Who is Daniss Jenkins?
Nov 18, 2025
Few people would believe that Daniss Jenkins would be the focal point of the Detroit Pistons' offense in 2025. Undrafted out of St. John's (his fourth post-secondary stop in five years), Jenkins played just seven games for the Pistons during the 2024–25 season, spending the majority of his year in the G League.
With All-Star guard Cade Cunningham sidelined with an injury, Jenkins, who is on a two-way contract, scored a career high 24 points in the Pistons' overtime victory over the Washington Wizards on November 10, followed up by an 18-point, 12-assist effort against the Chicago Bulls two nights later, and then helped the Pistons to a 114–105 NBA Cup victory over the Philadelphia 76ers with 19 points and eight assists.
For a guy who struggled to get floor time in the Pistons' first 10 games, seeing action in only five and never once cracking double digits in scoring and only once in minutes, Jenkins has seemingly found his Cinderella moment. Down to just six rotation players, Jenkins delivered his breakout performances playing 34 minutes off the bench against the Wizards, 40 minutes in a starting role against the Bulls, and his second straight start playing 35 minutes against Tyrese Maxey’s Sixers.
What makes Jenkins’s performances interesting is that it’s not exactly shocking to people who’ve been following his game since his college days and time with the Motor City Cruise. Named to the G-League All-Rookie Team in 2025, averaging 21.2 points and 7.2 assists, it seemed that all Jenkins needed was an opportunity.
The question now is whether this is just a hot streak at the right time and right place, or if Jenkins deserves a full-time contract. Many players have been able to put up surprising numbers in a game here or there, but three straight impressive games suggest this is more than a fluke. However, Detroit’s injury situation won’t last long, with Cunningham and Jaden Ivey set to return shortly. For a team on the rise and looking to prove itself against the rest of the Eastern Conference, having another talented backcourt player might be the depth piece the Pistons have been looking for.
