Overview
- Cunningham said on Boardroom that as the lottery narrowed to Detroit, Houston, and Cleveland, he told himself, "don’t let me go to Cleveland."
- He added that he was "so happy to go to Detroit," signaling he had hoped the Pistons would land the No. 1 pick.
- The guard said Houston felt too close to his Arlington, Texas, roots and "might get tricky," which made distance appealing.
- The interview arrives as Cunningham has an All-Star nod, a new Nike signature shoe, and has led Detroit to an 11–2 start to the season, per recent reports.
- In retrospect, the 2021 top three have largely fit their teams: Detroit took Cunningham at No. 1, Cleveland got Evan Mobley at No. 3 who became Defensive Player of the Year, and Houston’s No. 2 pick Jalen Green has since moved to Phoenix.