Cade Cunningham is Developing Leadership Qualities as a Freshman
STILLWATER – There haven’t been too many players throughout Oklahoma State basketball history that came in with as much hype, or talent for that matter, then Cade Cunningham.
Cunningham is the highest-rated prospect in the program history as he signed as the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2020 class. He’s also projected as the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming 2021 NBA Draft.
That would appear to be a lot of pressure put on Cunningham and there’s not many 18-19 kids that could handle that kind of pressure. But according to Cunningham, the only way he’s using his hype and talent is to be a leader.
“I came in with a lot of hype,” Cunningham said. “Being able to come in and work just as hard, I don’t want anybody to feel like they have to cater to me or anything. I think me coming in and not asking for any extra or complaining about all the work everybody’s doing or whatever, I think that’s been a big thing for the team to see because they know that I’m in it with them. Just coming in, I think I have a pretty good basketball IQ, so I share it whenever I can. I think naturally I’m a decent leader. I’m not gonna say I’m just the best leader ever, but I think I’m alright. So, I just try to bring that to the team.”
“It’s actually not his most natural thing,” Boynton said. “He’s embraced that he needs to develop that skill a little bit more, it’s an area of improvement for him to be more of a vocal guy. I tell guys all the time the No. 1 component of leadership to keep in mind is, ‘Do people follow you?’
“You’re not a leader because you are a senior, you’re not a leader because someone names you captain, or because you are older. You’re a leader because people follow you.”
Cunningham might be young, but he’s projected as one of the best players in the upcoming 2020-21 season. In fact, OSU’s entire freshman class is talented.
Mike Boynton and Co. signed one of the best classes in the country during the 2020 signing periods. They brought in the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2020 class in the Cade Cunningham, the No. 1 overall prospect out of Canada in Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe, two more four-star prospects in Rondel Walker and Donovan Williams. Oh yeah, they also signed one of the most athletic, and probably under-recruited and under-valued prospects in the country in Montreal Pena.
Just because they’re a talented group of players doesn’t mean Boynton and Co. aren’t going to push them just as hard as the veterans.
“I didn’t know he said that, but I can tell you he’s not lying with that,” Cunningham said of Boynton pushing the freshmen. “Just from me, Rondel, MA [Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe], he doesn’t pick on us, but he’s making sure that we’re not slacking at all. With what he’s been doing with us, I think it’s helped us out a whole lot. The expectations are high for our freshman class, and we’re trying to live up to it. Coming in and being able to produce right away is really important for us. The way he’s been pushing us and everything, I think it’s only helped us.”
Oklahoma State is set to kick off the 2020-21 season in the 2020 Golden Window tournament, a multi-team tournament in Lincoln, NE scheduled to take place Nov. 25-28. Teams and game details have yet to be announced.
