Pistons star Cade Cunningham's All-Star resume gets JB Bickerstaff stamp of approval
12/19/2024 09:01 PM
The Detroit Pistons could be honoring a player as a 2025 NBA All-Star for the first time since 2018-19. Point guard Cade Cunningham has performed at a standout level all season, and head coach J.B. Bickerstaff believes he has been worthy of that consideration.
"Anytime you get acknowledged like that, I think it's a huge deal. Most of it is that he deserves it, I think that's the easy part for me,” Bickerstaff explained. “The work that he's put in, the way that he's helped this team in so many different ways. Not just the numbers that you see, but how he makes his teammates better every day.
“He defends his teammates; he carries his teammates. He is an absolutely amazing leader at this age, and you don't see that very often,” Bickerstaff continue Besides the stats, if you want a guy who deserves something and [someone] who's a good person, a good teammate, and has all those characteristics, he's head and shoulders above and he definitely deserves that opportunity."
Cunningham has taken an impressive step forward in his fourth season with the Pistons. The 23-year-old guard is recording career-high numbers as a scorer, averaging 23.5 points on much-improved efficiency at 45.1% from the field and 38.6% from three.
Detroit’s franchise player is also excelling as a playmaker by averaging another career-high 9.7 assists through 23 games this season. That average places him third among the league in assists behind point guard Trae Young (12.1) and center Nikola Jokic (9.9).
He has provided major assistance with dirty work for Detroit averaging 7.5 rebounds. The Pistons have relied heavily on their 6’7 point guard defensively with a improved consistency defending opponents. His evolution as a complete player has been on display with six recorded triple doubles, which ranks him third behind Jokic (10) and forward Lebron James (7).
Cade Cunningham makes All-Star Game push
The breakout play of Cunningham has helped lift the Pistons to the tenth seed in the Eastern Conference with an 11-16 record. Detroit is rebuilding from the impact of last season’s league-worst 14-68 finish. After hiring Bickerstaff as head coach and acquiring new veteran shooters in the offseason, the Pistons are witnessing the effect it has brought to Cunningham’s game.
Cunningham also has created star-worthy signature moments to compliments his stats. He has garnered national attention with clutch moments on defense and offense to seal victories against teams like the Atlanta Hawks, Miami Heat, and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Cunningham has not avoided the conversation of earning his first ever honors as an All Star. He addressed the possibility of earning that opportunity after recording a triple double and defeating the New York Knicks.
"I believe I am. Whenever I'm on the court every night, I feel like I'm the best player," Cunningham stated. "I try to do whatever it takes to help my team win, and my teammates have made me look great this year. I'm just trying to help my team win, and we'll see what happens with it."
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