Pistons star Cade Cunningham's All-Star honor proves rebuild is paying off

01/31/2025 09:21 AM

The restoration of the Detroit Pistons has taken another significant step forward. For the first time since Blake Griffin in 2018-19, the Pistons will have a player, Cade Cunningham, representing them in the 2025 NBA All-Star Game.

After about three seasons of flashing potential, the 6-foot-7 point guard has reached a pivotal step in his career as a first-time All-Star at 23. NBA coaches voted him in as a reserve to represent the Eastern Conference.

Cunningham is excelling for the Pistons, averaging career-high numbers this season. His 25 points-per-game scoring average ranks him 15th in the league. Cunningham has also stood out as an elite playmaker, averaging 9.3 assists per game, ranking him 3rd in the NBA.

This historic accomplishment signifies a major boost in the development of this franchise. The individual growth of their starting point guard is translating to team success, as the Pistons are currently eighth in the Eastern Conference. Detroit’s 23-24 record is nothing to overlook for a franchise starving for new success since drafting Cunningham in 2021.

Cade Cunningham is becoming the face of the Pistons’ identity

This budding franchise has echoed the desire to play with grit and togetherness to rebuild the foundation. Before this season, head coach J.B. Bickerstaff emphasized how he wanted to establish a winning identity for the Pistons. That transformation has been a work in progress, and the development of Cunningham has been the biggest piece of that fix.

Detroit has been able to rely on the heavy offensive responsibility of their All-Star guard. Bickerstaff also stated he wanted to turn Cunningham into a high-end two-way player. He has accepted the challenge on numerous occasions this season guarding the opponent’s best scorer. Cunningham has delivered with some of the best defensive production of his career, including a game-winning block against the Atlanta Hawks. Bickerstaff paid high praise to Cunningham for that defining moment of his young career.

"I don't say this lightly by any means, but being around him and spending time with him, he's the guy. He has the ability to be an elite guy on a basketball team because of all of the things he's capable of doing," Bickerstaff said. "He can manipulate the game, he can score, he can rebound, and he makes his teammates better. Cade (Cunningham) has proven he can defend at a high level and make clutch plays down the stretch. He's still going to improve but I think he has the potential to be a superstar."

The rocky roads of the Pistons’ past have helped pave the way for this breakout season for Cunningham. His first few years in Detroit concluded by repeatedly finishing as one of the worst teams in the NBA. The Pistons hit rock bottom last season with the worst record in the league and setting an infamous NBA record of 28 consecutive losses. Cunningham spoke about being eager for a fresh start and how he worked on his game to prepare for better days.

The efficiency of Cunningham’s shooting has been one of his biggest areas of growth. He is averaging a career-best of 45% from the field and has become a dangerous threat from three shooting 36%. There is also a new confidence in his finishing with better touch on floaters and more highlights dunks despite the defensive attention.

Cunningham’s maturation has garnered newfound respect around the league from elite company. Superstars like Kevin Durant have given high compliments about the emergence of the breakout star.

"That’s my brother. I got nothing but love for Cade. I’ve known him since he was in high school. He’s always been ahead of his time," Durant stated. "He can do it all as a 6-foot-7 point guard. I think this could be his year to be an All-Star and take off to go to that next level. It’s always a joy to play against him because we compete."

Best is yet to come for Cunningham

Another defining trait of the young guard is his ability to work with less than ideal circumstances. The other Eastern Conference All-Star guards have the benefit of playing with another star. Cunningham is the only guard on the All-Star roster that does not have another All-Star on his team. In fact, Cunningham has never played with an All-Star since joining the Pistons in 2021.

The adversity doesn’t stop there as Cunningham is working with his third head coach in four years. Detroit is also resetting with a new front office leader in Trajan Langdon as the President of Basketball Operations. He has been the brain behind the Pistons’ new construction and it is paying off significantly. His biggest contribution has been the creation of more space offensively by acquiring veterans Tobias Harris, Malik Beasley, and Tim Hardaway Jr. this past offseason.

Detroit has not been afforded the needed time to develop consistency as a unit. Injuries and high roster turnover has plagued this team for years. The Pistons are currently working without the presence of another breakout guard courtesy of a leg injury. Shooting guard Jaden Ivey was turning into a major asset for Cunningham who could draw defenders away as a scorer and primary ball-handler.

There could be another jump to unlock for Cunningham with an improving roster and more time to brew chemistry. Similar to the All-Star guard, the potential has briefly shined by the rest of the young core of Ivey, Jalen Duren, Ausar Thompson, Isaiah Stewart, Ron Holland, and others. If this young talent can continue ascending together along with more improvement of the roster, Cunningham could cement himself as one of the most talented players in the game for a long time to come. That continued emergence should help Detroit’s progression to better success along the same path.

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