Cade Cunningham Weighs in on NBA's Face of the League Debate

Should the Pistons star be in the discussion for face of the league?

Mar 21, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) brings the ball up court against the Dallas Mavericks during the second half at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Over the past two years, there have been endless debates when it comes to the future face of the NBA. As a new generation gets ushered in, one member of the Detroit Pistons believes his name should stop popping up in these discussions.

With guys like LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant now in the twilight of their careers, the league has a dilemma on its hands. It needs new superstars who are ready to take the torch and carry the NBA as those who did before them. When it comes to future faces of the association, some of the common names brought up are Anthony Edwards, Victor Wembanyama, and Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum.

Ahead of his postseason debut, Cade Cunningham sat down with Shams Charania to discuss a wide range of topics. Among the things brought up was the face of the league debate and where he feels he stands in it. The Pistons star didn't knock any of his counterparts, but did state he is more than worthy of a mention.

"I'm right there," Cunningham said. "I'm not trying to push my case right now, not trying to knock anybody else's case right now. I think at the end of the day, everybody is entitled to their own opinion, and you get to watch all of us play and figure it out for yourself."

Pistons' Cade Cunningham sits down for ESPN NBA Countdown: "I want to be the best player in the world. Every day … I don't think there's too many players that you could argue above me."

On the contagious Bad Boys era in Detroit, being a young face of the league, Knicks series: pic.twitter.com/msYuHvngO0

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 13, 2025

Amid a breakout year in 2025, Cunningham is surely a player who will be brought up in these discussions moving forward. He's made the jump to being an All-Star and is now widely regarded as one of the top talents at his position. Pair this with the fact that he is a former No. 1 pick, and his case is just as good as the other young stars around him.

If Cunningham wants to prove he is capable of taking on such an honor, he'll have to perform well on the big stage. He's in a prime position to cement himself as a star in this league, as the Pistons are preparing for a postseason battle with the New York Knicks.