Detroit Pistons: Contemporary comparisons for Cade Cunningham
By Indy Perro
Cade Cunningham is the face of the Detroit Pistons’ future. The former first-overall draft pick came to the Motor City with high expectations. Unfortunately, his first two seasons have been mired by injury. Let’s take a look at the players to whom Cunningham compares and see if we can’t rejuvenate some of the optimism we had when he was first drafted.
Detroit Pistons: Contemporary comparisons for Cade Cunningham
Luka Doncic
Luka Doncic is the most common comparison made to Cade. Both Luka and Cunningham like to slow the game down. They aren’t quick athletes when compared to NBA players like Russell Westbrook or Damian Lillard, but they use their size and intelligence to get to their spots, elevate over opponents, and read the floor.
Cade was even used in the Luka role for the select team that helped Team USA prepare for the FIBA World Cup. Apparently, they should have had Cade pretend to be Dennis Schroder or Dillon Brooks, who both torched Team USA, bouncing them out of the tournament without a medal.
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It’s possible that Cade’s physicality, unselfishness and versatility will land him a spot on the Olympic team that will try to repair its image in Paris next summer.
Doncic makes the game appear effortless, and we hope to see similar performances from Cunningham. Were he to rise to Luka’s level, fans in the Motor City would rev their engines.