Cade Cunningham is having arguably the best season of his career so far, as he's leading the Detroit Pistons to the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference through 57 games. He's playing so well, Shaquille O'Neal believes Cunningham deserves the MVP Award. Even over Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown.
During a segment on “ESPN Tip-Off,” Shaq believes the 24-year-old guard is one of the most “complete” players in the league right now. The former legendary center turned NBA analyst loves the way Cunningham plays and thinks he deserves the MVP trophy for helping turn the Pistons into a true contender once again.
“I watched [Cunningham] play the other day, and he has a complete game,” said Shaq. “He does everything right. Not mostly right, he does everything right all the time. The way he plays, his pace, how he's playing, and [the Pistons] got that look. Kenny, you know what I'm talking about. Like, ‘We're on a mission this year.'”
"[Cade] does everything right. Not mostly right, he does everything right all the time."@SHAQ discusses why he thinks Cade Cunningham should be MVP 👀
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— ESPN (@espn) February 27, 2026
The fifth-year veteran earned his second All-Star nod this season, as he's been one of the most efficient players in the league so far. Through 51 games played, Cade Cunningham is averaging 25.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 9.8 assists (career-high), and 1.5 steals (career-high) per contest while shooting 45.9% from the floor and 33.9% from beyond the three-point line.
Cunningham and the Pistons reached the playoffs last season but ultimately fell short after being bounced out by the New York Knicks in the first round. It was the first playoff appearance for the franchise since the 2018-19 season. This year, Detroit plays like they have something to prove, and Cade Cunningham's performances are playing a huge factor in their success.




















