2021 NBA Draft Profile: Cade Cunningham
A potentially generational talent who’s basically 100% out of reach for the Knicks this draft.
Position: Point guard, Oklahoma State
Age: 19 (9/25/2001)
Height: 6 ft 8 in
Wingspan: ???
Weight: 220 lbs.
Strickland 2021 Big Board Rank: 1
Even if you don’t focus on the draft or college basketball, you’ve probably heard of Cade Cunningham. That is how heralded and good this kid is. He is a 6-foot-8, 220-lb. basketball savant (sound familiar? Just kidding, don't start that noise) with the most well-rounded game in the 2021 NBA Draft class.
The clear No. 1 pick in my — and many others’ — opinion, his playmaking was the main selling point coming into college, while his shooting and scoring were somewhat of a question mark. So what did he do? Oh, just become an elite shooter and one of the best isolation scorers in college basketball this year. His frame, combined with the improved shot, put defenders in all sorts of hell last season. Close out too hard on him and he’ll get to the basket for a layup, dunk, or foul. Stay back on him and he’ll drill a jumper in your eye (sometimes for a game winner).
It’s tough to play devil’s advocate when a freshman comes in and averaged 20 points, six rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game all while playing really solid defense. The one thing people gravitate to is the lackluster 1.4 assist to turnover ratio, but when you watch the tape, he is still clearly a talented playmaker and easily could have averaged twice as many assists per game with some better shooters and finishers around him. Whoever lands the No. 1 pick in this year's draft doesn’t have much to think about. Take Cade.
