Malik Hall had an up-and-down Michigan State basketball career, but he ended on a high note, putting together his best year as a senior in 2023-24 only to go undrafted.
It felt like Hall had his redemption arc and all that was left was for him to catch on with an NBA team because he had all the tools necessary to take that next step. He's strong, athletic, and can play plus basketball on both ends of the floor. Yet no one drafted him.
It didn't take long for him to sign as an undrafted free agent in the G-League and he eventually made his way over to the Pistons' affiliate, the Motor City Cruise.
In 20 games with the Cruise this season, Hall is averaging 9.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.0 steals in 24.5 minutes. He's been playing some of the best basketball of his career and he's focusing more on what he's comfortable doing (playing inside the arc) as he's attempted just two threes in his 22 total G-League games. He's also shooting 63.3% from the floor.
According to a recent post by the Motor City Cruise on X, Hall has been representing the Mitten well, averaging 11.2 points and 4.8 rebounds since becoming a starter.
.@iammalikhall knows how to REPRESENT the mitten ;) pic.twitter.com/4Kn0eLi3tT
— Motor City Cruise (@MotorCityCruise) April 21, 2025
On top of that, he just posted a career-high of 22 points and 11 rebounds in a game on April 21 and the highlights from that outing were fantastic, starting with a crazy throw-down, Blake Griffin-style.
It's been fun rooting for him in the G-League as he continues his quest to make an NBA roster but a good Summer League in 2025 could get him a two-way contract. Hall is too talented to not get a taste of the NBA at some point.