Cade Cunningham

Cade Parker Cunningham, born on September 25, 2001, hails from Arlington, Texas. Known as an American professional basketball player, he is officially a part of the esteemed Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Before his professional career, Cunningham had an extensive background in basketball during his school days.

He first started his basketball journey at Bowie High School in his hometown Arlington, Texas. Few seasons into his academic career, he was transferred to Montverde Academy in Florida which was renowned for its stellar basketball coaching. During his time there, he was recognized as a five-star recruit and was considered one among the leading players of his academic year, 2020. Towards the end of his senior year, he led one of the best high school basketball teams in history and received esteemed recognition as the national player of the year.

Beyond school, Cunningham committed to playing college basketball for Oklahoma State. In his freshman year, he was already making a name for himself by being recognized as a first-team All-American and Big 12 Player of the Year. Further elaborating on his awards and achievement, he was part of the United States team that won the gold medal at the FIBA Under-19 World Cup in 2019. To top these successes, Cunningham was also the first overall pick by Detroit Pistons in the 2021 NBA draft.

Cunningham’s basketball journey started at an early age from when he played football as a quarterback. His sideline sport not only helped him develop leadership skills but also impacted his game as a basketball player, by helping him become an efficient passer. He credits his older brother for igniting his passion for basketball and often reminisces about their matches in the recreation center, alongside their father.

At junior high level, he played as the point guard for Barnett Junior High School in Arlington. Since then, as a childhood player, he frequently competed for the Texas Titans in the Amateur Athletic Union circuit. Here, he had the opportunity to play alongside future TCU player Mike Miles Jr…

Cunningham’s initial year at Bowie High School had him emerge as a starter on the varsity team, leading him to an average of 15.2 points per game, along with 6.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists. These on-field achievements resulted in him being recognized as the District 4-6A Newcomer of the Year. In his second year at Bowie, he experienced an injury while playing at a Houston tournament. Despite the setback, he managed to pull through and finished that year averaging 18.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game.

When Cunningham joined Montverde Academy, the school’s basketball team was ranked number one in the country by USA Today. He was a part of the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) in his junior year where he was titled the EYBL MVP. Adding more feathers to his cap, at the conclusion of his senior year, he was awarded Mr. Basketball USA, Naismith Prep Player of the Year, and MaxPreps National Player of the Year.

After the high school, Cade embarked on his college career choosing Oklahoma State University, a decision strongly influenced by the recruitment of his brother as an assistant coach. Despite the NCAA imposing a postseason ban on Oklahoma sources, Cunningham remained committed to the team.

After a resounding success at college level, which included being named a consensus first-team All-American and winning major NCAA Division I freshman of the year honors, Cunningham decided to take a leap forward into his professional career by entering the 2021 NBA draft.

Drafted as the first overall pick by the Detroit Pistons, he had a grand start to his NBA career. Though an ankle injury did slow him down at the start, he quickly bounced back to create history by becoming the youngest NBA player to tally impressive stats in a game, an achievement only previously held by LeBron James. He was also named the NBA Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month and MVP of the Rising Stars Challenge.

In the subsequent seasons, Cade continued to post impressive numbers, and even earned a spot among top 10 NBA rookies who averaged more than 17 points, five assists, and five rebounds in their rookie season, keeping himself in the esteemed company of players like Michael Jordon and LeBron James. His remarkable skill and promising career have generated significant excitement among the fans and experts alike.

On a personal level, Cade’s father, Keith played college football for Texas Tech and his older brother, Cannen, also played college basketball for SMU. Cade is the proud father of his daughter, Riley, and has followed a vegan diet since 2019.