Cade Cunningham has been the talk of the NBA as of recent and rightfully so. The former number one overall pick is the engine and catalyst behind the Detroit Pistons’ resurgence from a competitive and cultural standpoint. This is reflecting in his media sessions as well as he had a one-on-one with ‘Funny Marco’ that led to him flexing his football skills.
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During the interview, Cade was unabashed in his admission of being a great football player. He revealed he’d either want to play for the Dallas Cowboys or the Detroit Lions, the latter of which makes sense. When asked what position he’d play in Dallas, he said, “I’d play quarterback.”
Cade Cunningham when asked if he could play football:
“Give me 2-3 months I’ll be better than Dak Prescott” pic.twitter.com/d3SSSpO32a
— Mob (@MobHoops) January 15, 2025
Marco, as expected, starts to instigate the interaction and asks him if he’s better than Dak Prescott, the Cowboys’ franchise QB. Cade’s response was, “Not right now. 2-3 months, working. I always hear them talking about they can come on this NBA court but I think I could get on that field.”
The debate of whether NBA player would be more successful in the NFL and vice versa is one that has raged on amongst fans and the players for decades on end. Guys like Anthony Edwards and LeBron James have/had expressed serious desire to get NFL action.
Cade, with his physique, would so someone who could be a serious threat as a football player. Standing at 6’6 and weighing 220lbs, he most certainly wouldn’t be toyed with out on the field.
This statement by Cade oozes confidence as it feels like a direct challenge to Dak. While Dak has not been able to deliver for the Cowboys in regards to a deep Playoff run as Jerry Jones expected, he’s no scrub in the slightest having been a 3x Pro Bowler and leading the NFL in passing TDs in ’23. While Prescott’s spot might be safe from Cade, the same can’t be said about other NFL QBs vying for his place.
Cunningham played football growing up
Monteverde Academy is an incredibly exclusive high school that focuses on building athletes that have the highest chances of making it to at least one major North American league. Cade is a product of this and so him being a multi-sport athlete isn’t a surprise in the slightest.
While still in high school, he spoke on how football has helped him better himself in basketball. He did in fact play quarterback so his wishes to be an NFL QB are in line with the position he’s most comfortable with since he was a teenager. The football genes run in the family as his father also played for Texas Tech.
“Quarterbacks have to lead, so I think it’s definitely helped my leadership skills and passing the ball. I think I have pretty good vision, and playing quarterback has definitely helped with that.”
This couldn’t be truer when it comes to how he’s been playing for the Pistons this year. He’s the on-court leader of the team, both vocal and offensively, orchestrating sets on the fly. He’s averaging a career high in assists with 9.4 a game.
Safe to say that Cade’s upbringing has allowed him to extract the positives from all aspects of his life and apply them to his NBA game.