The story of Cade Cunningham: how hardships fueled his rise of becoming Detroit’s superstar

Cunningham left no doubt, answering the call when his team needed him most and cementing his place among the league’s elite. He scored 32 points and added 12 assists as Detroit outlasted the Magic 116-94 to avoid a devastating end to the season.

“We were pushed to the limit,” Cunningham said. “And it made us really reflect on how we were playing, what got us to this position, and what made us win as many games as we won in the regular season. And it got us back to playing the basketball that we knew we were capable of.”

It was a less-than-ideal start to the postseason for the Detroit Pistons. After earning the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, the first round was supposed to be a warmup against the eighth-seeded Orlando Magic. Cunningham led the Pistons to a 60-22 record – the third-best in franchise history. Detroit was one of the top contenders for the NBA championship.

Instead, Orlando pushed Detroit to the brink. The Magic displayed grit and resilience throughout the series, winning three of the first four games and putting the top seed on the verge of elimination. But the Pistons showcased the character of a true title competitor – instead of folding, Detroit kicked into another gear, won three straight contests, and forced Game 7.

The rest was history. Avoiding a monumental upset, the Pistons completed one of the best comebacks in playoff history and advanced to the second round. Cunningham averaged 32.4 points in the opening series, making his case for the breakout season bulletproof.

A couple of weeks later, his efforts and consistent elite performances were officially rewarded – Cunningham was named to the All-NBA First Team, joining superstars Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic, Victor Wembanyama, and Nikola Jokic.

Following his desire 

Right now, Cunningham is one of the best players in the NBA. Yet, he almost excelled on the gridiron, rather than the hardwood. He was born in Arlington, Texas, and grew up in the proximity of the famous Dallas Cowboys.

When Cade was 13, he attended their camp, impressing the team with his poise and passing accuracy despite his young age. His father, Keith, was a high-level quarterback prospect and played at Texas Tech, but never made it to the NFL.

“My dad was a football player, so I was growing up playing football. That was my number one,” said Cunningham.

It seemed like Cade inherited the talent and skills, and more importantly, the potential to be even better. The road to greatness felt perfect. Still, he chose to create his own path.

“It hit a time where I realized I didn’t really care for football practice at all. But hooping and working on my game just gave me a thrill.”

In ninth grade, Cade quit football to pursue his true dream – basketball. But even his greatest passion got almost swallowed by the dark.

At first, everything went smoothly, as Cunningham dominated his freshman high school season. Unfortunately, he suffered a knee injury early in his sophomore year that held him back. The point guard still closed out the season averaging 18.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game.

Entering his junior year, Cunningham transferred to Montverde Academy, a boarding school in Florida known for its elite sports programs.

Away and alone 

The move became a baptism by fire. Shortly after arriving in Florida and living away from home for the first time, Cunningham experienced devastating personal loss. 

“I’ve never said this on any interview, but my first month I moved away from all my family, I went through the first death ever. I’d never had anybody in my family, nobody around me die. That happened two more times,” Cunningham told Kevin Durant in an interview for Boardroom.

The grief compounded, but before he could process it all, Cunningham was hit by more shocking news – two weeks after learning about the third death in the family, he found out his ex-girlfriend was pregnant, and he had a daughter on the way.

“And I’m away from my parents, away from everybody. I was stuck,” Cunningham said.

He admitted that he wasn’t sure he was going to continue playing basketball. Despite the support from his parents, Cunningham thought the NBA wasn’t in his cards anymore.

“My parents, I’m so thankful for them. They’ve been such a support system for me with my daughter. They were like, ‘You were begging us to go out there and do your thing hooping.’ I’m thinking, ‘I got to go back to the crib now and be a dad. Hoop is done for me.’ Everybody I knew who had kids young was done hooping.”

Walking through fire 

Suddenly, a new responsibility took over his life. Cunningham considered quitting basketball and focusing on being a father. But just when he thought his career was over, he saw the light at the end of the tunnel. He leaned on his family.

The birth of his daughter, Riley, made him grow up overnight, but he used his circumstances to fuel his fire. He remained at Montverde and finished his senior year as the No. 1 player in the country while earning multiple National Player of the Year honors.

He committed to Oklahoma State and immediately emerged as one of college basketball’s top players. Cunningham averaged 20.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.6 steals during his lone season in Stillwater.

In December 2020, the star point guard scored 29 points, including 13 in the last 91 seconds, to help Oklahoma State beat Oral Roberts 83-78. Two months later, he recorded 40 points and 11 rebounds to edge in-state rival Oklahoma 94-90 in overtime. 

Cunningham swept both Big 12 Player of the Year and Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors while earning consensus first-team All-American recognition, becoming the first Oklahoma State player since Bob Kurland in 1946 to achieve the feat.

He declared for the 2021 NBA draft, and the Detroit Pistons drafted him first overall. Once again, adversity greeted him early. An ankle injury forced him to miss all of training camp and the first five regular-season games. In his NBA debut, Cunningham scored just two points – the fewest by a No. 1 overall pick since Anthony Bennett in 2013.

Building little by little 

But Cunningham stayed patient, slowly becoming more consistent, efficient, and productive. In January, he posted 34 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, 4 blocks, and 2 steals against the Denver Nuggets, joining Michael Jordan as the only rookies in NBA history to record that stat line. He finished the year averaging 17.4 points – the best among all rookies, and he was named to the All-NBA Rookie Team.

His second season was cut short due to a stress fracture in his left shin that required surgery. Cunningham stormed back the following year, averaging 22.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 7.5 assists per game. But Detroit struggled – they suffered 28 straight losses, tying the longest losing streak in NBA history. Two days after achieving the unpleasant mark, the Pistons snapped the streak and slowly started heading in the right direction. 

In the summer of 2024, the organization signed Cunningham to a five-year, $224 million contract extension. The message was clear: Detroit were betting on the rising star, proving their trust in him and believing he could become the cornerstone of the franchise and get it over the hump. And the decision has been paying off.

Since signing the extension, Cunningham has been extraordinary; last season, he recorded three consecutive triple-doubles, tying Grant Hill’s record for the longest streak in franchise history.

He moved into second place in total triple-doubles, as he currently sits at 14. Hill leads the history book with 29. Cunningham earned his first-ever All-Star Game selection and was named a finalist for the Most Improved Player of the Year award.

Final destination: the title 

Cunningham helped Detroit to a 44-38 record, their first winning record since 2016, and their first playoff appearance since 2019. The Pistons lost to the New York Knicks in six games. But the trend was undeniable – Detroit were getting better, and the best was yet to come.

This year, Cunningham led the Pistons to the best record in the Eastern Conference and third overall. In November against the Washington Wizards, he logged a career-high 46 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists, 5 steals, and 2 blocks to become the first player in NBA history with these kinds of numbers.

In Game 5 against the Magic – when the Pistons had their back against the wall facing elimination – Cunningham erupted for 45 points, breaking the franchise record for most points in a single game in the postseason. In the second round against the Cavaliers, he recorded his second career playoff triple-double, but Cleveland outlasted the Pistons in seven games, ending their terrific season in heartbreak. But the spot on the All-NBA First Team guaranteed that the franchise is in good hands.

The 24-year-old phenomenon has already proven he is among the best in the NBA. He has hit game winners. Tortured opponents with skills nearly impossible to guard. He keeps producing triple-doubles. The next thing on the list can be seen from miles away: the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

For the Pistons, the season ended earlier than expected. But Cunningham has already showcased that he knows how to prevail through storms. Tough times shape him. Strengthen him. Oftentimes, life circumstances that look like they will stop the progress provide perspective and discipline to find a way out. A way to the top.