Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons thrust themselves into the national conversation this season after a historic turnaround led by what should be an All-NBA campaign for Cunningham.
The Pistons aren’t likely to win any season awards, but that is fine, as this is a team that is used to toiling in obscurity after doing it for years before this season.
Even after their shocking renaissance, no one picked the Pistons to win their first-round series against the Knicks. They are underrated and that’s fine, as it generally takes a few seasons before people start to notice a team that has been bad for a long time.
It’s always interesting to see what the players think about these types of topics, and we got some insight in a recent anonymous player's poll published by The Athletic (subscription).
Not only did Cade Cunningham get props from his peers, but they used the opportunity to take a few shots at one of his biggest rivals.
Cade Cunningham is underrated, Tyrese Haliburton is overrated according to NBA players
NBA players were asked which player in the league is most underrated and Cade Cunningham got the most votes, taking 8.8 percent and narrowly beating Boston’s Derrick White.
I’m not sure this is the case anymore, as Cunningham has gotten plenty of attention and accolades this season, one that should end in an All-NBA selection.
It’s hard to be both underrated and on the All-NBA squad, but Cade was certainly overlooked coming into the season and a guy more people had called a potential bust than a potential superstar.
But it shows that Cade’s peers have noticed he’s tough to play against, tough to guard and probably deserves more respect than he gets in the national media.
The players also voted Tyrese Haliburton as the most overrated player, beating out Rudy Gobert, who usually wins this award.
This one was hilarious to me, as I don’t think it has anything to do with Haliburton’s play. He’s a very good player leading a very good team.
This has more to do with the fact that no one likes Haliburton, probably not even his teammates. I’ve been watching the NBA for a long time, and I can’t remember too many players who talked more on the court than Haliburton.
Watch him sometime, the guy literally never stops talking, does a lot of taunting and facial expressions that I am certain opponents do not appreciate.
Even the normally reserved legend George Blaha can’t stand Haliburton and was ready to leap over the scorer’s table and throw hands a few times this year when the Pistons and Pacers were getting into it.
I don’t think Haliburton is the most overrated player in the league, but he might be the most disliked, so his peers took this opportunity to let him know.