NBA ALL-STAR MEDIA DAY

February 14, 2026

Cade Cunningham

Media Day Press Conference

Q. Cade, obviously you guys have risen to the top of the East this year. There's another competitive team in the mix. It feels like Jayson Tatum might return this year. How do you see that impact in the race at the battle at the top of the East?

CADE CUNNINGHAM: Yeah, I mean, obviously he's a Hall of Fame-type player, so he's going to definitely help them a lot.

But you know, we're just going to run our race. We like where we're at, and we're going to continue to try to finish our season strong.

Q. You got new shoes. What are those?

CADE CUNNINGHAM: They'll be coming soon. But these are the Street Toughs that will be coming out soon.

Q. There's a lot of talk about adding potential things to All-Star Weekend and things of that nature. Let's say one-on-one is one of those competitions. In your opinion, if not yourself, who do you think has a chance at winning the one-on-one competition? It's okay to say yourself as well.

CADE CUNNINGHAM: Well, then I'll pick myself if you give me the option (laughing).

To elaborate on that question, though, outside of me, I mean, KD doesn't have a problem scoring on anybody, so he has to be toward the top of that list.

I will say Ant is up there too. I would probably go them two.

Q. Only two years ago the Pistons had one of the worst records in the whole league, and now you're in first place after OKC. What was your mindset for such an amazing change?

CADE CUNNINGHAM: Yeah, just staying in the moment, continuing to work on my game. I knew who I wanted to be whenever I came into the NBA. So just staying consistent with that and continuing to work, continuing to block out all the noise and just grow and learn from all the mistakes and all the losses, and that allowed us all to grow.

Q. Cade --

CADE CUNNINGHAM: You're about to ask me Montverde or Chino Hills.

Q. 2020 Montverde or 2026 Chino Hills?

CADE CUNNINGHAM: Montverde every time.

Q. By how much?

CADE CUNNINGHAM: I mean, we were the greatest high school team ever, so...

Q. How many points would you have?

CADE CUNNINGHAM: I was moving the ball. I didn't really score too much. I probably averaged 14, 15 points on my high school team my senior year. So yeah, I probably have 14 or 15, my average.

Q. There's been so much talk about changing All-Star Weekend, making it more competitive for the players. As a young guy, do you like the U.S. versus international? Did you grow up wanting to play the East and West thing? How do you see the formats?

CADE CUNNINGHAM: Yeah, I grew up just wanting to be in the All-Star Game. So my only two years now it's been these different formats.

I would like to experience the East versus West. I want to be able to experience what all the greats played in and everything. But I'm just playing the cards I was dealt. I'm sure it will come back eventually.

Q. Speaking on that season-on-season improvement, who do you think are some of the unsung heroes of your teammates who have benefited or contributed to that improvement that maybe haven't gotten that recognition, like you and Jalen Duren?

CADE CUNNINGHAM: First name, Isaiah Stewart. He was the first one. He's the longest-tenured Piston so far right now. He's just been through the mud with the team. Never changed. Just continued to work. He's had so many different roles that he's had to play, but every year he just works his tail off and then he finds a way to contribute.

Isaiah Stewart is by far the first name to come to mind.

Q. I know obviously as players, the pinnacle of the success is obviously a championship. But aside from that, at this point in your career what would you say is your holy grail, something that you're constantly chasing for?

CADE CUNNINGHAM: My holy grail? Like a career achievement you're saying?

Q. (Off microphone).

CADE CUNNINGHAM: Through my whole life what's my holy grail, like coolest moment? My daughter. Yeah, my daughter being born. Got to be.

Q. In the media we spend a lot of time talking about things that we don't like with the game and different things like that right now. I'm curious from your perspective as a player, what do you think the biggest issue that the league is facing on the court and then is it fixable and how would you fix it?

CADE CUNNINGHAM: I mean, there's, like, little things I think you could change, whatever. But I mean, I think we have the most beautiful game there is, honestly.

Yeah, we could change things to make a certain crowd happy, but if you keep it, you keep a crowd happy. I think it's just about keeping the game as pure as possible and allowing fans to see the best players go out there and compete every night.

So it's not too much I would change. Maybe we shorten the time -- there's a time limit on challenges or something and keep the game going. Whatever, I don't know.

I love the game. I think it's a beautiful game.

Q. You spoke on Isaiah Stewart earlier. I think he's the ultimate teammate, a guy that I would respect between the lines with me. So with all that being said, would you ever be the guy to pay those fines for Isaiah Stewart?

CADE CUNNINGHAM: No, I would, though. I would. That's my brother, man. Like you said, he's just the ultimate competitor. He's somebody that's going to have your back like nobody else.

I mean, it's costly. It's costly. But he's the man. I wouldn't trade him for the world. He's the best teammate you could ask for. So yeah, I'd help him out a little bit.

I mean, it's not even helping him out. He has the money for it, but it's just paying for that love and that loyalty that he brings every day. So I feel that. I'm going to holler at him about that, yeah.

Q. The Detroit Pistons have always been a franchise of toughness. You are back at the top of the East. What have you personally done to bring the Detroit Pistons' franchise reputation back to what it used to be?

CADE CUNNINGHAM: Just work. Go to work every day. Try to get better. Try to find ways to help us win. It's been hard. It's been a long journey so far, but just going to work every day, finding ways to connect with my teammates, connect with the city the best I can, and bring wins to the city.

That's what the city respects and loves is people that go out there and compete every day. There was times they didn't like how we played. We figured it out, and now we have something going, something building. Just have to keep going now.