Cade Cunningham rewarded with major honor after Detroit Pistons hot start

As the top seed in the Eastern Conference, it only makes sense the Detroit Pistons would already have an All-Star named among the starters.

The leader of the Pistons, Cade Cunningham, has been named to his second All-Star game. It will be his first time serving as a starter.

Cade Cunningham is an All-Star 𝙎𝙏𝘼𝙍𝙏𝙀𝙍 ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/Et3Kq0jx8H
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) January 19, 2026

Cunningham has more than deserved it with his play this season. He is currently averaging 25.9 points per game, along with 9.6 assists and 6.0 rebounds. He has turned a Pistons team who was just trying to build on last season’s performance into a real title contender this season.

He has managed to do all of it on an efficient 46% shooting, while leading the team to the second best defensive rating in the league at 108.5. The only team ahead is the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Cunningham’s selection serves as several important milestones for the franchise. For starters, Cunningham’s selection last year made him the first Piston to be selected since Blake Griffin in 2019.

This year, Cunningham became the first Piston to be named an All-Star in back-to-back seasons since Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton each earned that honor in 2007 and 08. He is also the first Piston to be named a starter since Allen Iverson in 2009.

Who are the other All-Stars?

Cunningham will be joined by Giannis Antetokounmpo, who will be making his tenth straight All-Star appearance. Giannis is averaging 29 points and 9.5 rebounds this season leading the Bucks.

Jalen Brunson will be making his third straight appearance, averaging 28 points and six assists per game for the New York Knicks.

Jaylen Brown will represent the second-place Boston Celtics, averaging 29 points and 6.5 rebounds. It will be Brown’s fifth nod, in a year where many thought the Celtics would struggle without Jason Tatum.

This final starter will be Tyrese Maxey, making his second All-Star game and first as a starter. He is averaging 30 points and 6.7 assists per game.

The Western starters will be Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama and Stephen Curry.

The reserves will be announced next week, and Detroit’s Jalen Duren will be watching closely to see if the East’s top team can have at least two All-Stars named this season.

If Duren is able to be selected to his first All-Star game, it will mark the first season since 2008 where the Pistons sent multiple players to the All-Star game. The Pistons sent three that year, with Billups, Hamilton and Rasheed Wallace all earning the nod.