Cade Cunningham Emerges as Olympic Hopeful for Team USA

Pistons star guard proving he's one of the NBA's best two-way players

Mar. 1, 2026 at 7:31pm

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Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham is making a strong case to earn a spot on the 2028 U.S. Olympic basketball team with his standout play this season. Cunningham, 24, is averaging career-highs of 25.7 points, 9.6 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game, leading the Pistons to the Eastern Conference's best record at 44-13. Pistons coach JB Bickerstaff has praised Cunningham as a "superstar" who excels on both ends of the floor, comparing him to just a handful of other elite two-way players in the NBA.

Why it matters

Cunningham's emergence as an Olympic-caliber talent is significant for the Pistons, who have historically struggled to get their best players selected for the U.S. national team. Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, Dennis Rodman and Bill Laimbeer were all standout Pistons who were left off the iconic 1992 "Dream Team" roster. If Cunningham can earn a spot on the 2028 Olympic squad, he would become just the third Pistons player ever to represent Team USA, joining Jerami Grant and Tayshaun Prince.

The details

Cunningham has been dominant this season, ranking in the top 8 among NBA guards in points (25.7 per game), assists (9.6) and rebounds (5.6). He's also tied for 4th in steals (1.5) and 3rd among guards in blocks (0.9). Bickerstaff has called Cunningham a "superstar" and said it's hard to name 5 players who do more on both ends of the floor. Cunningham recently declared himself the "best American player" in an interview, and he backed that up by breaking out for 42 points, 13 assists and 8 rebounds in his first game back from the All-Star break.

  • Cunningham was selected to his second consecutive NBA All-Star game this year.
  • In a recent interview with GQ Magazine, Cunningham stated "I think I'm the best American Player" in reference to his desire to make the 2028 Olympic team.

The players

Cade Cunningham

A 24-year-old guard for the Detroit Pistons who is having a breakout season, averaging career-highs of 25.7 points, 9.6 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game.

JB Bickerstaff

The head coach of the Detroit Pistons, who has praised Cunningham as a "superstar" and one of the NBA's elite two-way players.

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What they’re saying

“He's a superstar and there's no doubt about it. It's hard for me to think of five guys in the league that do more on both ends than he does. He guards the other team's best perimeter player. Offensively, the ball is in his hands and his usage rate is through the roof.”

— JB Bickerstaff, Pistons Head Coach (Twitter)

“I think I am (MVP), and if you don't agree with me, that's your opinion.”

— Cade Cunningham (GQ Magazine)

What’s next

If Cunningham continues his strong play, he will likely earn serious consideration for a spot on the 2028 U.S. Olympic basketball team.

The takeaway

Cade Cunningham's breakout season has him firmly in the conversation as one of the NBA's elite two-way players, putting him on a trajectory to potentially represent Team USA at the 2028 Olympics - a feat that has eluded many of the Pistons' best players in the past.