The Detroit Pistons' road to relevancy finally began on Thursday after selecting Cade Cunningham as the no. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. Pistons general manager Troy Weaver made no secret of his desire to pick Cunningham as the team's next franchise player weeks before the draft, and he did just that, much to the delight of the long-suffering Detroit supporters.
Cunningham, who attended the draft wearing a dark suit, shirt, and tie, hugged family members once commissioner Adam Silver announced his selection. He was emotional afterward in an interview with ESPN, saying, "It's still crazy, to be in the moment. Words can't really explain the emotions. You know what I'm saying?"
Cunningham's arrival a welcome sight for Detroit
The pressure now is on Cunningham to deliver the goods for the Pistons. He has the basketball acumen to do just that, averaging 20.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game last season with Oklahoma State. The 19-year-old exceeded expectations in his freshman year, becoming a first-team Associated Press All-American in his first and only season with the Cowboys.
What makes Cunningham a prime prospect for Detroit is his ability to score anywhere on the floor. The Arlington, Texas native has a good shooting stroke from deep, and he can also score off the dribble. What separates Cunningham from other top prospects is his passing ability, enabling him to find with ease open teammates when he is trapped.
That will be crucial in a Detroit team that is severely lacking in offensive talent. The Pistons ranked 27th in the league in scoring last season, averaging just 106.6 points per game. They finished the previous campaign with a woeful 20-52 record, second-worst in the league.
That awful campaign had a silver lining, though, as the Pistons nabbed the top pick in this year's draft because of it. Detroit fans hope Cunningham's arrival will help usher in a new and exciting era for the Pistons, who last won an NBA championship back in 2004.
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Barnes and Giddey surprise with high draft selections
The next two picks went according to experts' predictions. The Houston Rockets selected G League star Jalen Green as the second overall pick, and the Cleveland Cavaliers pick USC's Evan Mobley at No. 3.
The Toronto Raptors then provided the draft's first surprise, selecting Florida State's Scottie Barnes as the No. 4 pick. Like Cunningham, Barnes is a lengthy 6'8 player who facilitated the Seminoles' offense last season. The Orlando Magic followed suit, selecting Gonzaga point guard Jalen Suggs as the fifth overall pick.
Oklahoma City sent shockwaves with the No. 6 pick when the Thunder selected Australian teenager Josh Giddey. Most mock drafts placed Giddey at the No. 10 spot, but the Thunder was impressed with his all-around game, which saw him average 10.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists in Australia's National Basketball League last season.
Rounding out the rest of the top 10 were Jonathan Kuminga (Golden State, No. 7), Franz Wagner (Orlando, No. 8), Davion Mitchell (Sacramento, No. 9), and Ziaire Williams (Memphis via New Orleans, No. 10).
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