Cade Cunningham's Place in 2021 NBA Draft Class Revisited

Where does Cade Cunningham stand in the NBA Draft class of 2021?

Dec 3, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) talks with the referee during a break in the action against the Milwaukee Bucks in the second quarter at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Was Cade Cunningham worth the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft?

A recent revisit to the draft class proves the Detroit Pistons right.

NBA Draft On SI took a trip down memory lane this week and ranked the top five players from the 2021 NBA Draft class, and Cunningham unsurprisingly ended up in the same spot he entered the league in. The top spot.

It’s Hard to Debate…

Oct 6, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) dribbles defended by Milwaukee Bucks guard Delon Wright (55) in the first half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Can you really debate the standing at this point? Cunningham’s got an All-Star appearance and an All-NBA added to his resume after the 2024-2025 NBA season.

“Despite a somewhat rocky few seasons leading the league-worst Pistons, guard Cade Cunningham still maintains his status as No. 1,” Derek Parker writes.

“In leading the Pistons to their first postseason wins in decades, Cunningham saw a personally stellar year, feeding into the theories that he needed better personnel around him to shine. He finished seventh in MVP voting, earned his first All-Star bid, and finished All-NBA, averaging over 26 points with nine assists per game.”

Before Cunningham even earned his All-Star nod, the Pistons placed a major wager on his emergence. Last summer, Detroit offered a max extension to Cunningham, which would pay him a reported $224 million over five seasons. The former No. 1 pick signed the dotted line.

Cunningham didn’t get comfortable after he locked in his big deal. In fact, he ended up having the best season of his career.

Apr 29, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) celebrates after scoring in the third quarter against the New York Knicks during game five of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Thanks to good health, Cunningham appeared in 70 games for the first time in his career. During the 2023-2024 NBA season, he played in just 62 games, producing 23 points, eight assists, and four rebounds.

Last year, Cunningham averaged career highs in scoring and assists with 26 points and nine assists. He was competing on the league’s triple-double leaderboard with LA’s LeBron James and Denver’s Nikola Jokic.

While Cunningham wasn’t gaining major consideration for the league’s MVP award, he was still considered Top 10 in the race for the first time. That’s a great sign for the future.

The Most Improved Player runner-up was clearly the right choice for the Pistons back in 2021. According to the list, Cunningham beats out these four players in the following order:

• Evan Mobley

• Scottie Barnes

• Alperen Sengun

• Franz Wagner

Four years in, Cunningham just saw his first playoff action. The veteran guard struggled with his shooting in the series against the New York Knicks, but still nearly produced a triple-double.

The veteran posted averages of 25 points, eight rebounds, and nine assists. It was a good learning experience for Cunningham, who has sky-high expectations out in Detroit.

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