Despite tremendous pressure and criticism from NBA media at the beginning of his career, Cade Cunningham is doing what only Michael Jordan could do in his rookie season.
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There were many questions regarding the draft class of 2021, while there were also some reports that suggested that it’d be the best draft class in many years. The top pick of the draft would be Cade Cunningham who’d go to a non-competing Detroit Pistons team but has been the best scoring rookie of his class.
While others in his class – Evan Mobley, Scottie Barnes, and Jonathan Kuminga have been big contributors to the Playoffs contending teams, Jalen Green, Josh Giddy, Davion Mitchell, and Franz Wagner are looking are at the very least looking like future All-Stars.
So that latter report is the one turning out to be true as of now. Coming back to the first pick of the lot, Cunningham, the 20-year-old has had a month as only Michael Jordan had in his rookie season.
Cade Cunningham touches a Michael Jordan record
Cade has been truly sensational since the start of the month of March, the Oklahoma State alumnus has averaged around 23 points, 7 assists, and 6 rebounds while shooting close to 48% from the field, 34% from downtown, and 84% from the free-throw line.
He ended the month unsurprisingly well, with 34-points against the Nets and 27 against the Sixers in consecutive games. But what was surprising was how close he took his team to defeat Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving’s team with a 123-130 scoreline.
After Cunningham’s 34-point night at Brooklyn on Tuesday, Kevin Durant said this about the Pistons point guard “You got a 6-7 point guard … it’s a good start, you know?” Durant said. “Somebody that can wreck a whole defensive game plan with his size and timing and skill, so it’s a great start.”
Pistons did defeat Joel Embiid and James Harden’s 76ersby stopping them to just 94-points on Thursday and getting away with an 8 point victory to finish the month on a high. Now with Mobley out for Cleveland with a sprained ankle, Cade has a chance to take over him for the Rookie of the Year award.
