Carmelo Anthony Plans Workout with Pistons Star Cade Cunningham

The former Knicks star wants to mentor the rising Pistons guard.

Feb. 22, 2026 at 12:47pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham revealed that he has spoken with Hall-of-Famer Carmelo Anthony about potentially working out together. Anthony, who has joined NBC Sports as an analyst, has been a fan of Cunningham's growth and development over the past few years. The two have discussed meeting up in either Las Vegas or New York to work on Cunningham's game, though their schedules have not aligned yet. Anthony sees himself as a mentor for Cunningham and wants to provide insight to help the young star continue to improve.

Why it matters

Cunningham is having another standout season for the Pistons, leading the team to the best record in the Eastern Conference. Anthony's interest in working with Cunningham shows the respect the veteran has for the rising star, and could provide valuable guidance to help Cunningham take his game to the next level.

The details

Cunningham said he and Anthony have talked about setting up workouts in Las Vegas and New York, but their schedules have not aligned yet. Anthony, who now works as an analyst for NBC Sports, has been impressed with Cunningham's growth and development over the past few years. He sees himself as a mentor for Cunningham and wants to provide insight to help the young star continue to improve.

  • Cunningham and Anthony first discussed potential workouts back in September 2025.
  • Anthony recently spoke about Cunningham's rise during a media call for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game.

The players

Cade Cunningham

The star guard for the Detroit Pistons, who is having another standout season and leading the team to the best record in the Eastern Conference.

Carmelo Anthony

A former NBA star who has joined NBC Sports as an analyst. Anthony has been a fan of Cunningham's growth and development and wants to work with the young guard as a mentor.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Me and Melo, we had talked a couple times. We set up a couple workouts. One in Vegas and one in New York, but we just haven't been able to link up. Our schedules were mixed up… I'm just trying to find ways to be the best version of myself this season and having respect from legends like that means a lot of as far as confidence and everything. I just want to continue to grow and get better.”

— Cade Cunningham, Pistons Guard

“I love it. I've been a fan and have been watching Cade since high school. I've watched his growth, development, and maturity over the past four or five years. We've been in contact. He reached out to get in the gym and wanted to work on certain aspects of his game. I saw that as a sign of maturity, with him wanting to slow the game down and wanting to pick his spots. He wants to get to his spots where he can be aggressive and efficient and take advantage of the mismatches. We've been talking, watching film and talking film. I'm that mentor for him and providing insight.”

— Carmelo Anthony, NBC Sports Analyst

What’s next

The Pistons open up their post-All-Star break schedule with a two-game road trip against the New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls. Given Carmelo Anthony lives in New York and had previously scheduled a workout with Cunningham in the Big Apple, it'll be interesting to see if the two have an opportunity to get together before Thursday night's game against the Knicks.

The takeaway

Carmelo Anthony's interest in mentoring the rising star Cade Cunningham shows the respect the veteran has for the young player's talent and potential. Their planned workouts could provide valuable guidance to help Cunningham continue to improve and take his game to new heights as he leads the Pistons to success.