Mar 21, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) brings the ball up court against the Dallas Mavericks during the second half at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Pistons' Cade Cunningham Reminisces on Encounter With NBA Legend

Originally posted on Detroit Pistons on SI
By Kevin McCormick | Last updated Sep 28, 2025 10:36 AM ET

In a few short weeks, Cade Cunningham will embark on his fifth season with the Detroit Pistons. As he prepares to build off his breakout campaign, he recently looked back at some of his best moments from the last 12 months.

Four years removed from being drafted No. 1 overall, Cunningham emerged as a star-level talent capable of leading the charge for the Pistons for the foreseeable future. Along with cementing himself as one of the game's top young talents, he got Detroit back to the postseason for the first time since 2019.

Between playing for a new head coach and having an improved supporting cast, Cunningham was able to make "the leap" last season. He ended the regular season with averages of 26.1 PPG, 6.1 RPG, and 9.1 APG. This impressive all-around production landed Cunningham on an All-Star and All-NBA team for the first time in his young career.

Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images

Earlier this week, Cunningham celebrated his 24th birthday. Upon completing another trip around the sun, the All-Star guard posted a series of photos on his Instagram. Among the moments to make the cut was when Hall of Famer Julius "Dr. J" Erving came to visit the Pistons last season.

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With the birthday festivities behind him, Cunningham's focus can now shift back to the 2026 season. Following an offseason full of downtime and training, the official ramp-up is just around the corner.

The Pistons will kick things off with media day on Monday, with training camp getting underway later in the week.

Heading into the upcoming season, Cunningham and the Pistons are facing some lofty expectations. After shattering any and all expectations in 2025, many are curious to see if the young squad can build off its success and keep growing into a contender in the Eastern Conference.

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

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