2021 NBA Draft Scouting Report: PG Cade Cunningham

PSO’s original Scouting Reports strive to be uniquely valuable in evaluating a player’s future outlook by focusing on the four main subjects that summarize a player’s likelihood of succeeding at the next level including: Natural Athleticism, developed NBA-Caliber Skills, proven Production, and overall Risk that each individual player presents to a team drafting him. For a full breakdown of PSO’s Scouting Reports, click here.

BIO

Pos: PG

Hometown: Arlington, TX

School: Oklahoma State

Class: Freshman

DOB (Age): 9/25/01 (Age 19)

Height: 6’7″ | Weight: 220 lbs.

Wingspan: N/A | Vertical: N/A

INTERESTING FACTS

Winner of the 2020 Naismith High School POTY, MaxPreps HS POTY, and Mr. Basketball HS USA POTY
Cade’s brother, Cannen, played at SMU and is currently an assistant coach for Oklahoma State
Highest rated recruit to ever sign with Oklahoma State, was widely regarded as #1 prospect in the country

ATHLETICISM

Pros

Large frame and wingspan; allows him to guard any position on the court and switch on screens
Has no issues on defense and can match up against anyone on the floor; very switchable defender
Quick leaper; grabs lots of rebounds and starts the break instantaneously
Very strong in his upper body; finishes well through contact and scores on the offensive glass
Good dexterity has the ability to use both hands on offense with no dip in level of play

Cons

Feet are not the quickest, sometimes uses his body to make up for this which causes fouls
Not at the elite level of explosiveness seen in today’s NBA, size somewhat makes up for this
Sometimes his balance is a little off, but he makes up for it with improvisation

Grade: B+

NBA SKILLS

Pros

Runs the offense as either a primary scorer or facilitator depending on the game situation
Lets the game come to him, very good at making in-game adjustments, 2nd half is often better than the first
Can make all the necessary passes, incredibly advanced cross-court reads
Very good on the offensive glass and uses his size well against shorter/lighter guards
Solid shooter with good range and mechanics, not his go-to scoring method but still a threat
Conducts the break very well and is a threat to take it the length of the floor
Sturdy when defending the post, will not give up ground to front-court players and can guard on the perimeter
If needed, Cunningham will put the team on his back and take over a game in the clutch

Cons

Occasionally gets ahead of himself on reads, leading to turnovers
Decision-making as the ball-handler could improve in half-court sets at times

Grade: A

PRODUCTION

Pros

20.1 PPG; very balanced scoring attack with points coming from all 3 offensive areas
29.1 usage rate; very involved with the offensive scheme
84.6 FT% shows he will be getting to the line more as pace of play increases at next level
97.0 D-Rating; very good especially when tasked with guarding the opposing team’s best player
37.9 projected NBA 3P% is solid and should only increase with more reps from behind the arc
Scored 24+ points 5 times against ranked teams; plays well against the best competition
1.4 SPG and 0.9 BPG, both high for his wing defensive position; has the ability to fill up the stat sheet on both ends
Only 1 game all season with less than 10 points; extremely consistent

Cons

<1 AST/TO ratio; strange because he can make all of the passes, but tries to do too much at times
3.5 APG; very low for someone who should be running the offense

Grade: A

RISK

Pros

Has all the physical tools of a can’t miss prospect with the mindset of a veteran
Very high basketball IQ and great consistency when it comes to production
Was praised by coaches and teammates for leadership throughout the season despite being a 1-and-done
Willing to win ugly, dives for balls, takes charges; does all the little things right
First Freshman to win Big 12 player of the year since Marcus Smart in 2012-13
Very high floor defensive versatility and good work ethic is a great recipe for success
Experience against good competition, both in the Big 12 and at Montverde Academy
Still very young, will be 20 years old for his entire rookie year
Extremely poised who wants the ball in the big moments and often delivers in the clutch

Cons

TOs aren’t a big concern since he had to create a lot, but still a blemish on an otherwise flawless resume
Nonchalant body language/attitude might not lead to sparking a team or getting other guys going

Grade: A

OVERALL

If one were to create a modern NBA guard prototype, Cade Cunningham would not be that far off. The Oklahoma State freshman point guard is the best all-around player in this year’s class and will most likely be selected #1 overall on July 29th. Cade had a productive season for the Cowboys, with each of his 24+ point performances coming against ranked teams.

Despite the Cowboys making an early exit from the NCAA tournament, Cunningham left Stillwater with some very memorable moments, including a 40-point double-double against in-state rival Oklahoma during what was one of the most important games of his career to this point. As most expected, he entered the draft soon after the season ended.

There is not a lot one can dislike about Cunningham. He has a great feel for the game and lets the play develop in front of him to make the best possible move for his team. In addition, his patience is incredible, a trait most pro players do not possess until the latter part of their career. His defensive potential is very high, with the ability to guard both front and backcourt players. Whoever lands Cunningham will be getting a generational point guard with all the tools to be a perennial All-Star.

Pro Comp: Luka Doncic (DAL)

Projected Rd/Pick: Top-3

Prime Destinations: DET, HOU, TOR

OVERALL Grade: A