Cade Cunningham injury: What happened to Pistons star? Latest update after exiting game vs Hornets (Nov. 21)
The Detroit Pistons faced a setback when star guard Cade Cunningham exited their game against the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday due to a hip injury. The Hornets eventually pulled away in overtime to secure a 123-101 win after the Pistons rallied from a 20-point deficit.
Cunningham was ruled out of overtime after leaving the court with one second left in the fourth quarter due to a bad fall. His leadership was key to the Pistons’ fourth-quarter surge, where they outscored Charlotte 30-16, with Cunningham contributing four points and four assists during the rally.
The team confirmed Cunningham suffered a hip injury but offered no further details. Pistons coach JB Bickerstaff also had no updates following the game.
Cade Cunningham finished with a team-high 27 points but struggled with efficiency, shooting 9-of-26, including 4-of-12 from beyond the arc. He also added 10 assists and seven rebounds.
Injuries have plagued Cunningham since he was drafted No. 1 in 2021. While knee issues have been the primary reason for his missed games, he previously dealt with a hip injury in 2022.
JB Bickerstaff on Cade Cunningham: ‘He’s the guy’
Cade Cunningham has been Detroit’s best player since entering the league. Despite the Pistons remaining a lottery team throughout his tenure, he has consistently shown star potential.
This season, Cunningham is posting career-high averages with 23.3 points, 8.8 assists and 7.3 rebounds per game. Earlier this month, following a victory against the Atlanta Hawks where Cunningham recorded his third consecutive triple-double, Pistons coach JB Bickerstaff shared high praise for the young guard.
“I don’t say this lightly by any means, but being around him and spending time with him, he’s the guy. He has the ability to be an elite guy on a basketball team because of all of the things he’s capable of doing,” Bickerstaff said.
“He can manipulate the game, he can score, he can rebound, and he makes his teammates better. Cade has proven he can defend at a high level and make clutch plays down the stretch. He’s still going to improve but I think he has the potential to be a superstar.”
The Pistons hold a 7-10 record, placing them seventh in the Eastern Conference.