Cade Cunningham is widely projected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. Cunningham’s game has been compared to many different players, including legends such as Grant Hill. He is a guard with the size of a forward, and the ability to create his own shot and make plays for others. While there’s no doubt that there are other great prospects in this draft class, it seems as though Cunningham has stood out from the rest.
Lots of basketball players have somebody that inspired them to play the sport. For example, for a lot of players in the league, their inspiration growing up was Kobe Bryant. However, for Cade Cunningham, it was a more local hero. Cade Cunningham has recently stated that Dirk Nowitzki was the player that made him fall in love with basketball, referencing the fact that Nowitzki is a hero in Dallas, where Cunningham grew up.
Cade said Dirk is the player who made him fall in love with basketball. "Coming from Dallas, he's the biggest thing we had in basketball."
— James L. Edwards III (@JLEdwardsIII) July 23, 2021
Dirk Nowitzki’s run in 2011 was legendary, and it is understandable that people would love watching Nowitzki play. It is one of the most respected championships in recent memory, and there are many who point to the fact that he managed to eliminate both Kobe Bryant and LeBron James in the same playoff run. There is no doubt that Dirk Nowitzki is a hero in the city of Dallas.
While Cade Cunningham will most likely not get drafted by his hometown team, the Detroit Pistons (or whoever ends up with the No. 1 pick) will hope that he can have a superstar that can make their franchise great once again. While we don’t know how a prospect’s career will turn out until they’re actually in the NBA, Cade Cunningham does have a lot of potential. Hopefully, he is able to match expectations, and become a superstar in the future.
