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Jalen Rose predicts big year for Detroit basketball with Pistons and Wolverines: "It's our turn"
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- Jalen Rose predicts big year for Detroit basketball with Pistons and Wolverines: "It's our turn"
Former NBA player and Detroit native Jalen Rose believes this year is going to be special for basketball in the "Motor City." He sees the Michigan Wolverines and the Detroit Pistons making a deep run in their respective competitions.
The 2000 NBA Most Improved Player made his thoughts known during his appearance, along with fellow Michigan "Fab Five" member Chris Webber, on "The Steam Room" podcast hosted by Ernie Johnson and Charles Barkley.
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Rose, 53, shared he projects his alma mater going all the way to the NCAA Final Four, even winning the whole thing, and the Pistons making it at least to the NBA Finals.
"I'll say Michigan [will make it to the] Final Four and then the Pistons are going to make it to the Finals. I think both of them are going to take place this year. It's our turn. It really is," said Rose, who as a member of the Fab Five helped Michigan to back-to-back NCAA championship game appearances in 1992 and 1993.
"So, like all Detroiters, we really like to ride or die for our teams. And, yes, I believe Michigan can make the Final Four, win the championship, and the Pistons can make the Finals," he added.
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No. 1 Michigan
The Wolverines have had an outstanding collegiate season, dominating the Big Ten with a 19-1 conference record and 31-3 overall. They won 14 of their first 15 games and never looked back from there to win their conference's regular-season championship. The team also reached the Big Ten Tournament final but ultimately lost to Purdue.
Michigan has been getting it done with a balanced attack on both ends of the court, led by senior forward Yaxel Lendeborg , who averaged 14.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.2 steals on his way to being named Big Ten Player of the Year.
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The team's solid play all season earned it a trip to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season and a spot among the four No. 1 seeds. It is currently awaiting the winner of the First Four matchup between UMBC (24-8) and Howard (23-10), which it will face in the first round of March Madness in the Midwest Region.
In last year's edition of the NCAA Tournament, the Wolverines reached the "Sweet 16" before losing to Auburn, and the hopes are high for this one.
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Pistons humming
Like the Wolverines, the Pistons have been dominant in their NBA campaign, leading the Eastern Conference for much of the season. Detroit currently holds the best record in the East with 48-19, 3.5 games ahead of the second-running Boston Celtics .
Coach J.B. Bickerstaff has been on point in his second year at the helm, keeping the team on the same page about their collective identity and what they want to accomplish.
All-Star guard Cade Cunningham continues with his ascent as the leader of the Pistons, averaging 24.9 points, 10.1 assists, 5.6 rebounds and 1.5 steals. Helping the team's cause further is the emergence of big man Jalen Duren (18.7 points, 10.6 rebounds) as a viable second option, along with a solid supporting cast.
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The Pistons are now on track to make it to the postseason directly for the second straight year after finishing with a 14-68 record in 2024.
Without a doubt, Detroit basketball is humming right now, and with the way the Wolverines and Pistons are handling their affairs, Rose may not be far off with his assertions.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Mar 17, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
