Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Cade Cunningham

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Cade Cunningham made an impact.

Cade Cunningham is an American professional basketball player currently playing for the Detroit Pistons in the NBA. He was a highly-rated five-star recruit coming out of high school, attending Montverde Academy after initially playing at Bowie High School in Texas. Cunningham received national player of the year honors during his senior year, leading his team to considerable success. He's viewed as a promising talent in professional basketball.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

February 2, 2019: Strong Performance at National Hoopfest

On February 2, 2019, at the National Hoopfest tournament, Cade Cunningham had 26 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds in a 76–51 win against Oak Hill Academy while playing for Montverde Academy.

November 5, 2019: Commitment to Oklahoma State

On November 5, 2019, Cade Cunningham committed to play college basketball for Oklahoma State. He was the highest-ranked recruit in the program's history.

2019: FIBA Under-19 World Cup Gold Medal

In 2019, Cade Cunningham played for the United States at the FIBA Under-19 World Cup in Heraklion, Greece, where he averaged 11.7 points, 5.7 assists, and 4.9 rebounds per game, contributing to the team winning the gold medal.

November 25, 2020: College Debut for Oklahoma State

On November 25, 2020, Cade Cunningham debuted for Oklahoma State, recording 21 points and 10 rebounds in a 75–68 win over UT Arlington.

February 27, 2021: Career-High Performance Against Oklahoma

On February 27, 2021, Cade Cunningham scored a career-high 40 points and 11 rebounds in an overtime win against Oklahoma. This performance earned him Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week honors.

March 12, 2021: Upset Win Against Baylor in Big 12 Tournament

On March 12, 2021, Cade Cunningham posted 25 points, eight rebounds, and five assists in an upset win against top-seeded Baylor in the Big 12 tournament semifinals.

April 1, 2021: Enters the 2021 NBA Draft

On April 1, 2021, Cade Cunningham announced his decision to enter the 2021 NBA draft, foregoing his remaining college eligibility. He was widely considered the consensus number one pick.

January 25, 2022: Joins Michael Jordan with Specific Stat Line

On January 25, 2022, Cade Cunningham had 34 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, four blocks, and two steals in a loss to the Denver Nuggets, becoming the only rookie besides Michael Jordan in NBA history to achieve such a stat line.

February 18, 2022: Rising Stars Challenge MVP

On February 18, 2022, Cade Cunningham was named MVP of the Rising Stars Challenge.

October 28, 2022: Career-High 35 Points vs. Atlanta Hawks

On October 28, 2022, Cade Cunningham scored a career-high 35 points, along with nine rebounds and eight assists, in a loss to the Atlanta Hawks.

October 25, 2023: Season Opener Performance

On October 25, 2023, Cade Cunningham scored a game-high 30 points with nine assists in a 103–102 loss to the Miami Heat in the 2023–24 season opener.

July 10, 2024: Signs Contract Extension with the Pistons

On July 10, 2024, Cade Cunningham signed a five-year, $224 million contract extension with the Detroit Pistons.

November 8, 2024: Game Winning Floater and Triple Double

On November 8, 2024, Cade Cunningham recorded a triple-double with 22 points, 11 rebounds, and 13 assists, including a game-winning floater in a 122–121 win over the Atlanta Hawks.

January 10, 2025: 7th Triple-Double and Milestone Assist Record

On January 10, 2025, Cade Cunningham achieved his 7th triple-double of the season in a victory over the Toronto Raptors, recording 22 points, 17 assists, and 10 rebounds. This performance also surpassed Isiah Thomas for the most 15-assist triple-doubles in Pistons franchise history.

April 19, 2025: First Postseason Game and Playoff Triple-Double

On April 19, 2025, Cade Cunningham played his first postseason game against the New York Knicks, recording 21 points, 12 assists, and six rebounds in a loss. Later, in Game 4, he achieved his first playoff triple-double with 25 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in a loss against the New York Knicks.

November 1, 2025: Ties Career High in Assists

On November 1, 2025, Cade Cunningham tied a career-high with 18 assists, along with 21 points, six rebounds, and three steals, in a win over the Dallas Mavericks.

November 2025: Nike Signature Shoe Deal

In November 2025, Cade Cunningham re-signed with Nike and reached a six-year endorsement agreement where he would receive his own signature shoe with the brand, becoming the sixth active NBA player to have a signature shoe deal with Nike.