While many agreed Cunningham would be the first name off the board, he still had to wait patiently to see who would come away with the top selection. Heading into the lottery, the teams with the top odds were the Houston Rockets, Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, OKC Thunder, and Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Pistons won the top prize in the ‘21 draft and used the selection on Cunningham, who has quickly developed into one of the best guards in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland was given the No. 3 pick and they got a star in his own right in Evan Mobley, who was named an All-Star and the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year last season.

Detroit Pistons superstar Cade Cunningham revealed some personal news that got NBA fans talking on social media.

Cunningham, 24, becomes the sixth active NBA player with a signature shoe deal with Nike alongside the Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Suns’ Devin Booker, the Lakers’ LeBron James, the Grizzlies’ Ja Morant and Durant with the Rockets.

Cade Cunningham revealed in the interview on Boardroom that he did not want the Cleveland Cavaliers to win the 2021 NBA draft lottery.

Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham signed a six-year extension with Nike that will include his own signature shoe, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.

Cade Cunningham has quietly become one of the NBA's best players. Although many in the basketball world aren't giving him the credit he deserves, Cunningham has started the 2025-26 NBA season impressively.

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham is staying with Nike and will soon have his own signature shoe with the sneaker company, too. Per ESPN’s Shams Charania, Cunningham has agreed to a new six-year endorsement deal with Nike and will have a signature shoe that is expected to debut in the second half of the 2026-27 season.

Cunningham reflects on the hard-fought first-round battle with the Knicks, as Detroit looks to build on that playoff test with an 11-2 start atop the East.