Dallas Made Him: Daniss Jenkins’ Path From Hillcrest to the League

A day before the Detroit Pistons faced the Dallas Mavericks in Dallas, Daniss Jenkins found himself back where it all started. On December 17, Jenkins returned to Hillcrest High School for a jersey dedication — a moment that quietly connected his North Dallas beginnings to the NBA stage he now occupies.

He became just the second NBA player in Hillcrest history to receive that honor, and the significance wasn’t lost on him. Not because of the accolade itself, but because of everything it represented — the detours, the doubt, and the determination it took to arrive at this point.

“I think it’s really just about persevering through everything,” Jenkins told me. “The biggest thing for me is that my end goal never changed, no matter where I was. Even when I transferred schools, went JUCO, or went to different colleges, my goal was always to give myself a shot at the NBA, no matter what that looked like or what route I had to take.”

The Path to Greatness

That route was anything but straightforward. Jenkins’ journey took him from Hillcrest to Pacific, then to Odessa College at the junior college level, before stops at Iona and St. John’s. With each move came new circumstances, new environments, and new challenges — but never a shift in mindset.

“Every place I was, I always knew my goal was higher than where I was at the moment,” he said. “I never let my habits or my work ethic waver, because I knew how hard it was just to get to that point.”

Even after proving himself in the Big East, Jenkins went undrafted in 2024. For many, that’s a breaking point. For him, it was just another adjustment. Detroit offered a two-way opportunity, and Jenkins stayed ready, trusting that preparation would eventually meet opportunity.

The Hillcrest ceremony also highlighted something bigger than one individual story. Jenkins is part of a growing Dallas–Fort Worth pipeline inside Detroit’s locker room. He shares the roster with fellow DFW products Cade Cunningham (Bowie High School, Arlington), Marcus Sasser (Red Oak High School), and Ron Holland (Duncanville High School). Together, they reflect the depth and competitiveness of North Texas basketball.

“We always tell people — and they laugh — that Dallas is the new Mecca,” Jenkins said. “We weren’t known for basketball for a long time. We’re a football state, we dominate football, but we really have everything.”

That belief is rooted in experience.

“Just seeing how competitive this state and the metroplex are — that’s proof in the pudding,” he said. “When you come here and play sports, you know the level you have to perform at to get where you’re trying to go.”

Putting On For The City

For Jenkins, watching other DFW players chase — and sometimes reach — the league only reinforces that pride.

“To see everybody flourishing and chasing their dreams — maybe they make it, maybe they’re not there yet — but we’ve all been at this level and we’ve all played at a high level,” he said. “It’s just good to see.”

Through all of it, Jenkins stays grounded in the people who carried him through the toughest stretches.

“The circle is everything,” he said. “Your circle and your village are what really keep you going and keep you grounded. All those times when you want to say, ‘Man, this is tough’ — because it is tough to do it by yourself — it’s really you, God, and your family saying the right things to you.”

That support matters even more as success starts to show up.

“They keep you motivated and grounded, even when you have a little success,” Jenkins said. “Having people along the way who genuinely believe in you and genuinely want to see you do well — that meant everything to me.”

He’s intentional about naming that village.

“It was Damien Robinson, Coach Hart, my family — my mom, my brother, my sister,” Jenkins said. “They were the ones who really saw it. They helped raise me when there was nothing.”

And the gratitude, he says, never expires.

“I can never repay them for that,” Jenkins said. “They’re always going to be taken care of, and I’m always going to keep them included in everything I do, because that’s all I had. That’s all I know.”

Even as his NBA role continues to grow, Jenkins knows exactly where home is.

“We’re trying to do something big for the city,” he said. “It’s a blessing and I’m sure I’m going to raise my kids here.”

Staying Ready: From the 214 to the 313

Entering January, Jenkins had already begun carving out a real role with Detroit. In limited but meaningful minutes, he was providing steady ball-handling, on-ball defense, and timely scoring — averaging around seven points and nearly three assists per game when called upon. The trust was building.

Then came the night everything crystallized.

Daniss Jenkins had the quarter of a lifetime. On January 4, the Pistons’ two-way signee erupted for 21 points in the second quarter, going a perfect 7-for-7 from the field and 6-for-6 from three. In just 25 minutes, Jenkins finished with 25 points, delivering one of the most efficient and explosive quarters by a reserve in franchise history.

It didn’t feel fluky. It felt earned. The calm. The control. The confidence. Every transfer, every JUCO gym, every moment of uncertainty showed up in that stretch. Not rushed. Not surprised. Ready.

It echoed everything he had already told me in Dallas — that the goal never changed, even when the route did. Those habits matter. That belief compounds. When preparation finally meets opportunity, there’s no adjustment period required.

From a jersey dedication at Hillcrest to a historic NBA quarter weeks later, Daniss Jenkins’ journey continues to unfold as proof that the path doesn’t have to be straight — as long as the belief never wavers.