Motor City Cruise: Driving Towards Success

The Motor City Cruise — an affiliate of the Detroit Pistons, has been making waves in the NBA G League, serving as a pivotal developmental pathway for future NBA prospects. 

Coach Jamelle McMillan’s Vision  

This upcoming year holds a wealth of promise and excitement under the guidance of head coach Jamelle McMillan. 

His coaching style is characterized by his emphasis on discipline and hard work. His extensive coaching background at various levels has endowed him with the knowledge of developing young players and is fully dedicated to his mission of raising Motor City Cruise to greater heights, and is proud to be a part of the journey. 

“This organization, whether it be the Pistons, Cruise, or the community of Detroit, its been awesome. I’m really fortunate to be here.” 

Amidst the team’s promising progress, Coach McMillan has already expressed his satisfaction with how everything is going so far with his team and their insatiable appetite for daily learning and improvement.

“There willing to accept, there willing to grasp information. They are receptive to the information —  they’re a willing group and they want to do the right thing. They want to do the next right thing as it relates to the team, as it relates to their own individual success, and really just how eager they are. We are all going to put this together throughout the season — so I really value those guys for that.”

Motor City Cruise and the Detroit Pistons partnership 

The synergy between the Motor City Cruise and Detroit Pistons has created a symbiotic relationship, benefiting both organizations immensely. While the Cruise provides a platform for 

promising talents to thrive, the Pistons, in turn, gain access to a pool of skilled players ready fothe next level.  

This year, a notable change involves the shared utilization of the Detroit Pistons Practice Facility, which brings considerable advantages by fostering a conducive environment where knowledge and guidance can flow seamlessly. 

“I’m not sure I can put into words how awesome that is for these guys to see the colors, wear the colors – that staff is in the building, that’s a tremendous opportunity to have those type of eyes. Troy and George and those guys office looks directly at the floor, you know. It’s an unbelievable experience for myself, to be able to learn from directly across the hall and have that communication pretty much right here, and for our guys to be able to also communicate with them. A big message I told the guys is, you have to be tone-setters. You have to set the tone for this building.” 

The message is clear that the Cruise is embodying the values and aspirations of the Pistons’ franchise, setting the tone for what lies ahead, and establishing a collective identity.

Future Success 

The success of the G League is evident — there are those who have made the jump already from the G League to the NBA wearing a Pistons jersey. The Cruise’s roster is highlighted by Jared Rhoden, Stanley Umude, and Malcolm Cazalon — who have earned their spots representing as two-way players. 

Aside from these players, some returning players to the Cruise include Buddy Boeheim, David Nwaba, and Ryan Turell. 

Here are some other names worth watching closely. 

DeMarco Dickerson F 6′ 5″ 170 Siena Heights/USA

Tosan Evbuomwan F 6′ 7″ 217 Princeton/England 

Treveon Graham G/F  6′ 5″ 219 Virginia Commonwealth/USA

Malique Jacobs G 6′ 4″ 194 Kent State/USA 

Robert Johnson G 6’2” 195 Indiana/USA

Sterling Manley F/C 6’11” 250 North Carolina/USA

David Nwaba G/F 6’5” 219 California Polytechnic State/USA

Jontay Porter F/C 6’11” 240 Missouri/USA

Nate Roberts C 6’11” 235 Washington/USA

Zavier Simpson PG 6’0” 190 Michigan/USA

Ryan Turell G/F 6’6” 190 Yeshiva/USA

Chandler Vaudrin G/F 6’7” Winthrop/USA

The roster boasts an abundance of talent ready to showcase their skills. The first game of the season will take place on Sunday, November 12th, 2023 against the Grand Rapids Gold. 

Following, will be their first home game of the season on November 14th at 7 pm, hosted at Wayne State Fieldhouse against the Iowa Wolves. 

Photo Courtesy: The Detroit News