Jalen Duren praises Cade Cunningham's unselfish play ahead of Pistons' NBA Playoffs run

Duren credits Cunningham's team-first mentality as key to Pistons' breakout season

Apr. 17, 2026 at 10:06pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a Pistons basketball game or practice, with overlapping planes and shapes representing the players and action on the court.Cade Cunningham's unselfish leadership has fueled the Pistons' rise to the top of the Eastern Conference.Today in Detroit

Detroit Pistons big man Jalen Duren has heaped praise on teammate Cade Cunningham, crediting the star guard's unselfish play as a major factor in the team's dramatic turnaround this season. Duren highlighted how Cunningham has sacrificed his own scoring numbers to get his teammates more involved, leading the Pistons to a 60-win season and the top seed in the Eastern Conference ahead of the NBA Playoffs.

Why it matters

Cunningham's selfless approach has been instrumental in the Pistons' rapid rise from a 14-win team two seasons ago to an Eastern Conference powerhouse. His ability to elevate his teammates while still producing at an MVP level has been a key part of Detroit's success and will be crucial as they look to make a deep playoff run.

The details

In the 2024-25 season, Cunningham averaged 26.1 points per game while taking 20.8 field goal attempts. However, this season he has reduced his scoring to 23.9 points per game on 18.6 shots, while increasing his assists from 9.1 to 9.9 per contest. Duren praised Cunningham's team-first mentality, saying the star guard could easily be scoring 30 or 40 points per game but instead chooses to get his teammates involved and let others shine.

  • The Pistons are entering the 2026 NBA Playoffs as the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference.

The players

Cade Cunningham

The Detroit Pistons' star guard, who is an MVP candidate this season after leading the team to a 60-win campaign and the top seed in the Eastern Conference.

Jalen Duren

The Pistons' young big man, who has also emerged as a key contributor this season alongside Cunningham.

J.B. Bickerstaff

The head coach of the Detroit Pistons, who has guided the team's schematic and strategic approach during their breakout season.

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What they’re saying

“It's just a testament to the kind of guy he is. He's super unselfish. Obviously, we know he's an MVP candidate; he's a highly-touted player in this league. So he could be trying to go get 30 or 40 every night, and he's very capable of doing so. But he's a guy who gets everybody involved from top to bottom. He's a guy who shares the ball, gets off it early and lets other guys be successful. And that helps our team.”

— Jalen Duren, Pistons big man

What’s next

The Pistons will begin their NBA Playoffs run as the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference, with Cade Cunningham leading the charge as they aim to make a deep postseason push.

The takeaway

Cade Cunningham's selfless and team-first approach has been a driving force behind the Detroit Pistons' remarkable turnaround this season. By sacrificing his own scoring numbers to get his teammates more involved, Cunningham has elevated the entire roster and positioned the Pistons as a top contender heading into the NBA Playoffs.