Cade Cunningham is finally getting positive attention, as he is playing at an All-NBA level and has the Detroit Pistons with a winning record in January, not something many people predicted.
Cade was the #1 pick back in 2021, an honor that comes with the added burden of being “the” guy, a challenge many weren’t equipped to take on. For every LeBron James there are two Greg Odens and a couple of Anthony Bennetts, guys who flamed out for a variety of reasons.
The NBA Draft is a crapshoot, even at the top, which is why you rarely find a stretch of four years or more without a bust or two.
Cade Cunningham is part of a four-year stretch that includes Anthony Edwards (2020), Cade Cunningham (2021), Paolo Banchero (2022) and Victor Wembanyama (2023).
This group is still very young and unproven, but there are already three Rookie of the Year winners, two All-Stars, and two soon-to-be All-Stars, one of which is a generational superstar.
Wembanyama is going to win Defensive Player of the Year in his second season and has a strong argument for MVP, an award he’s going to win many times as long as he stays healthy, as he is doing things we’ve never seen before, leading the league in blocks while knocking down 35 percent of his 10 3-point attempts per game.
After this season, this group will have four All-Stars and likely some members of the All-NBA team. Though they are still young and haven’t won titles, this group could end up being one of the best four-year stretches in NBA history.
I only went back to the 1960’s, but Cade Cunningham’s group has a chance to be mentioned among some of the greatest ever by the time their careers are over.
NBA Draft #1 picks: The best four-year stretches
1967-70
Jimmy Walker
Elvin Hayes
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Bob Lanier
Hard to top this group that includes two Detroit Pistons in Jimmy Walker and Bob Lanier. You have perennial All-Stars in Walker, Hayes and Lanier to go along with one of the greatest players of all time in Kareem.
1973-1976
Doug Collins
Bill Walton
David Thompson
John Lucas
A strong group let down by Lucas, who never made an All-Star team but had a long, solid career. This is more like the “what-if” team, as Walton and Thompson were unbelievable talents whose careers were cut short for various reasons.
1978-1981
Mychal Thompson
Magic Johnson
Joe Barry Carroll
Mark Aguirre
Thompson and Aguirre were underrated players, though Aguirre was a key part of two championships for the Pistons. JBC was an All-Star for the Warriors and you may have heard of the other guy, Magic Johnson, who bolsters this group into contention.
1982-1985
James Worthy
Ralph Sampson
Hakeem Olajuwon
Patrick Ewing
An elite stretch of big men follows James Worthy, one of the greatest Lakers of all time. A ton of All-Star games represented in this four-year stretch of #1 picks.
1991-94
Larry Johnson
Shaquille O’Neal
Chris Webber
Glenn Robinson
This might be the most fun group, as LJ, Shaq and Webber were all some of my favorite players to watch. Another former Piston (and Michigan legend) in Chris Webber, though his time in Detroit was brief.
2008-2012
Derrick Rose
Blake Griffin
John Wall
Kyrie Irving
Anthony Davis
This is the only five-year stretch on the list, a group that had a ton of talent and promise ruined by injuries, as Rose, Griffin and Wall all missed significant time. Irving and Davis are still going strong. An MVP and a lot of All-Star games here to go with a couple of titles.
It’s too soon to know if Cade Cunningham and co. can put themselves in contention with the greats, but they are off to strong start with four of the top young players in the game.