Cade Cunningham was one three unanimous selections to the All-Rookie First Team, with the Detroit Pistons No. 1 overall pick joining Scottie Barnes (Toronto Raptors) and Evan Mobley (Cleveland Cavaliers). Franz Wagner (Orlando Magic) and Jalen Green (Houston Rockets) round out the First Team.
Cunningham averaged 17.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.2 steals in 32.6 minutes in his inaugural season leading a rebuilding Pistons team. Barnes and Mobley, both playing large roles on playoff and play-in game teams, respectively, finished above Cade in the final Rookie of the Year rankings, but Cunningham, the franchise and the fans can view this as a small consolation prize.
The consensus No. 1 pick in what turned out to be quite a loaded NBA Draft set many franchise marks for the Pistons. He joined Michael Jordan and Oscar Robertson as the only rookies in NBA history to ever average minimums of 22 points, six rebounds, and seven assists in a single month. He also became the first rookie to record multiple triple-doubles in a season and scored the most points by a Detroit rookie since Grant Hill.
Herbert Jones (New Orleans Pelicans), Josh Giddey (Oklahoma City Thunder), Bones Hyland (Denver Nuggets), Ayo Dosunmu (Chicago Bulls) and Chris Duarte (Indiana Pacers) were named to the All-Rookie Second Team.