One of the biggest narratives around the NBA the last few seasons has been which players will be the faces of the NBA once LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant have all retired, if they ever do.
There’s no sign of it yet, as all three are putting up numbers and hope to make runs at a title this year, though the next generation will have plenty to say about that.
Jayson Tatum, Anthony Edwards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama are staking their claim to be the guys to pick up the torch, but Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons has also been making a case of late.
Cunningham is having an All-Star season and the Pistons have nearly reached their win total from last year before December is even over.
And after back-to-back road wins against Durant’s Suns and LeBron’s Lakers, the latter on the day Cunningham was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week, Cade is finally starting to get noticed, including by the two legends he vanquished.
LeBron James and Kevin Durant on Cade Cunningham
By any measure, LeBron and KD are two of the greatest players of their generation and two of the greatest of all time, so it’s nice to hear them heap praise on Cade Cunningham, who hopes to join that same conversation in his generation.
Here’s what Durant had to say after the Pistons’ win over the Suns:
“I think it’s his year to be an All-Star, take off and go to that next level. It’s always a joy to play against him because we compete,” Durant said. “He doesn’t treat me like the old head and take it easy on me and vice versa. I don’t try to take it easy on him.”
This isn’t the first time Durant has complimented Cade, as he said back in 2022 that Cunningham and the Pistons were going to be a “force to be reckoned with” at some point.
LeBon also gave Cunningham high praise after Detroit’s win over LA, saying,
“He’s just too big,” James said, per Hunter Patterson of The Athletic (subscription) “He’s got wide shoulders, big legs and he knows exactly what he’s doing. And he gets to it. Solid player. Very, very solid. He’s gotten better and better, and the best thing I think this year is that he’s been healthy. He was the No. 1 pick, right? That’s for a reason. They got a great one.”
The Pistons are still just 13-17, so not where they ultimately want to be, but as the wins pile up, Cunningham is getting more notice, which will help his case to the be the first Pistons’ All-Star since Blake Griffin.