Cade Cunningham Makes Honest LeBron James Statement

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Detroit Pistons All-Star guard Cade Cunningham is voicing his thoughts on the Charlotte Hornets brawl and picking a side.

When it comes to Cade Cunningham, the Detroit Pistons guard takes pride in being productive on both sides of the basketball.

His latest dominant defensive showing against the Oklahoma City Thunder opened up the opportunity for Cunningham to praise Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James for being an inspiration in that regard.

“I’ve always enjoyed running stuff down and getting blocks,” Cunningham said, after posting three blocks against OKC.

“It’s always been something I’ve enjoyed doing. I watched a lot of LeBron [James] growing up. It’s something that I think I always been pretty good at. Like, a little hoop playing and stuff. So, it’s always been a part of my game. Now, it’s finally coming along in the NBA.”

James, a known chase-down artist in the league, laid out a blueprint for players coming up like Cunningham. Now, the former first-overall pick is adding more weapons to his arsenal as he navigates through an MVP-caliber season.

Cade Cunningham’s Pistons Put The Champions Away

GettyCade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder on February 25. Cunningham credited LeBron James for his impressive defensive showing.

The Thunder entered the matchup in Detroit, Michigan, shorthanded. Players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren got the night off as they nurse injuries.

The Pistons played whoever was in front of them, and got the job done. Once again, Cunningham put together an impressive performance.

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The star guard checked in for 39 minutes. He shot 11-16 from the field to score 29 points. Cunningham racked up a double-double with 13 assists. He also had four rebounds and three steals to go with his highlight-worthy blocks.

The Pistons put the champions away with a 124-116 win.

Where Is Cade Cunningham In The MVP Conversation?

GettyCade Cunningham is putting together an MVP-worthy season with the Detroit Pistons.

With the league implementing the 65-game rule a few years ago, Cunningham finds himself in a favorable position.

Over 50 games into the season, Cunningham has just six absences for the year. He is on pace to surpass the 65-game rule. The same can’t be said about the MVP race’s top-two competitors.

For the second year in a row, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic are widely viewed as the favorites. The latter has little cushion left after missing a month of action, while the former is seeing his chances dwindle as the games pass.

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According to Basketball Reference, Cunningham has a 2.5% chance of winning the MVP title. Gilgeous-Alexander is set at 20.3%, while Jokic is at 72.4%. Availability has become key in this year’s race. Cunningham is strong there, but everywhere else, too. This season, he’s shooting 45% from the field and 33% from three, averaging 25.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 9.8 assists per game.

With Cunningham seeing LeBron as an inspiration, the star guard would certainly like to follow in the Lakers star’s footsteps in winning an MVP title or four.

Justin Grasso Justin Grasso is an NBA reporter, covering trending league news, transactions, injuries, and player developments. He is a credentialed journalist with nearly a decade of insider access. More about Justin Grasso