It’s early, but the 2021 class of NBA rookies appears to be one of the best in history. Evan Mobley looks like a perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate. Scottie Barnes, Josh Giddey and Franz Wagner are big, prototypical playmaking wings that appear on nearly every contending roster in today’s league. Herbert Jones, Ayo Dosunmu, Chris Duarte and other rookies have already established themselves as productive role players.
And while Jalen Suggs and Jalen Green are still finding their rhythm, they’ve still showed flashes of the playmaking that enabled them to become top-five picks.
This year’s NBA Rookie of the Year race is tight, but Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham is firmly toward the top. He’s the only player among the aforementioned rookies who has thrived while operating as the primary offensive option for extended stretches this season. His NBA-readiness was one of the main reasons why he was considered the consensus best prospect by draft evaluators.
Cunningham pays attention to the chatter on social media and TV broadcasts. While winning Rookie of the Year won’t define him as a player, it’s something he would take pride in accomplishing.
In the second half of his Q&A with the Free Press last week, Cunningham discussed the rookie race, his talented draft class, lessons from Ben Wallace and the power of language.
Editor’s note: This conversation has been edited for brevity and clarity. If you missed it Sunday, read part I with Cunningham, where he explains what made him rock buffs on draft night, embracing Detroit, love for Pistons fans and more.
What has it been like to see this rookie class playing at a high level? It looks like you’re part of a class of players who could be historically great, based on the first half of the season.
I’ve always felt like our class was super talented. A lot of guys all over the place that can contribute and impact the game right now in the league. It’s fun to see how everybody has found a home and is still doing what they’ve been doing. We’ve all been competing and pushing each other since high school. It’s cool to see.
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How much fun does that add for you, seeing guys you’ve been going against for a long time and now you’re all in this together?
It’s really fun for me to watch the other NBA games and know a lot of these guys now. The NBA used to be kind of a mythical place to me, just because I was so out of touch with the players. They just kinda seemed, like, godly, than it is now because I’m in this life now. It’s super fun to me to watch and it’s surreal, for sure.
How much do you pay attention to narratives? Fans are dialed into the Rookie of the Year race. How much do you pay attention to the chatter on TV and online?
I definitely know what’s going on. I wouldn’t say that’s always me looking into it, but after I play a game I’ll know what’s being said anyways. I know how I need to rebound off of the game I had before. Every game is new, and it’s a different narrative going into the game and you have to be as prepared and as locked in as you can be and play your game, more than anything. Like I said, some nights the ball isn’t going to go your way. You just gotta take it for what it is and have good intentions. I’m going to play hard and play the win.
Are you motivated by awards? Would you say you’re aiming for Rookie of the Year?
Definitely. I’m a rookie. If I’m Rookie of the Year, that means I’m the best rookie. Being the No. 1 pick, I’m trying to take pride in the fact that I’m that guy and I want to make the Pistons organization proud of who they took. If I get the award, it’s great. If I don’t get it, then it is what it is. But at the end of the day, it’s a trophy and I’m not going to let that determine how good I think I am.
When you came in, you talked a lot about Pistons history. The number you wear, you talked to Chuck Daly’s daughter, Cydney, to clear that since No. 2 was retired in honor of Chuck. To what extent have you been able to tap into the past with the Pistons and embrace that legacy?
It’s been cool. Even just having Ben (Wallace) around us all the time, being able to hear his insight on things, his input, why it’s super cool for us. It means a lot to us. I feel like all of the former Pistons really care about the organization. They care about what’s going on. It’s cool to be a part of that and have those guys around. And to me, people like Ms. Cydney Daly, somebody who’s allowed me to wear No. 2, something that I’ve always dreamt of wearing. It definitely blesses me in this position, for sure.
What types of conversations have you been able to have with Ben Wallace?
More than anything, he just talks to me about playing my game, not letting circumstances, the scoreboard or the last play or whatever dictate my mindset on the game. Every possession’s new and play hard and play to win. That’s all he really talks about, but he means that message. And you can tell by how he played and how he carries himself.
Opposing teams are already giving you the star treatment. You’ve been getting double-teamed, blitzed, all of that. What’s been the adjustment to NBA defenses vs. college defenses?
The athletes are better. These are the best athletes, high-IQ guys, great coaching staffs, things like that. But I try not to think about it that hard. I just think at the end of the day, it’s basketball. I feel like teams double-team me because I can make plays. Teams game plan against me because I can make plays. I just take it as respect. I feel like I’ve worked hard to get that type of treatment, and now it’s about how I react to it and how I come out of it.
Pistons went 7-9 in January, an improvement over the previous few months. Where do you see the team being at now, compared to early on? There’s a lot of young players and it seems like the team is starting to learn what it takes to win at this level, yourself included.
I think we’re just going to keep on growing, more than anything. I think we’re going to build some more chemistry. I think we’re going to grow closer together as a team. Our connection is going to be a lot tighter. That’s what we’ve been needing. We’re starting to get some momentum, find some ways to win some games, find the things that help us win. Now it’s about building off (it).
It seems like during interviews, and especially after tough losses, you have a knack for finding the right thing to say. You tend to play responses in a way that looks forward. What do you credit to being able to sell a message the right way and make it clear that everybody’s on the same page and locked in?
I feel like language is everything. The way that you present things to people, the way that you talk to people, you don’t know how people process things. I try to be calculated with how I speak about the team, because there’s a lot of opinions in our locker room and I feel like I’m a leader and they probably hear what I say. I want to make sure that the right message is out. And more than anything, I believe in the team. I’m going to promote that message and hope that whoever is listening to me believes in us as much as me.
[ PART I: Cade Cunningham: Why I was eager to embrace Detroit ]
Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter: @omarisankofa. Follow the Free Press on Facebook and Twitter for more news.