspiring a lot of kids out there.
I know everybody is not going to make it in this sport. That’s just the nature of it. But it’s just good to show people that when you put your minds here, no matter what they give you, no matter what they tell you, you can get it done. Put the work in, live life the right way and put your faith in God. He’s going to test your faith. I never lost my faith.
There are going to be some prospects at the 2026 NBA draft that won’t get selected. What advice would you give them?
I would just tell them to keep that chip on your shoulder, keep adding to that chip on your shoulder. This will be fuel to the fire going undrafted. And these teams that you get to go to after the draft, you get to show them why you should have been drafted. There are a lot of ups and downs. It’s a marathon. It’s not a sprint. Never play yourself out of position. That’s my biggest thing.
When you’re in these positions, you can kind of turn into [a jerk]. You got to channel that [attitude] in the right way… When you step on the court and into those lines, there is nothing they can do. So that’s when you give a show.
What are your thoughts on playing in a Game 7?
It’s on. It’s on. It’s definitely on.
The post For Daniss Jenkins, the Detroit Pistons embody his basketball journey appeared first on Andscape.
