Cade Cunningham gets real on his growth amid MVP talks, Pistons NBA Playoffs
TL;DR
Cade Cunningham reflects on his growth as a player and his contributions to the Detroit Pistons as they head into the NBA Playoffs. He emphasizes the importance of continuous improvement for both himself and the team.
Key points
- Cade Cunningham reflects on his growth as a player.
- The Detroit Pistons have improved significantly since winning only 14 games.
- Cunningham emphasizes the importance of continuous improvement.
- Coach J.B. Bickerstaff and Jalen Duren recognize Cunningham's contributions.
Mentioned in this story
Cade Cunningham gets real on his growth amid MVP talks, Pistons NBA Playoffs originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Detroit Pistons would not be where they are without Cade Cunningham. He saw how awful it felt after just winning 14 games and turned things around two seasons after. Heading into the NBA Playoffs, a lot of talk surrounds him and his growth in the past few years. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff and Jalen Duren know how much he has grown along with fans of the franchise. Does the star guard think the same? Are there any weapons in his arsenal that have yet to be shown? He gave an answer after evaluating himself before the postseason.
Cunningham proud of himself, Pistons no matter NBA Playoffs outcome
One thing to know about Cade Cunningham is he rarely takes credit for his work on the Pistons. He is very selfless - that is very evident in both his leadership and play style on the court. So when he starts talking about himself and his growth, a lot of it tends to be very reflective. The Pistons star guard got real on what he's proud of the most heading into the NBA Playoffs, via Hunter Patterson of The Athletic.
"I’m just proud of myself and the team for taking that step forward that we needed to. You see some teams that seem like they’re on their way and they have a great season where they take that step forward, then next season, they stall out. For us, it’s about continuing to take that next step forward. So I’m proud of that individually, I’m proud that I was able to elevate my game to help my team elevate," Cunningham declared.
The Pistons star guard has evolved to be an MVP candidate after leading his team to 60 wins and the first seed in the Eastern Conference. Not to mention, his statistics on the court have also been insane. Cunningham averages career-highs with his 9.9 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.8 blocks all while he puts up 23.9 points on a 46.1% clip from the field on a nightly basis.
His nature of being selfless then kicked in. Cunningham started to thank everyone on the Pistons and showed gratitude to their growth too.
"I’m proud of the team for everybody doing it themselves individually, too. And us coming together, taking care of each other, loving on each other to help make it a fun season and sticking together so that we’re the team that we are. We’ve done a lot of good things this year. We have a chance to do something special, so to have that opportunity in front of us, you want to make the most of it," the Pistons star guard added.
As of the moment, the Pistons still await the winner between the Orlando Magic and Charlotte Hornets to get a glimpse of their NBA Playoffs fate. Nonetheless, there is no greater that the Pistons could have than Cunningham. Hopefully, he leads them back to glory just like in the late 1980s and 2004.
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Q&A
What did Cade Cunningham say about his growth before the NBA Playoffs?
Cade Cunningham expressed pride in his personal growth and the team's progress, emphasizing the need for continuous improvement.
How has Cade Cunningham contributed to the Detroit Pistons' success?
Cade Cunningham has played a crucial role in turning around the Pistons' performance, helping them improve significantly from a previous season with only 14 wins.
What are the expectations for the Pistons in the upcoming NBA Playoffs?
The expectations for the Pistons in the NBA Playoffs revolve around continuing their growth and building on their recent successes.
Who acknowledged Cade Cunningham's growth alongside him?
Coach J.B. Bickerstaff and teammate Jalen Duren have acknowledged Cade Cunningham's growth and contributions to the team's success.
