Inside the Article:
One key reason why the Detroit Pistons won only 17 games last season was that the 2021 first-overall draft selection Cade Cunningham was limited to only 12 games owing to an injury that would eventually shut him down for the rest of the year. But he's ready to get back into the swing of things, joining the USA Select Team to receive some much-needed scrimmage and practice time.
Cunningham was limited to only 12 games last season
In January of last year after undergoing surgery on his shin, he said he felt like he hadn't had a true chance to show people what he can do at the NBA level.
“It’s tough, man,” Cunningham told The Athletic in Paris. “I’m so young into my career, and, to me, I feel like I still haven’t shown people who I am. I started to get a rhythm, but then my shin kept killing me. It was hard for me to put the entire season to the side, sit down and take care of it. After talking with everyone, I realized it’s a long game, and I have a lot more basketball to play. I just want to be able to play my game and not think about my body and try to overcompensate on different things.”
In the 12 games that he appeared in, Cunningham would average 19.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, six assists, and nearly a steal per game.
He's joining the 2023 USA Basketball Select Team
Cunningham will be getting some much-needed preparation before the 2023-24 season begins, as it was announced today that he'll be joining the 2023 USA Basketball Select Team along with Jalen Green of the Houston Rockets, Keegan Murray of the Sacramento Kings, and both Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Cunningham will practice and scrimmage with the aforementioned names as he prepares for the upcoming Pistons season.
Key Points
- Cade Cunningham was limited to 12 games last season thanks to a shin injury
- He's undergone surgery and lamented that fans haven't gotten a chance to see what he can accomplish at the NBA level
- He's joining the USA Select Team alongside other young NBA talents to practice and scrimmage
Bottom Line: This can only help Cade Cunningham's preparation
The Pistons made a major investment in Cunningham when they selected him with the first overall pick in the 2022 Draft, believing that he has all of the tools necessary to be an integral part of the team rebuild.
We're hopeful that Cunningham's time with the USA Select Team will go a long way in helping him prepare for the upcoming year so that he can hit the court running for Detroit this October in what will be the start of his 3rd professional season.
