Pistons’ Dwane Casey on Cade Cunningham: ‘He is Rookie of the Year’
Dwane Casey on Monday called guard Cade Cunningham the NBA Rookie of the Year, and the No. 1 pick agreed was inclined to agree with his head coach.
Cunningham continued perhaps his best stretch of the season, recording 28 points, 10 assists and six rebounds to lead the Detroit Pistons to an overtime win over the Atlanta Hawks. He scored 15 points in the fourth quarter and overtime period combined.
The 20-year-old produced his 10th game of the season with at least 20 points, five rebounds and five assists, the most by a rookie. He became the second Pistons rookie (Isiah Thomas) in the last 50 years with 20 points, 10 assists and five rebounds in a game.
Casey explained why Cunningham is the Rookie of the Year, in his mind.
He is Rookie of the Year, it is not even close as far as talent evaluation. I’ve been (in the NBA) a long time, have seen a lot of players. The only thing they could hold against us is we’re a young team rebuilding but talent-wise, he is a guy that can finish games for you and that’s what you need in those situations to finish games. He is playing like a 10-year vet so to get 10 assists and 28 points, that is big time. We were trying to go to him down the stretch, which we wanted to. For me, he is the Rookie of the Year just the way he won the game for us tonight.
Cunningham has now recorded four straight 20-point games to give him 17 overall on the season, which leads all first-year players. Behind the play of Cunningham, and several others, the Pistons have won six out of their last eight games.
With the performance, Cunningham is averaging 16.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.2 steals in 51 games. He currently leads the rookie class in scoring average and is second in assists and fourth in rebounding with 17 games left this season.
The possibility of winning the Rookie of the Year award would certainly be an honor for Cunningham, but the guard is focusing more on the Pistons’ success at the moment.
I really like how the Pistons are playing right now. I think we’re playing really hard, playing for each other and I think that is what has led us to winning some games. I really appreciate my teammates trusting me with the ball and allowing me to get things going and I feel like they’re kinda looking at that race too a little bit and twant to put me in the right position but, at this point, we’re really rolling right now. I’m not really too worried about that race as much as getting the building blocks and getting the foundation right for next year for the Pistons. I think I deserve the award but, at the end of the day, it is a trophy and building something good with my team would mean a lot more.
Cunningham is among several first-year players that have impressed this season in a rookie class that, as a whole, appears to be one of the best in recent memory. Of course, it isn’t all that surprising to hear that Casey would vote for his player to win the award.
He will have some stiff competition for the award with the likes of Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley, Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes and Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner all in contention.
But, in the eyes of the Pistons, it is Cunningham’s award to lose.
This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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