Ex-Marquette players Ellenson, Buycks working to get better with Pistons organization

Former Marquette men's basketball players Henry Ellenson and Dwight Buycks were back at the BMO Harris Bradley Center on Friday night, this time as members of the Detroit Pistons.

After a rookie season split between the Pistons and their G League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Drive, Ellenson put together a strong preseason.

In the Pistons' first four preseason games, Ellenson shot 18 for 32 and averaged 11.5 points per game. He struggled against the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday, shooting 1 for 6 and missing a free throw with 40 seconds remaining and the game tied at 103.

Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy had high praise for Ellenson. 

“The main thing he needed to work on was just getting stronger and becoming a more consistent shooter – that’s the main thing on the floor," Van Gundy said. "He’s done a really good job in both areas. He’s had an outstanding preseason."

The Pistons are deep at power forward, so getting regular minutes won't be easy for Ellenson.

"We’ll see. He’s right there," Van Gundy said. "With (Jon) Leuer, Anthony Tolliver, he and Tobias (Harris), there’s a lot of guys at that spot. He’s certainly played well enough to be in the rotation."

Ellenson divided his summer between Detroit and his home of Rice Lake, keeping in close contact with the Pistons' strength and conditioning staff.

"Just getting my legs and core stronger, just be able to move better and sit in a stance on defense and offensively being able to stay low," Ellenson said.

Buycks hasn't played at all in the preseason because of a hip injury. He dressed on Friday night and participated in warmups but wasn't cleared to play. 

He was injured in the first week of training camp.

"It was a late defensive coverage call, I kind of stretched my legs into like a deep defensive stance. It was freak little accident," Buycks said.

Buycks was signed to a two-way contract by the Pistons in August and he is likely ticketed for the G League to start the season. 

"We really liked him in the summer league playing for Dallas. That’s why we signed him to a two-way contract," Van Gundy said. "I thought he looked really good the first week of camp, then we haven’t seen him.

"It was unfortunate for Dwight when the injury came because we had (Langston) Galloway out for a while, we had Reggie Jackson out. He would have gotten opportunities to play in the preseason."

Both Ellenson and Buycks keep close tabs on Marquette.

Buycks said there is a big group chat with most of the players who played on the Golden Eagles team in The Basketball Tournament.

Ellenson was able to hang out on the MU campus Thursday night, watching the Philadelphia Eagles-Carolina Panthers game with Golden Eagles players Cam Marotta, Haanif Cheatham and Sacar Anim.

Ellenson even found time to make a run to Kopp's.

"I got to cram it in when I can," he said.