Cade Cunningham is a young basketball player who’s in the process of blossoming into a star. He plays point guard for the Detroit Pistons after being selected first overall in the 2021 NBA Draft. After two full seasons in the NBA, Cunningham has a net worth of $5 million, although that number figures to grow, as Cunningham looks like he has a long and successful career ahead of him.
Cunningham’s Journey to the NBA
Cunningham was born September 25, 2001, in Arlington, Texas. His father played college football at Texas Tech, so Cunningham played football growing up. In fact, Cunningham credits playing quarterback during his youth for helping him develop skills as a point guard. After watching his older brother play college basketball at SMU, Cunningham was inspired to work hard and achieve similar success.
As a freshman in high school, Cunningham joined the varsity team at Bowie High School in Arlington and immediately became a star, averaging 15.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, and three assists per game. After a successful sophomore season of high school, Cunningham transferred to Montverde Academy in Florida, joining a top-flight high school basketball program. By the start of his senior season, Cunningham was considered one of the best high school players in the country. He averaged 13.9 points, 6.4 assists, and 4.2 rebounds per game as a senior despite only playing 22 minutes per game while leading Montverde to a 25-0 record.
Following his senior season, Cunningham received several honors, including Mr. Basketball USA and Naismith Prep Player of the Year. He was also named a McDonald’s All-American and considered one of the top recruits in the country.
Cunningham’s College Career
As a five-star recruit, Cunningham had a chance to attend one of the flagship programs in college basketball, including Duke, North Carolina, and Kentucky. However, he chose to attend Oklahoma State, where his brother Cannen worked as an assistant coach. During his only season in college, Cunningham averaged 20.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game. He helped the Cowboys go 21-9, reaching the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. While only a freshman, Cunningham was named Big12 Player of the Year and was a Consensus First-Team All-American.
Cunningham Becoming an NBA Star
After a sensational freshman year at Oklahoma State, there was little doubt that Cunningham would be the top pick in the NBA Draft. As expected, the Pistons made Cunningham the first overall in the 2021 NBA Draft. Unfortunately, an ankle injury sidelined Cunningham during the preseason and for several games early in the regular season. But once he got healthy, Cunningham hit the ground running. During a game on November 15, he became the youngest player in NBA history to record 25 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, and five three-pointers.
Despite the Pistons finishing his rookie season with a 23-59 record, Cunningham had a successful campaign. He started all 64 games that he played, averaging 17.4 points, 5.6 assists, and 5.5 rebounds per game. At the end of the season, Cunningham was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team and was a serious contender for Rookie of the Year at all of the top Michigan betting sites. However, he finished third in Rookie of the Year voting behind Scottie Barnes and Evan Mobley.
Unfortunately, an injury prevented Cunningham from building on his promising rookie season. His second pro season got off to such a promising start. Early in the season, Cunningham recorded a new career-high with 35 points. He went on to average 19.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, and six assists per game during the first 12 games of the season. However, Cunningham suffered a stress fracture in his shin that required season-ending surgery, keeping him sidelined until the start of the 2023-24 NBA season.
Cunningham’s Wealth
As of 2023, Cunningham has an estimated net worth of $5 million. His rookie contract with the Pistons was worth $45.6 million over four years. He made $10 million during his rookie season and $10.5 million during his second season in the NBA. If he’s able to stay healthy, Cunningham will likely sign a long-term extension with the Pistons or a lucrative free-agent contract that will significantly increase his net worth in the years to come.
Cunningham’s Personal Life
Cunningham has been in a relationship with his girlfriend Nikia Withers since 2021. Withers is about five years older than Cunningham and is the half-sister of NFL tight end Marcedes Lewis. In college, she was a volleyball player at USC and also has also spent time coaching high school volleyball. Withers has previously had relationships with multiple NBA players, including D’Angelo Russell and Klay Thompson. Cunningham also has a daughter named Riley from a previous relationship. Riley was born in 2018 while Cunningham was attending Montverde Academy.
