Jan 20, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) reacts to a call while playing against the Houston Rockets in the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Detroit Pistons Send Message to Star Guard Cade Cunningham

Originally posted on Detroit Pistons on SI
By Kevin McCormick | Last updated Sep 25, 2025 11:02 AM ET

When it comes to the current iteration of the Detroit Pistons, the primary pillar is point guard Cade Cunningham. As he prepares to build off his breakout campaign, the team took the time to give him a shout-out on his special day.

Cunningham landed with the Pistons in 2021 after being the first overall pick in the draft. Injuries derailed the early stages of his development, but he caught up in impressive fashion last season. In just his fourth year in the league, he showed the basketball world that he has the makings of a future superstar.

The Pistons were one of the NBA's best feel-good stories last year after pulling off a historic turnaround. This wouldn't have been possible if it weren't for Cunningham making "the leap" towards stardom.

Cunningham put together his best campaign in the pros, averaging 26.1 PPG, 6.1 RPG, and 9.1 APG. His impressive all-around play led the Pistons to the postseason for the first time since 2019 and landed the young guard on his first All-NBA team.

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

After putting together his breakout season, Cunningham now faces the challenge of maintaining his heightened level of play. Before officially starting his ramp-up for the 2026 campaign, Cunningham celebrated his 24th birthday Thursday.

The Pistons decided to get in on the festivities, sending Cunningham a celebratory birthday message on social media.

Wishing Deuce a happy birthday!#DetroitBasketball birthday shoutouts presented by @Cheurlin1788 pic.twitter.com/3sCOv1BNLH
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) September 25, 2025

When the Pistons won the draft lottery in 2021, their goal was to find a prospect capable of carrying the torch for the next phase of the franchise. Based on what we saw last season, they found what they were looking for in Cunningham.

Not only does Cunningham have the viable skills to be a top option in the modern NBA, but he's worked hard at becoming more of a leader for Detroit on and off the court.

In a few short weeks, the Pistons star will have an opportunity to keep climbing the ranks among his league counterparts. Not only did he gain much-needed playoff experience last season, but Cunningham also had another fully healthy summer to continue rounding out his game.

Led by the young budding superstar, the Pistons will attempt to capitalize on their newfound momentum and stay in the mix in the Eastern Conference.

This article first appeared on Detroit Pistons on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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