Cade Cunningham’s first NBA All-Star Game start a part of his plan

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham is embracing the "bigger stage" of the 2026 NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles, viewing it as the ultimate test and a pinnacle moment in his career. He expresses pride in the Pistons leading the Eastern Conference with 40 wins at the All-Star break and in his own performance, averaging 25.3 points and 9.6 assists, which earned him his first nod as an Eastern Conference starter through player voting—an honor he values deeply.

Despite his on-court success and All-Star status, Cunningham acknowledges that gaining widespread fan recognition and being mentioned among the league's elite superstars like LeBron James and Stephen Curry is still a work in progress. He ranked 14th in jersey sales and outside the top 10 in social media presence, though he placed fourth in Eastern Conference fan voting for All-Star starters. Cunningham believes sustained winning and exposure will ultimately earn him greater fan love.

Cunningham's journey to this point involved overcoming early career challenges, including limited attention during his college days due to the pandemic and playing for a Pistons team that struggled mightily, even setting an NBA record with a 28-game losing streak last season. Remarkably, even during that difficult period, Cunningham and his core teammates maintained a long-term vision and openly discussed winning a championship together, which they are now beginning to realize.

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