KALAMAZOO, Mich. — As Detroit Pistons basketball comes to The Spot Grand Rapids 17, coaches and students at Kalamazoo Central High School are looking back at the journey of former standout Isaiah Livers and the legacy he left back home.
Before reaching the NBA and playing for the Detroit Pistons, Livers made his mark at Kalamazoo Central. Basketball coach Ramsey Nichols said Livers stood out from the moment he arrived as a freshman.
“When he first arrived here as a freshman, he passed the eye test. He had the size, he had the skill, and he continued to develop even after that,” Nichols said.
Livers’ development culminated in his senior year when he earned Michigan Mr. Basketball honors. He later played at the University of Michigan before reaching the NBA.
Nichols remembers the night Livers was selected in the NBA Draft.
“I was at home that night of the draft,” Nichols said.
“I was just happy when that moment came. You know, just so proud of the moment that he was able to reach, that ultimate goal that he was striving to reach.”
Today, Livers’ legacy remains visible at Kalamazoo Central, where current athletes see his accomplishments as proof of what is possible.
“It inspires me because I know that he was a captain, I know he was a leader on his team,” said senior Jontee Willhite.
Willhite said Livers’ example has influenced his own approach to leadership.
“Me being a senior this year, I really have to step up and be a leader,” Willhite said.
While Willhite and Livers never wore a Kalamazoo Central jersey at the same time, both played under Nichols.
Nichols said Livers’ willingness to be coached helped him reach his potential.
“Isaiah was the kind of player where he allowed the coaches to push him to be the best that he could be. So, I still coach the same way to this day, you know, I don’t allow our players to slide,” Nichols said.
For Willhite, the message is simple.
“I want to go far in this, and I feel like to get there, I have to work hard,” he said.
As The Spot Grand Rapids 17 partners with the Detroit Pistons to bring games to viewers for free, Livers’ journey from Kalamazoo Central to the NBA remains a reminder of how far hard work can take local athletes. Fans can watch Pistons basketball this season on The Spot Grand Rapids 17.
The Spot Grand Rapids 17 airs on FOX 17's subchannel, channel 17.2.
For more information on how to watch, click here.
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