Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham may be in line for a feature role on Team USA moving forward
Historically, USA Basketball has rallied as a collective unit around the leadership of one superstar who galvanizes the squad and gives hope to a nation all at once. For years, Steph Curry has operated as the face of USA Basketball. Before Steph, both LeBron James and Kobe Bryant held that mantle at different times, but the program is in dire need of a revamp with many aging stalwarts set to depart from the team soon.
As a native Texan, Cunningham has the rare combination of a full two-way basketballing toolkit to pair with the intangible qualities that come from leading a team to success as the group’s clear cut No. 1 option. A one-time No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft, Cunningham has long been held to high standards, but he’s responded by raising his level on a yearly basis.
Currently, Cunningham is lodged in a tight battle for MVP during only his fifth year in the association, and he appears to be firmly on an upward trajectory. Just two years after Detroit lost an NBA record 28 consecutive games, Cunningham sparked a turnaround that now has the Pistons in first place of the Eastern Conference– and the results are no fluke.
This season, Cunningham is one of only two players in the NBA to average at least 26 points, nine assists and six rebounds per game this season, joining Nikola Jokic in that lofty territory. But going even further than Cunningham’s on-court exploits, Cade is charismatic in a way that translates to the international stage.
During a Pistons home game held in Mexico City earlier this season against the Dallas Mavericks, Cunningham took the time to embrace the crowd en Espanol, and the crowd seemed to appreciate the Detroit superstar’s gesture, responding with a hearty round of applause for the earnest attempt.
By all accounts, Cunningham has rubbed the right shoulders along the way to wind up in a feature role with Team USA. Earlier this season, Nike announced that Cunningham was going to be one of only six active NBA players with his own signature shoe from the legendary footwear brand, a move that signified Cade’s ever-growing star power emanating from the Motor City.
Over the years, Team USA has grown to enjoy a major, long-term sponsorship relationship with Nike. Given Cunningham’s new signature shoe that’s set to drop early 2027 with Nike, the consensus seems to be that the Detroit star is ready to go global.
In terms of other candidates for the role, Team USA is due for a shakeup. By the time the 2028 Summer Olympics arrive, Steph and LeBron won't be with the team anymore. Kevin Durant is aging himself, and Anthony Davis is too injury-prone to safely predict. Bam Adebayo lacks the star quality needed for the role, and Joel Embiid is just as dependable as Davis. Jayson Tatum has the requisite ability, but he seems a bit vanilla to hold the American crown. Devin Booker, similarly, has never moved the needle enough to lead the squad.
The biggest challenge would presumably come from Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, who is loaded with both talent and charisma. Edwards has a knack for the spotlight, so his persona could mesh well with the high-profile duties attached to leading USA Basketball.
But Cunningham has already won over the local Motown crowd with his humble nature and clever wit. The national audience is currently enamored with the All-Star guard’s ability to push the Pistons to the top of the East so quickly. The natural progression is now for Cunningham to represent Team USA on the international stage as the focal point of a team with sky-high expectations.
Cade’s used to it.
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