Unlike other top rookies of years past, Cade Cunningham didn't enter the NBA with a big splash. Early this season, most of the attention was focused on the Toronto Raptors' Scottie Barnes and Cleveland Cavaliers' Evan Mobley. But while the Detroit Pistons' number one pick has flown below the radar for a significant period, he's now gaining some momentum that can push him to the forefront of the rookie race. As that's happening, his rookie cards are also getting more attention.
Even with the Pistons languishing at the bottom, there are a lot of promising options to be found in this team, foremost of which is Cunningham. We take a look below at his rookie cards in the market, how his big game against the Atlanta Hawks has drawn attention to them, and the outlook on his stock for the foreseeable future.
Cade Cunningham's great game against the Trae Young-led Hawks
As mentioned earlier, the rookie race this year has seen the likes of Barnes and Mobley leading at some point this season. Compared to the Raptors and Cavs, the Pistons are stuck at the bottom with an 18-47 record with no chance of competing for a playoff spot anytime soon. Even if that's the case, Cunningham is still in the fight to win the Rookie of the Year award, despite a slow start to his first year in the league.
In his first 41 games in the NBA, the number one pick from the 2021 Draft averaged 15.8 points on 39% shooting from the field, 32% from beyond the arc, and 86% from the free throw line. The 6'6″ guard also contributed 5.5 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.3 steals during those contests.
While those numbers are good, they aren't really the kind of dominance card collectors were looking for in Cunningham. Even if that's the case early in the season, the rookie would go on to explode in a match against the Denver Nuggets earlier this year.
In that game, Cunningham connected 14 of his 26 shots from the field, including 67% from the three-point line, to post 34 points against the Nikola Jokic-led squad. Although the Pistons lost 110-105, he also showcased his all-around game by contributing 8 rebounds, 8 assists, 4 blocks, and 2 steals.
For the most part, Cunningham's numbers weren't enough to lift Detroit up in the standings during those 41 games. The same can't be said for the Pistons' last 10 games where they won six of them. During that stretch, Cunningham would go on to average 19.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 5 assists in 32.2 minutes per game.
The best game Cunningham had during that period was his recent match against Trae Young and the Hawks. In 43 minutes on the floor, the rookie posted 28 points, 10 assists, 6 rebounds, a block, and a steal. In comparison, Atlanta's All-Star point guard just posted 14 points on 25% shooting from the field, 28% from the three-point line, and 50% from the foul line. Young also added 12 assists and 4 rebounds as the Hawks lost to Detroit.
In that match, Cunningham was fearless in attacking the basket. Even with Clint Capela and De'Andre Hunter on him, the Pistons' rookie managed to cut to the rim on numerous occasions. With that kind of fearlessness developing inside him, it's only a matter of time before he fully ascends as the Pistons' true number one option on the court.
Thanks to that high-profile win against Young, an All-Star force to be reckoned with on the offensive end, more eyes are on Cade as the regular season approaches its end. With more of these games under his belt, it isn't hard to imagine Cunningham running away with the Rookie of the Year award in the coming months.
Notable Cade Cunningham rookie cards
As it stands, it's hard to determine Cunningham's true value in the card market. This is due mainly to the lack of his rookie cards out there since Panini hasn't released their top-tier chrome card products for this season yet, like Prizm, Select, and Optic.
Nevertheless, one can see the building momentum of Cade Cunningham rookie cards just by taking a look at his notable offerings in the hobby. Most of these are sourced from Panini's available basketball card products – NBA Hoops and Donruss.
Speaking of NBA Hoops, a Cade Cunningham Base Artist Proof numbered 14/25 and encased within a BGS9 slab recently sold for $2,000. While the value is great for its grade, it can still go higher, especially if it's inside a gem-mint 10 slab. Other notable Cunningham cards from this set include the Teal Explosion parallels, which is widely available in retail products, and the 75th anniversary variants, which are getting a lot of demand in the market.
Another set collectors can find great Cade Cunningham rookie cards in is Panini's Donruss brand. Those fortunate enough to pull a Next Day Autograph of the rookie will be happy to know that it's currently worth $1,950 in the market. With Cunningham's high ceiling and his future as the Pistons' number one option in the coming seasons, it's not hard to think that this NDA card can go higher than what it's worth at this point in time.
The verdict on Cade Cunningham rookie cards
Most collectors gravitate towards rookies playing for teams with a good record in the league. In this way, these young stars get to showcase their talent and help their squad become contenders. Sadly, that isn't the case for the Detroit Pistons this year.
Nevertheless, Cade shouldn't be tied down to his struggling team when it comes to rookie cards. Keep in mind that Ja Morant's first year in the league had him playing for the Memphis Grizzlies that didn't make the postseason while putting up numbers that are somehow similar to Cunningham's.
If Cade and the Pistons embark on the same journey Morant and the Grizzlies had, there isn't any reason for the rookie's stock to rise up in the coming years. Of course, it remains to be seen the exact value Cade has in the market once Panini releases his chrome-based cards this year. In any case, there's no doubt that after Cunningham is an absolute buy in the market after his great game against the Hawks.
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