All Pistons

NBA’s MVP Announcement Shows Major Progress for Pistons’ Star

Cade Cunningham received a handful of MVP votes.
Justin Grasso|
Jan 7, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) before the game against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Jan 7, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) before the game against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

In this story:

Detroit Pistons

The Detroit Pistons are on the rise, and Cade Cunningham’s stock is booming.

After the NBA revealed the final results of the 2024-2025 MVP race, it became clear that Cunningham’s season was on the minds of voters.

Out of 12 players who received points for the MVP battle, Cunningham was tied for seventh alongside Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, with 12 points.

For Cunningham, he received one fourth-place vote and nine fifth-place votes.

To no surprise, the final race came down to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic. Giannis Antetokounmpo was widely expected to land third after he was revealed to be a finalist.

After a tough battle, the NBA decided to crown Shai Gilgeous-Alexander the MVP award. For the young Oklahoma City Thunder guard, it’s his first nod.

After Cunningham’s impressive season, many expect the former first-overall pick to begin inserting himself in the race for the league’s most valuable.

By the end of his fourth season, Cunningham had finished with a career-high 26 points while shooting 47 percent from the field and 36 percent from three. He nearly averaged a double-double as he dished out nine assists per game. He also came down with six rebounds per outing.

Cunningham was a first-time All-Star and nearly won the league’s Most Improved Player of the Year award. Since expectations are higher for the Pistons heading into next season, Cunningham will have more eyes on him. The added pressure will be a lot to overcome, but Cunningham would certainly be rewarded with benefits if he can put together another campaign worthy of MVP talk.

More Pistons on SI

Published
Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Justin Grasso was a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s 76ers On SI Network. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoMedia

Share on XFollow JGrasso_
Home/News