Cade Cunningham

Cade Parker Cunningham (born September 25, 2001) is an American professional basketball player for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

He became the highest-ranked committed recruit in program history and the first five-star recruit to join Oklahoma State since Marcus Smart in 2012.

In December 2017, early in his sophomore season, he suffered an injury while attempting to dunk at a tournament in Houston.

Cunningham finished the season averaging 18.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game.

He was named District 4-6A co-most valuable player (MVP) and earned Texas Association of Basketball Coaches All-Region honors.

Entering his junior year, Cunningham transferred to Montverde Academy, a school in Montverde, Florida with a successful basketball program.

He chose Montverde, whose team was ranked number one in the country by USA Today, for its academics and coaching.

He won a gold medal with the United States at the 2019 FIBA Under-19 World Cup.

He was the NBA first overall pick by the Detroit Pistons in the 2021 NBA draft.

Cunningham was born in Arlington, Texas, to Carrie and Keith Cunningham.

He grew up playing football as a quarterback, which he believes helped him become a better passer and leader on the basketball court.

Cunningham focused on basketball after watching his brother play the sport in college.

He frequently played basketball with his father and brother at a recreation center.

Cunningham played the point guard position for Barnett Junior High School in Arlington.

Since his childhood, he competed for the Texas Titans on the Amateur Athletic Union circuit alongside future TCU player Mike Miles Jr...

Cunningham attended Bowie High School in Arlington.

Soon into his freshman season, he became a starter on the varsity team, which also featured Kyler Edwards.

Cunningham averaged 15.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game, helping Bowie reach the District 6A Region I final.

He was subsequently named District 4-6A Newcomer of the Year.

On February 2, 2019, at the National Hoopfest tournament, Cunningham recorded 26 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds in a 76–51 win against Oak Hill Academy, one of the top high school teams nationally.

By the end of his junior season, he was averaging 11.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game.

Following the high school season, Cunningham was named Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) MVP after averaging 25.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game for the Texas Titans in the EYBL regular season.

He was teammates with Greg Brown and Mike Miles Jr.. with the Titans.

For his senior season at Montverde, he was joined by many more top recruits, including five-star forwards Scottie Barnes and Day'Ron Sharpe.

Many analysts regarded his team as one of the best in high school basketball history.

Cunningham averaged 13.9 points, 6.4 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game, leading Montverde to a 25–0 record with an average margin of victory of 39 points.

He played only 22 minutes per game due to the depth of his team.

At the end of the season, Cunningham was honored as Mr. Basketball USA, Naismith Prep Player of the Year, and MaxPreps National Player of the Year.

He was selected to play in the McDonald's All-American Game, Jordan Brand Classic, and Nike Hoop Summit, but all three games were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On November 5, 2019, Cunningham announced his commitment to Oklahoma State.

He attended Bowie High School in his hometown of Arlington, Texas, before transferring to Montverde Academy in Florida, where he was rated a consensus five-star recruit and among the top players in the 2020 class by major recruiting services.

As a senior, he led one of the best high school teams in history and received national player of the year recognition.

Cunningham committed to playing college basketball for Oklahoma State, and was named a consensus first-team All-American and Big 12 Player of the Year after his freshman season with the team.

Cunningham emerged as a top-25 recruit in the 2020 class at the end of his sophomore season at Bowie.

He was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the best players in his class.

Cunningham received offers from top NCAA Division I programs, including Duke, Kentucky, and North Carolina, but many analysts viewed Oklahoma State as his likely destination after the program hired his brother Cannen Cunningham as an assistant coach.

In June 2020, the NCAA imposed a postseason ban on Oklahoma State.

Cunningham announced on June 22 that he would still play for the team.

In his college debut for Oklahoma State on November 25, 2020, Cunningham recorded 21 points and 10 rebounds in a 75–68 win over UT Arlington.

On December 8, he scored 29 points, including 13 in the final 91 seconds, in an 83–78 victory over Oral Roberts.