Jaden Ivey selected 5th in NBA Draft by Detroit Pistons

NEW YORK (WNDU) - Jaden Ivey became the first South Bend native ever to be drafted in the first round of the NBA Draft on Thursday night after the Detroit Pistons selected the former Marian, La Lumiere, and Purdue standout with the No. 5 overall pick.

Ivey will sign a three-year contract worth just over $18 million and join a back court with Cade Cunningham, who was last year’s No. 1 overall pick.

The son of Notre Dame Women’s Basketball Head Coach Niele Ivey had a press conference right after being drafted.

“It’s just a dream come true for me,” he said. “I can remember sitting, a young boy watching some of the great players get drafted and I didn’t want to stop until I was walking across that stage shaking the commissioner’s hand, so it’s just a dream come true. For all the kids that have dreams and aspirations, if they put their mind to it and keep working hard, they can accomplish it.”

Ivey averaged 17.3 points last season with the Boilermakers and made 46 percent of his shots overall. He was 36 percent beyond the three-point arc.

Meanwhile, Ivey wasn’t the only South Bend native to make history on Thursday night. Former Riley High School and Notre Dame standout Blake Wesley was selected by the San Antonio Spurs 20 picks later, making him the second-ever South Bend native to get drafted in the first round of the NBA Draft.