Former Spartan Fitting in Nicely with New G-League Team

Former Michigan State forward Malik Hall is navigating his way through the first season of his professional career and has fit in nicely with the Motor City Cruise, the second NBA G-League team he has played for this season.

Michigan State forward Malik Hall (25) dribbles against North Carolina forward Jae'Lyn Withers (24) during the first half of the NCAA tournament West Region second round at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. on Saturday, March 23, 2024. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Former Michigan State standout forward Malik Hall has carried his talent to the professional level and has slowly begun to settle into his role with the Motor City Cruise, G-League development team for the Detroit Pistons organization.

Hall was originally drafted with the eighth overall pick in last year's G-League draft, going to the Charlotte Hornets affiliate team, the Greensboro Swarm. He played just two games with the Swarm before being acquired by the Cruise a few weeks ago in mid-January.

In five total games with Motor City, the former Spartan is averaging 5.2 points on 66.7% shooting, along with 4.2 rebounds in 19.5 minutes per game. He may not be lighting up the scoreboard just yet, but he is slowly fitting into his role as a rookie in the professional ranks.

A major positive for Hall's game is the uptick in playing time that he is receiving with his new team. The Swarm gave him just 13 minutes of action in two games over a two-month span, which did him no favors in his development. The Cruise have already played him 93 total minutes through five games.

In Thursday night's blowout win over the Windy City Bulls, Hall played 23 minutes, scoring two points on 1-2 shooting with four rebounds. He may not have had the best scoring game of his young career, but the playing time is there, and his production will follow.

The former Spartan was one of the longest tenured players over recent years in East Lansing. He spent five seasons in the Green and White, playing a career 153 games while averaging 8.2 points and 4.6 rebounds. He left Michigan State as the 32nd all-time scorer (1,249 points).

The more comfortable that Hall gets with the G-League level, the more he will play and succeed. His rookie season has been an uphill battle, but the next several years could prove bright for his future. Many Spartans have found success in either the NBA's development leagues or overseas.

It will be interesting to keep an eye on Hall's growth throughout the remainder of his rookie season and what will unfold in future seasons as a pro.

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