The NBA All Star Weekend began with the Rising Stars Tournament. The format was changed this year, and there were several teams who played in games up to 25 or 50 points. Ultimately, Team Barry went on to win it all as they defeated Team Isiah 25 to 20.
The star of the show was Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons. The rookie has averaged 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists per game. So, it’s no wonder the number one overall draft pick was named the most valuable player (MVP) of the Rising Stars Tournament. In the final game, he scored 18 points and dished out 9 assists. He enjoyed the experience and told media sources, “It was a lot of fun,” and he’s happy to “bring the trophy home, first All-Star weekend.”
The world seemed to have positive reactions to Cunningham’s performance. He received a congratulations from Jalen Rose, and Nike Basketball posted to Twitter that “Being the no. 1 pick comes with praise and pressure. Cade Cunningham doesn’t run from either.” His fans were vocal as they posted things such as “haters gonna hate,” and “I love that guy so much.”
This was a proud moment in Cade Cunningham’s career, and this is only the beginning. What will Cunningham’s game look like in the seasons to come? Only time will tell.