Report: Pistons Signing Former Cowboy Cade Cunningham to Max Rookie Extension

Cade is getting paid.

Shams Charania of The Athletic reported Sunday that the Detroits Pistons are planning to sign former Oklahoma State point guard Cade Cunningham to a maximum rookie contract extension. The contract will reportedly be for five years and $226 million.

Cunningham was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft after one season in Stillwater. Landing Cunningham, the top recruit in the 2020 class out of Bowie High School in Arlington, was the highlight of Mike Boynton’s seven-year tenure at OSU. Cunningham was the highest-ranked commit in program history and the first five-star recruit to choose the Cowboys since Marcus Smart in 2012.

The Cowboys went 21-9 and made the NCAA Tournament in their lone season with Cunningham at the point. Cunningham averaged 20.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.6 steals a game as a freshman. After the season, he was named a consensus first-team All-American. He then declared for the NBA as most analysts predicted Cunningham to be the top pick.

Since turning pro, Cunningham has averaged 20 points, five rebounds and 6.5 assists a game in his career. He has played only two full seasons after missing most of his second year because of a stress fracture in his left shin. This past season, Cunningham returned to action and scored 30 points in his first game back. He averaged 22.7 points and 7.5 assists in his third season.