Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Cade Cunningham

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

Cade Cunningham is a professional basketball player currently playing for the Detroit Pistons in the NBA. He was a consensus five-star recruit coming out of high school, recognized as one of the top players in the 2020 class. He initially attended Bowie High School in Arlington, Texas, before transferring to Montverde Academy in Florida. During his senior year at Montverde, he led his team to great success and earned national player of the year honors.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

2013: Fewest Points in NBA Debut Since 2013

Cunningham's debut in 2021 included the fewest points scored in a No. 1 pick's NBA debut since Anthony Bennett in 2013, who also had two points.

February 2, 2019: Notable Performance at National Hoopfest

On February 2, 2019, at the National Hoopfest tournament, Cade Cunningham had a notable performance, recording 26 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds in a win against Oak Hill Academy.

November 5, 2019: Commitment to Oklahoma State

On November 5, 2019, Cade Cunningham announced his commitment to play college basketball for Oklahoma State, becoming the highest-ranked committed recruit in program 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. Cunningham helped his team win the gold medal, scoring 21 points with seven rebounds and seven assists in the 93–79 win over Mali in the finals.

June 2020: Decision to Stay with Oklahoma State Despite Postseason Ban

In June 2020, after the NCAA imposed a postseason ban on Oklahoma State, Cade Cunningham announced on June 22 that he would still play for the team.

November 25, 2020: College Debut for Oklahoma State

On November 25, 2020, Cade Cunningham made his college debut for Oklahoma State, recording 21 points and 10 rebounds in a win over UT Arlington.

February 27, 2021: Career-High Performance Against Oklahoma

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

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

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: NBA Draft Entry Announcement

On April 1, 2021, Cade Cunningham announced that he would enter the 2021 NBA draft, forgoing his remaining college eligibility.

2021: Drafted First Overall by the Detroit Pistons

In 2021, Cade Cunningham was drafted with the first overall pick of the NBA draft by the Detroit Pistons.

2021: NBA First Overall Pick

In 2021, Cade Cunningham was the NBA first overall pick by the Detroit Pistons.

January 25, 2022: Joins Michael Jordan With Unique Stat Line

On January 25, 2022, Cade Cunningham joined Michael Jordan as the only rookies in NBA history to record 34 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, four blocks, and two steals in a single game during a loss to the Denver Nuggets.

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 Against 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, in the 2023-24 season opener, Cade Cunningham scored a game-high 30 points and had nine assists in a loss to the Miami Heat.

July 10, 2024: Signs $224 Million Contract Extension

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

November 8, 2024: Game-Winning Triple-Double

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

January 10, 2025: 7th Triple-Double of the Season

On January 10, 2025, Cade Cunningham recorded his 7th triple-double of the season in a victory over the Toronto Raptors, finishing with 22 points, 17 assists and 10 rebounds.

April 19, 2025: First Postseason Game and 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. Also on April 19, during game 4, he had his first playoff triple-double with 25 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

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 endorsement deal

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

2025: NBA All-Star and All-NBA Team Selection

In 2025, Cade Cunningham was named as an NBA All-Star and to an All-NBA Team for the first time.

January 19, 2026: NBA All-Star selection

On January 19, 2026, Cade Cunningham was selected for his second consecutive NBA All-Star game and was named as a starter for the first time in his career.