Kory Woods

Detroit

Pistons and Lions Beat Writer at MLive

Pistons and Lions beat writer at @mlive. @EasternMichU and @SpecsHoward alumnus. @UMich MSW student. ΚΑΨ. Photog. King of Petty.

Articles

Lions rookie eyeing vets Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams for guidance

4 days ago | mlive.com | Kory Woods

ALLEN PARK — Dominic Lovett raised some eyebrows at Detroit Lions rookie minicamp on Friday by calling out veteran receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams — just not in the way you might think. With an affable personality on full display, Lovett, one of the Lions’ seventh-round picks in this year’s draft, spoke with reporters after practice. “I’d say it’s basically like a Georgia practice. The only difference is you have different faces, different coaches,” Lovett said of Day 1.
How CrossFit shaped a Lions rookie’s NFL mindset and motor

5 days ago | mlive.com | Kory Woods

ALLEN PARK — Detroit Lions assistant general manager Ray Agnew believes sixth-round pick Ahmed Hassanein has the potential to become a special player for the franchise, pointing to his upside as a pass rusher. Hassanein agrees — and said refining that part of his game is one of his top priorities as he prepares for his first NFL season. The former Boise State standout spoke with reporters following rookie minicamp practice Friday. “My pass rush can always get better.
Lions first-round rookie taking mental reps while easing into minicamp

5 days ago | mlive.com | Kory Woods

ALLEN PARK — Of all the surprising things that have happened to Detroit Lions defensive tackle Tyleik Williams since draft night several weeks ago, it wasn’t the prank call — a common rite of passage for many draftees — that caught him most off guard. It was a follow on Instagram. “John Legend followed me on Instagram. I was like, wow,” Williams said. “He got I don’t know how many million followers. He followed me, so it was pretty cool right after the draft.
Barry Sanders says Lions can win Super Bowl, but margin for error is slim

6 days ago | mlive.com | Kory Woods

Barry Sanders has the utmost confidence that the Detroit Lions — under general manager Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell — are capable of winning a Super Bowl. But he also knows it won’t be easy. In a recent interview with USA Today, the Pro Football Hall of Fame running back shared his perspective on what it will take for the Lions to finally capture the franchise’s first-ever Lombardi Trophy. “I think it takes kind of some of the things that we’ve experienced, right?
Pistons face key question: Add an All-Star next to Cade Cunningham?

1 week ago | mlive.com | Kory Woods

DETROIT — Near the end of Trajan Langdon’s Wednesday press conference, the Detroit Pistons’ top executive laughed off a comment suggesting the team’s second-leading scorer next season, behind Cade Cunningham, would come via a splashy trade. Langdon said he believes it’s a good thing he doesn’t yet know who will take on that role.
Pistons front office eyes internal growth to build on momentum

1 week ago | mlive.com | Kory Woods

DETROIT — Wednesday morning marked the first time Detroit Pistons president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon spoke with reporters following the team’s first-round elimination in their Eastern Conference playoff series against the New York Knicks. Langdon shared an optimistic view of what the team was able to accomplish in the first season with him and Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff in their respective roles. “After a couple of days to reflect, hell of a season for us.
Pistons executive falls short in bid for NBA’s front office honor

1 week ago | mlive.com | Kory Woods

Continuing a theme for the Detroit Pistons this offseason, president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon is the latest to come up short in end-of-season awards. The NBA announced that Oklahoma City Thunder executive vice president and general manager Sam Presti is the league’s 2024-25 Executive of the Year. Presti received 10 first-place votes, while Langdon and Cleveland Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman each finished with six.
Pistons’ J.B. Bickerstaff falls short in NBA Coach of the Year race

1 week ago | mlive.com | Kory Woods

DETROIT — J.B. Bickerstaff met the criteria to be a worthy candidate for this season’s NBA Coach of the Year, but the honor ultimately went to the man who replaced him at his last stop. On Monday, the NBA announced Cleveland Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson as the 2024-25 Coach of the Year after leading the franchise to a 64-18 record and the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Should the Pistons keep their veteran sharpshooter?

1 week ago | mlive.com | Kory Woods

DETROIT — If anyone wondered whether Malik Beasley wants to continue his NBA career in Detroit, he answered that question last Thursday. After the Detroit Pistons’ heartbreaking elimination by the New York Knicks in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, Beasley reflected on what made his current professional home so meaningful. “In my whole nine years in the NBA, I’ve never had this much fun coming to the gym,” Beasley said.
Ausar Thompson exited, and the Knicks surged. Why did the Pistons sub him out?

1 week ago | mlive.com | Kory Woods

DETROIT — While sitting at his locker following a first-round exit at the hands of the New York Knicks, Ausar Thompson didn’t exactly know why he was benched late in Thursday’s game by Detroit Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff — but he made his thoughts on the decision clear. Throughout the series, the physical and crafty Pistons defender made life difficult for the Knicks’ All-Star guard, holding him to 43% shooting across six games.