Detroit Pistons 2021 Early Draft Profile: Cade Cunningham
By Ari Eizen
Cade Cunningham’s Strengths
Before even watching Cunningham play, his frame and build gives viewers a glimpse into what he can do on the floor. At six-foot-seven, Cunningham has a wingspan that exceeds seven-feet, allowing him to use his length to terrorize smaller guards around the court.
His combination of size and athleticism enables him to score around the rim with ease.
On top of that, throughout his freshman year at Oklahoma State, he has been an effective shooter from all over the court, shooting 43.2% from the field and 42.3% from beyond the arc. His ability to score from all areas of the court forces teams to pay attention to him whenever he is on the court, because he is constantly a threat. Being a rookie who is able to shoot efficiently, straight out of college, will only help him, as he continues to grow once he enters the NBA this summer.
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Outside of his scoring ability, Cunningham also has a knack for finding the open man, and making the right choice on whom to pass to.
He is also a very unselfish player who is willing to share the ball with his teammates, rather than taking as many shots as he can. In other words, his basketball IQ and decision making skills are incredibly impressive for someone as young as Cunningham is.
Having the ability to make the correct decision right off the bat should warrant Cunningham a lot of playing time immediately in the NBA.
On the defensive side of the ball, Cunningham is able to use his size and wingspan to defend any position. Additionally, he tends to make the right decision on defense, averaging 1.5 steals per game and one block per game over his freshman year.