Cade Cunningham is poised to take over the reins of the franchise that will draft him on July 29th. But that wouldn't have been a future scenario if not for Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki.
Nowitzki and Cunningham aren't tight. They're probably not acquaintances either. However, the Mavs icon served as Cunningham's basketball hero while the latter was growing up in Arlington, Texas.
Via James Edwards III of The Athletic:
“Coming from Dallas, he's the biggest thing we had in basketball.”
Dirk Nowitzki belongs to a revered group of players whom everybody loves. He bled Mavs blue throughout his 21-year career—a feat that is unmatched in NBA history. Dirk even went as far as giving Dallas a home team discount so the franchise could enjoy better cap flexibility. He also turned down more lucrative offers from others.
Such values from a player whom Cade Cunningham looks up to should excite the Detroit Pistons, his likely destination unless a blockbuster trade comes out of the blue. In spite of the rumors suggesting the Houston Rockets are bent on trading for him, it will take a godfather offer if they are to pry away the top overall pick from Detroit.
The do-it-all playmaker out of Oklahoma State is one of the best prospects to enter the NBA in recent memory. He's a can't-miss talent who's able to turn a franchise's fate around.
Cade Cunningham already possesses traits that make him an absolute team player and leader. Add an unbreakable loyalty, akin to Nowitzki's, to the mix and he'll be every organization's dream cornerstone.
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