‘I Think I Am’: Detroit Pistons’ Cade Cunningham Believes He’s NBA’s MVP

Detroit Pistons star point guard Cade Cunningham believes he’s the NBA’s MVP this season.

Behind Cunningham, the Pistons have the NBA’s top record at 41-13.

“It comes from doing the things I said, what I needed to do to be in that conversation,” Cade Cunningham told NBA reporter Vincent Goodwill of ESPN. “Now that we’re getting closer, there’s more [talk] like ‘What is your case? You should speak on it.’ I don’t really care to speak on it. I want the people that vote on it to be smart enough to look at the game for themselves.

“I think I am [MVP]. And if you don’t agree with me, that’s your opinion.”

Cunningham is averaging 25.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 9.7 assists per game this season while shooting 46.3% from the field, 33.5% from beyond the arc and 81.0% from the free-throw line. The 24-year-old is 11th in the NBA in points, 12th in points per game, first in assists and second in assists per game.

 Since the media began voting for MVP in 1980, the highest a Pistons player has finished was Grant Hill in 1997. Hill came in third behind Karl Malone and Michael Jordan.

All signs point toward Cunningham being an MVP finalist this season.

“He’s a winner, man. He really is. Attitude, leadership, every day, the guy is special,” Tobias Harris said about Cade Cunningham. “I think more than anything, he wants championships, and that’s a difference. There’s guys who want to win MVP and guys who want to win championships.”

The Pistons’ turnaround has been incredible to watch. They went just 14-68 two seasons ago and lost 28 consecutive games.

Detroit made the playoffs last season for the first time since 2019, losing to the New York Knicks in the first round in six games.

This season, the Pistons are 3-0 against the Knicks, 3-1 against the Boston Celtics and 1-1 against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

“What is it? I mean, we’re the best team in the East, I don’t know what statement,” Cade Cunningham said. “The statement is coming to play every night, and we’re going to compete until you lay down for us.”