Former Michigan basketball star Isaiah Livers is getting another chance in the NBA as he has signed a two-way contract with the Phoenix Suns. Livers was a second-round NBA Draft pick back in 2021, and he spent the first three years of his career in his home state with the Detroit Pistons. He was on the Washington Wizards this past season, but he didn't play because of a hip injury. He is healthy again, and he is hoping to revitalize his career with the Suns.
“Free agent F Isaiah Livers will sign a two-way NBA contract with the Phoenix Suns, Andy Shiffman and Mark Bartelstein of
@PrioritySports tell ESPN,” Shams Charania said in a post. “Livers missed all of last season due to hip surgery but has made a full recovery and now restarts career for his fourth NBA season.”
Isaiah Livers started his Michigan basketball career during the 2017-2018 season, and he experienced a lot of success with the program. The Wolverines won the Big Ten Tournament title and made a run to the national title game during Livers' freshman season. They had another deep March Madness run in 2021, but Livers was unfortunately out due to an injury.
Livers was one of the best players on that 2020-21 Michigan basketball team, and the Wolverines won the Big Ten regular season title that year. Michigan earned a one-seed in the NCAA Tournament, but Livers got hurt during the Big Ten tournament and was unable to play. The Wolverines lost in the Elite Eight, but who knows what would've happened if they had their star.
After leaving Michigan, Livers was selected with the 42nd overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft by the Pistons. He grew up in Kalamazoo, went to Michigan for college, and then got drafted by the Pistons. He stayed put in the mitten for a while, but he was bound to leave the state eventually.
Livers was a solid role player for the Pistons for a couple of seasons, and he shot the deep ball well during his first two years in the league. That was always a big strength while he was at Michigan. Who knows how he will look coming back from hip surgery, but he is getting another chance, and that's all he can ask for.
