The State of Michigan has long been known for its automobile industry, its lakes, and its winter, however, recently three teams from up north have been taking the basketball world by storm. While Michigan is home to four professional sport teams, and seven Division I colleges, its basketball teams have stood out in the early parts of the season. The Detroit Pistons currently sit atop the Eastern Conference led by former first overall pick Cade Cunnigham and a roster built for success. The Michigan Wolverines are ranked 3rd in the nation in the most recent AP Poll. They are led by second-year Head Coach Dusty May and their loaded roster built through the transfer portal. The third team is the Michigan State Spartans led by veteran head coach Tom Izzo and his experienced team in East Lansing. While both the NBA and College Basketball season is still very young, these three Michigan teams have put themselves in championship conversations.
Detroit Pistons
It was only two years ago that Detroit’s NBA team broke the league’s losing-streak record with 28 straight losses, including a winless November. Since then they have hired a new head coach in J.B. Bickerstaff and revamped their roster to fit franchise-star Cade Cunningham. The Oklahoma State product showed some promise in his early years in the league since being drafted first overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, but few expected his big jump this year. The 6 ‘6 point guard is averaging 29 points per game, six rebounds per game, and nearly 10 assists per game while leading the Pistons to a 16-4 record through November 30th, good enough for first place in the Eastern Conference.
While Cade Cunningham is undoubtedly the face of this franchise, his teammates have also taken leaps this year that put Detroit in contention. Jalen Duren, who recently turned just 22 years-old has blossomed into a top big in the league. The Memphis alum has increased his points per game average by 8.4, while maintaining his efficiency. A deeper look into Duren’s effectiveness shows that the Pistons score 124.2 points per 100 possessions when he’s on the court. This is 6.4 points better than the league average. Jalen Duren has also been Cunningham’s go-to second option. Cunningham averages an insane 14.4 assists per 100 possessions when playing with Duren compared to just 11.1 assists without Duren. Duren’s rebounding has also created a lasting impact in Detroit. The Pistons secure 6.1% more offensive rebounds when Jalen Duren is on the court.
One thing that hasn’t changed about this Detroit basketball team is its elite defense. As a team, the Pistons are holding opponents to around 44% from the field, which ranks 4th in the league. To add on, they’re shutting down teams at the rim forcing a league best 57% from the field in at the rim. Their individual leaps also stand out defensively. Former Washington Husky Isaiah Stewart is averaging 2.1 blocks per game, which is third best in the league. They have two young guards who rank in the top-20 in steals per game in Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland II, each averaging nearly two steals a game.
J.B. Bickerstaff has done a tremendous job building and leading this team since he was hired in July of 2024. Detroit is historically a hard-working blue-collar city and its NBA team is no different. This team was built through drafts, not bought in free agency. The majority of this roster was on the team when they lost a record 28 games in a row in 2023 and finished the season with just 17 wins. By Thanksgiving 2025, Detroit had won 15 games. They drafted well, signed smart veterans, and they were patient with their stars. The Detroit Pistons are currently the first seed in the East, and they don’t look like they’re going anywhere.
Michigan Wolverines
The school in Ann Arbor has a rich history in all sports. However, a recent head coaching hire and the transfer portal has put their basketball team among the best in the country. Juwan Howard was part of the “Fab Five”, a group of five freshmen that joined Michigan in 1991 and led them on an immaculate National Championship run that ended in tragedy. Juwan Howard’s coaching career at Michigan was also a tragedy. His five seasons as Head Coach of the Wolverines was filled with controversy and losses as he was fired in March of 2024. His successor, Dusty May, has started his Michigan coaching career with a bang. The former FAU head coach has the Wolverines in prime position to make noise when March rolls around.
Dusty May has lots of success being associated with winning college basketball teams. May started his coaching career as a student manager for legendary Indiana Head Coach Bobby Knight. Fast forward to 2018 and May landed his first collegiate head coaching job at Florida Atlantic University. In just his 5th year, he led FAU to the final four and 35 wins on the year. In 2024, he was hired to be the coach at Michigan. A Big Ten Tournament Championship and Sweet Sixteen appearance in his first year brought him national praise and lots of freedom with NIL money and the transfer portal. May took advantage of the portal, finishing the offseason with arguably the best transfer class.
One of the many transfers to Michigan, is 23-year-old Yaxel Lendeborg. The former UAB forward was a two time American Athletic Conference Defensive player of the year while also averaging 17 points per game and 11 rebounds per game. Lendeborg signed with Michigan and has not slowed down at all. He’s helped lead the Wolverines to an undefeated start in their first seven games including a historically dominant run in the Players Era Tournament in Las Vegas.
In the three games in Las Vegas, Michigan won by an average margin of 33 points, including a 40 point blowout win in the Championship vs Gonzaga. In that game, Lendeborg dropped 20 points, 11 rebounds, 4 steals and 2 blocks alongside other transfers Morez Johnson Jr., Aday Mara, and Elliot Cadeau who each had respectable performances. Cadeau, a transfer from North Carolina dished out 13 assists vs Gonzaga.
Dusty May and his team of experienced and talented transfers have a great chance of leading the Wolverines to their first final four since 2018.
Michigan State Spartans
Tom Izzo is the longest tenured coach in all of college basketball and his team looks prime to hoist the Spartans’ first trophy since 2000. This Michigan State roster looks very similar to last year’s squad that made it to the Elite Eight before losing to Auburn. Tom Izzo is known to run a guard-heavy offense, and this team is no different. Junior point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. leads all NCAA in assists per game with 10 while also averaging 12 points and 2 steals a contest. Alongside him is freak athlete Coen Carr. When he’s not dunking above the rim, he’s hitting big-time threes and guarding the opponents best player. The Hall of Fame coach will undoubtedly go down as one of the best to do it, but his team hasn’t had the tournament success he’s hoped for. This team could be different. The Spartans have depth and experience, a combination that could make a big difference in March. Their top four scorers are Juniors and Seniors and they only have one freshman in the rotation.
While the season is very young, Michigan State has started 7-0 and has defeated ranked teams along the way. They had a battle against Arkansas but they escaped with a three point win. Ten days later they faced off against an equally experienced team in Kentucky and the Spartans mopped the floor with them, winning by seventeen. That game truly displayed their depth, as 6th man Kur Teng shot lights out, dropping a career high 15 points in Madison Square Garden. Jaxon Kohler, Michigan State’s veteran big man, dropped 20 points, and star guard Jeremy Fears Jr dished out 13 assists. Michigan State most recently played against North Carolina in the Fort Myers Tip-Off. The Spartans impressed again defeating the Tar Heels by 16 with another stellar performance from Fears.
Jeremy Fears leads this team and he has all the pieces around him to succeed. Michigan State plays Michigan January 30th and March 8th, two games that will likely receive national attention.
It is still early in both the NBA and college basketball seasons, however, the state of Michigan has definitely turned some heads with their basketball teams.