New on Sports Illustrated: Pistons Select Cade Cunningham With No. 1 Pick in NBA Draft

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Oklahoma State's Cade Cunningham is the first player off the board during Thursday's NBA draft.

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The Pistons selected Oklahoma State point guard Cade Cunningham with the No. 1 pick in the 2021 draft on Thursday night. 

Cunningham is Detroit's first No. 1 pick since selecting Hall-of-Fame center Bob Lanier in 1970. The Pistons have drafted in the top 10 seven  times since 2010, most recently selecting French point guard Killian Hayes with the No. 7 pick in the 2021 draft.

Cunningham, 19, was a consensus All-American as a freshman at Oklahoma State. He averaged 20.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game, shooting 43.8 percent from the field and 40 percent from three. The Cowboys advanced to the Big 12 tournament final, but lost in the second round of the NCAA tournament against Oregon State. Cunningham scored 24 points on 6-for-20 shooting from the field vs. the Beavers.

The Pistons finished last in the Eastern Conference last season at 20–52. They reached the postseason in 2019 and 2016, but Detroit has not won a playoff series since 2008. 

More NBA Coverage:

• 2021 NBA Draft Tracker
• NBA Draft Big Board: Final Top 80 Rankings
• NBA Free Agency Rankings

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