The Detroit Pistons are climbing up the Eastern Conference standings, fueled by an impressive run: they have won 8 of their last 10 games and currently sit in sixth place with a 32-26 record. A significant part of that success is due to the exceptional performances of Cade Cunningham, who has earned praise from none other than Los Angeles Clippers star James Harden.
“He had nothing around him,” Harden began noting during an interview shared by journalist Law Murray on his X account. “He’s finally healthy, finally has some pieces he can work with—shooting, bigs, defenders—and the result of that is he’s playing like one of the best players in the league.”
This massive compliment came on the heels of a remarkable performance by Cunningham in the Pistons’ 106-97 victory over the Clippers at Little Caesars Arena on Monday night. There, the 23-year-old point guard led his team with 32 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists during the 37 minutes he was on the court.
“So far, he’s done an unbelievable job,” Harden later added. “Like I said, he’s healthy. Step one is you have to be on the court, and then the front office has done an unbelievable job of putting pieces around him to where he can be successful.”
Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons during the 3-Point Contest as part of the 2025 All-Star Weekend.
The Clippers star also predicted big things for Cunningham in the future, as long as he can maintain his physical health and winning mentality. “Kudos to him, he’s done an unbelievable job this year, and he’s going to continue to get better… I know he’s going to have an unbelievable career,” Harden said.
see also
Clippers All-Star James Harden makes bold confession about his tenure with the Rockets
Cunningham overcomes physical struggles
James Harden specifically highlighted Cade Cunningham’s fitness as a key factor in his stellar performance this season. The young and promising point guard had previously faced significant injury challenges early in his career. A couple of years ago, he underwent surgery for a stress fracture in his left shin, which sidelined him for much of the 2022-23 season.
Although Cunningham encountered additional setbacks last season, none were as severe as that injury. Such struggles had hindered his ability to maintain consistent attendance, as he hadn’t reached 80% participation in any of his first three NBA seasons. However, this season, Cade has played in 53 of the Detroit Pistons‘ 56 games, highlighting his remarkable physical resilience.
Cunningham’s impressive numbers
Games played aren’t the only statistic where Cade Cunningham is setting new personal bests this season. He currently boasts a career-high average of 25.8 points per game, ranking him among the top 12 players in the league.
Cunningham also ranks third in the NBA in assists, with an average of 9.5 per game, trailing only the Atlanta Hawks’ Trae Young and the Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic. Additionally, he records 6.3 rebounds per game and has a solid plus-minus rating of +2.5, underscoring his all-around contributions to the Pistons’ success this season.
