Cade Cunningham Leads Pistons’ Resurgence, Embracing Pressure as Franchise Star

January 11, 2025

Pistons star Cade Cunningham is stepping up as the unquestioned leader in Detroit, guiding the team to a surprising turnaround after a rough start to the season and a franchise-worst 2023-24 campaign.

As Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports writes, Cunningham is embracing the weight of being the Pistons’ franchise centerpiece, fully aware of the responsibility that comes with the role.

Despite the challenges, Cunningham has consistently taken accountability when things aren’t going well for the team. Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff praised his young star for his maturity and willingness to accept responsibility, a trait not often seen in players of his age.

“You don’t get that out of many old guys, right? Like, there’s not many people in this league that are willing to accept responsibility for the whole group,” Bickerstaff said. “You know, you deal with a lot of people now, the easiest thing to do is either shy away from it or put it on somebody else. And I think that speaks to his courage.”

In his 34 games this season, Cunningham is putting up impressive career highs across the board — 24.3 points, 9.3 assists, and 6.6 rebounds while shooting 45.7% from the field and 37.6% from three. His all-around game has been a major factor in the Pistons’ current 19-19 record, which already marks five more wins than they had all of last season.

Cunningham is not shy about the weight of being the face of the franchise.

“[It’s] something that comes with being, you know, ‘the guy,’” Cunningham said. “Everybody calls me ‘the guy.’ It’s a lot of responsibility. It’s a lot of … I mean, people would call it pressure, but, you know, I have to deliver, and I haven’t done that to the level that I wanted to.”

Despite the personal pressure, Cunningham’s growth and leadership are evident, and his strong performances are playing a key role in the Pistons’ newfound success.

Their recent turnaround is helping lift some of the “dark clouds” that have hovered over the franchise in recent years, as Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press highlights.

“It’s huge, man,” said Jalen Duren. “It’s huge. The vets that came in, I’m not gonna say they don’t understand it, but they weren’t here. Guys who’ve been here … the guys who have been through the ups and downs of our short career, and now getting here and being .500 is huge.”

For the Pistons, this is a pivotal moment in their rebuild. With Cunningham at the helm, the team’s path forward looks brighter than it has in years.