Early last year, Sports Illustrated released an article about Cade Cunningham. I believe that this paragraph sums up everything we will cover: “At 20 years old, Cunningham regularly flashes a command and understanding of basketball that only a select few in the NBA can. With physical gifts, intuition, competitive intensity and poise (which is the first word everyone interviewed for this story used to describe him), there’s no reason to believe Cunningham won’t eventually become a superstar. ‘I feel I have all the tools to be great,’ he says. ‘It’s just about ironing out all the little details and being consistent with it.’”
Everything said here is true. Cade Cunningham is meant to be a basketball star. Yet, nobody talked about the 2021 No.1 overall pick last season, as he was in the forlorn basketball city of Detroit with a left tibial stress fracture. Cunningham only played 12 games, yet in those games he averaged 19.9 ppg, 6.2 rpg, and 6.0 apg. You may be thinking that this doesn’t mean much, as Luka Doncic virtually doubles all of those numbers. But one thing that Cade has that Luka doesn’t have is that “IT” factor. Yes, Luka puts up numbers. Cade Cunningham not only puts up similar numbers, but he also has an unparalleled leadership style, work ethic, and intensity. Give Cunningham a full year of playing, and a few more minutes per game, and he will be better than Luka Doncic.
Cunningham’s ceiling is so high, that people call him the next Magic Johnson or Penny Hardaway. Cade’s court vision is so strong, that he knows when to make the right play all the time. He is not flashy. His natural swagger speaks for itself. Watching Cunningham play is basketball beauty, you just can’t take your eyes off of it. It feels like there are no botched possessions when he is in control, and he is able to slow the game down to a virtually impossible level. Cade plays how he wants to play, not how anybody else wants him to. That factor is important because an NBA player can’t succeed unless they are in control.
The haters say that he isn’t much. He’s not putting up numbers like LeBron, Luka, or Kareem did in their rookie seasons. That’s true. The way Cunningham impacts the game goes beyond just stats. It’s the understanding of the game of basketball. Rajon Rondo and Gary Payton didn’t have good rookie seasons. Neither did Kevin Garnett or Kobe Bryant. The important factor for these players was the longevity of their careers and the constant improvement.
Cade will improve. Luka Doncic isn’t making leaps anymore. He has probably topped out. Yet, for Cade Cunningham, the ceiling is the stars.
