Cade Cunningham
Cunningham’s Leadership
Cade Cunningham delivered one of the most impressive seasons in recent Detroit Pistons history during the 2025–26 campaign, leading the franchise to a remarkable turnaround and the best record in the Eastern Conference at 60-22. Detroit entered the season with modest expectations, but behind Cunningham’s leadership and elite all-around play, the Pistons emerged as the conference’s No. 1 seed and legitimate championship contender.
Despite dealing with a minor lung injury in mid-March, Cunningham continued to dominate and etched his name into the history books, becoming just the sixth player in NBA history to average at least 23 points, 9 assists, and 5 rebounds in a season.
NBA Playoffs
In the playoffs, Cunningham elevated his game even further. Facing elimination against the Orlando Magic in the first round, the Pistons superstar carried Detroit back from a 3-1 series deficit by averaging an incredible 36.3 points across three straight elimination games. His postseason heroics helped push Detroit into the Eastern Conference Semifinals, where their season ultimately came to an end in a hard-fought Game 7 matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
2025–26
Cunningham’s 2025–26 regular season numbers showcased his growth into one of the NBA’s premier floor generals:
• 23.9 points per game
• 9.9 assists per game (2nd in the NBA, career-high)
• 5.5 rebounds per game
• 1.4 steals per game (career-high 92 total steals)
• 38 double-doubles, the most among NBA guards
• Shooting splits of 46.1% from the field, 34.2% from three-point range, and 81.2% from the free throw line
The season solidified Cunningham not only as the face of the Pistons franchise, but as one of the NBA’s brightest young superstars.