Cade Cunningham will be lock for ‘under pressure’ Team USA missing LeBron James and Steph Curry for home Olympics

Nov 26, 2025 - 19:00

Cade Cunningham has arrived and it’s only just the start for the ascending Detroit superstar.

And that is no surprise when considering this Pistons team is built around their 24-year-old star, who has led them into serious contention in the Eastern Conference.

Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons reacts to the loss to the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on February 26, 2024 in New York City. The New York Knicks defeated the Detroit Pistons 113-111. — Before last season, Cunningham and the Pistons finished in the bottom two every year from his arrival in 2021

It would be easy to forget just how lowly this Pistons franchise was a few years ago.

The Motor City, once the NBA‘s fiercest team, became fodder in the league after successive bottom-two finishes.

Cunningham, who was drafted in 2021, endured a disappointing first season as the Pistons finished 23-59 and held the third-worst record in the league.

His second season in the league was even worse as he suffered a season-ending left shin injury, and the team went on to have the worst record in the NBA, winning 17 games and losing 68.

You would think things couldn’t get worse at that point, but it did.

The Pistons finished 14-68 in the 2023-24 campaign, which is the worst record in franchise history and went on the longest losing streak in NBA history with 28 games.

The revival begins

After that dismal campaign, the Pistons fired their general manager and head coach, with J.B. Bickerstaff now leading the team.

And his impact was immediate, as they added 30 wins from the previous season to finish as the sixth seed with a record of 44-38 wins.

NBA insider Marc Stein spoke to talkSPORT recently about the Pistons’ resurgence.

“The Pistons were the best story in the NBA last season, going through a 28-game losing streak the season before, which is the longest single-game losing streak we’ve ever seen in NBA history,” Stein said.

Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons reacts during the fourth quarter of the game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on January 13, 2025 in New York City. — The steady of revival of the Pistons has been confirmed this season

Cade Cunningham poses for a photo after being drafted first overall by the Detroit Pistons during the 2021 NBA Draft on July 29, 2021 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. — Cunningham was drafted as the No.1 pick in 2021, but was joining a Pistons team in complete disarray

talkSPORT reacts....Sky's the limit for Cunningham

What could Cade Cunningham become?

In April of this year, Cunningham declared that he was one of the Young Faces of the NBA.

Fast forward to now, not many could argue that Cunningham isn’t one of NBA’s leading superstars, young or old.

He secured his first All-Star appearance last year and is playing at an MVP-calibre level this season, and at just 24 years of age, the guard is going nowhere anytime soon.

With the Pistons a long way from the days of sitting bottom of the Eastern Conference every year, Cunningham could be part of one of the great NBA new projects and lead this Detroit team back to the latter stages of the postseason.

That would then cement Cunningham as one of the Faces of the NBA, if not The Face.

Mohamud Ahmed, US Sports Writer

“To deal with that much defeat night after night after night. Last season, they bounced back all the way from 14 wins to 42.”

Pistons’ comeback tied to Cunningham

Stein also highlighted the role of Cunningham, as it’s no surprise that the Pistons became a serious franchise in the same season the 24-year-old was selected as an All-Star.

“Cade Cunningham makes his all-star breakthrough. So already last year, they were darlings. It was an incredible story of what they’re doing now,” he added.

The Pistons have backed up last season by brilliantly opening this campaign.

They are currently 15-2 with Cunningham playing at an MVP-calibre level, with their defence also making huge strides.

“Cade Cunningham is going to be in the MVP consideration. You know, I don’t know what his chances are to actually win it because of Jokic, Luca, Giannis, SGA, and that doesn’t even account for Wemby,” Stein said.

Cade Cunningham smiles during the press conference on July 30, 2021 at the Pistons Performance Center in Detroit, Michigan. — Cunningham is estbalishing his credentials as an NBA superstar and could lead Team USA in 2028

Cade Cunningham's NBA averages

Cade Cunningham has improved very season and the numbers back it up

2021-22: 64 games, 17.4 PTS, 5.5 REB, 5.6 AST
2022-23: 12 games, 19.9 PTS, 6.2 REB, 6.0 AST
2023-24: 62 games, 22.7 PTS, 4.3 REB, 7.5 AST
2024-25: 70 games, 26.1 PTS, 6.1 REB, 9.1 AS

“So, it’s just getting into the MVP top five is going to be really challenging for Cade Cunningham. But the Pistons have the best record in the East.

“He’s their best player. If this continues, if the Pistons post the best regular season record in the East, I think Cade has to crash the top five of the MVP conversation somehow.”

The Pistons sit top of the Eastern Conference, and there’s no denying that they are a serious contender.

Jalen Duren is crucial to the Pistons

It wouldn’t be fair to pin the success of the Pistons solely on Cunningham.

Stein also hailed the impact of Jalen Duren, who, after being drafted in 2022, has become crucial to the Pistons over the past two seasons.

Duren is an elite rebounder and is a threat when it comes to lobs, not to mention being the perfect pick-and-roll partner for Cunningham.

Jalen Duren reacts after he dunks in the first half against the Indiana Pacers at Little Caesars Arena on November 17, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. — Duren, like Cunningham, has steadily improved and is now a star

“Cade Cunningham, as good as he is, can’t do this by himself. Jalen Duren has been fantastic. He was eligible for a contract extension up to the October 20th deadline on the eve of opening night,” Stein said.

“Didn’t get that contract extension, which means he’s going to be restricted free agent next summer after playing at an all star level.”

Could Cunningham lead Team USA in 2028?

Last summer, Team USA needed Steph Curry, LeBron James and Kevin Durant to lead them to gold in Paris at the 2024 Olympics.

However, come 2028, it’s likely the trio won’t make themselves available for the tournament.

Therefore, the national team must look to other stars to lead them to Gold, which is the expectation for Team USA every tournament, and especially in 2028 as it takes place at home, in Los Angeles.

One of the stars in 2028 will likely be Cunningham, who, if he continues at this trajectory, will be a guaranteed name on the roster.

A picture of Steph Curry, LeBron James and Kevin Durant with their 2024 Olympic Gold Medals — It is highly improbable that James, Durant and Curry suit up for Team USA in 2028

The Greatest Ever NBA teams

5. 1988-89 Detroit Pistons (63-19 record, 12-2 playoffs)

The toughest team in NBA history was also one of the greatest.

The 1988-89 Pistons would have been canceled in 2025 for being too intense.

But when Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, Bill Laimbeer and Rick Mahorn were running the show, Detroit was a nightly force playing by its own rules.

Michael Jordan’s Bulls couldn’t get past the Pistons. Neither could Johnson’s Lakers, as defense-first Detroit fought its way to the top.

There was also a lot of hardwood art in the Pistons’ full-court intensity.

Check out talkSPORT’s ranking of the greatest NBA teams of all-time

Something that Stein echoed when asked about his chances of making the team.

“I mean, he’s going to be on the team for sure. There’s no question about it. He’s a big guard and lock to be on that 28-man team,” Stein said.

“And you know, the 28 team is going to be very good. Obviously no country has a deeper pool of talent than the United States, but that team’s going to be under a lot of pressure.

“It’s going to be a home Olympics in Los Angeles. And, you know, we saw how much they struggled at the last Olympics just dealing with Serbia and France.

“So, it’s going to be fascinating to see the composition of that team. Again, it will be star-laden and very good, but a lot of pressure trying to win that gold medal at home, and I guess that’s the price you pay for getting so much international talent flooding into the league.”

There will be other top players also likely to be in the mix, like Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton and Jayson Tatum.

But three years is a long time in the NBA, and there’s every chance Cunningham could be ahead of them in the pecking order.

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