All-Star cornerstone, Cade Cunningham may now be the face of the Detroit Pistons, and Nikeâs newest signature athlete, but the road that brought him to Detroit wasnât just luck. Ahead of the official announcement of his Nike signature shoe, Cunningham sat down with Kevin Durant for Boardroomâs November cover story â and revealed a draft-night truth he had never said publicly.
Durant asked him directly: when the 2021 NBA Draft lottery came down to the final picks, did he have a preferred destination in mind?
Cunningham didnât hesitate.
âDonât Let Me Go to Cleveland.â
As the lottery narrowed to Detroit, Houston, and Cleveland, Cunningham said his thoughts got louder and more direct.
âWhen it started cutting down, Iâm like, itâs final three,â he told Durant. âItâs Cleveland, Houston, and Detroit. Iâm like, donât let me go to Cleveland. ⦠Iâm not trying to go to Cleveland.â
Cleveland didnât appeal to him for basketball reasons. The Cavaliers already had a young, crowded backcourt with Darius Garland entering Year 2 and Collin Sexton entering Year 3. They had just added Lauri Markkanen, continued to develop Jarrett Allen after his mid-season arrival from Brooklyn, and still had veteran forward Kevin Love on the roster. With that group in place, Cunningham saw limited room to grow into a franchise-leading role.
Houston didnât feel simple either.
âIâm from Arlington; Houston is four hours down the road,â he said. âBut in my head, back of my head, Iâm like, that might get tricky.â
Detroit, however, offered everything he wanted â identity, opportunity, and a clean runway to build a culture.
âI was so happy to go to Detroit,â Cunningham said. He made it clear he hoped the Pistons would win the lottery all along.
Five Seasons Later, the Draft Fell Exactly How It Should Have
Cunninghamâs honesty adds useful context to how the 2021 draft played out. Now, five seasons later, the top of that class looks almost perfectly aligned.
Detroit landed the franchise leader it needed. Cunningham grew into an All-Star, the face of the organization, and now a Nike signature athlete stepping fully into superstar territory.
Meanwhile, Cleveland selected Evan Mobley at No. 3. He became the leagueâs reigning Defensive Player of the Year and a long-term anchor next to Garland and Allen. Even though Cunningham didnât want Cleveland, the Cavaliers ended up with the ideal fit for their timeline.
Houston took Jalen Green at No. 2. His early career flashed promise but lacked consistency. After five years of turbulence, heâs now resetting his trajectory in Phoenix, where he joins a backcourt led by established superstar Devin Booker.
Cunningham Wanted Detroit â and Detroit Got It Right
The top of the 2021 draft looks like fate in hindsight.
Cunningham didnât want Cleveland. He wasnât convinced Houston was the right move.
He wanted Detroit â and five seasons later, he proved himself right.
And the Pistons secured the franchise cornerstone they needed.
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