Cade Cunningham on 2021 NBA Lottery: ‘Don’t let me go to Cleveland’
Cade Cunningham’s recent admission about the 2021 NBA Draft Lottery has added a spicy layer of honesty to an already memorable draft class.
In a candid reflection, Cunningham revealed that as the lottery unfolded, one thought ran through his mind: “Don’t let me go to Cleveland.” At the time, the Cavaliers were one of several rebuilding franchises near the top of the board, alongside the Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, and others jockeying for position to land the Oklahoma State star.
Cunningham ultimately landed in Detroit as the No. 1 overall pick, while Cleveland selected Evan Mobley at No. 3. In hindsight, his comment is more about fit and perception than disrespect. In 2021, the Cavaliers were still emerging from the post-LeBron era, cycling through coaches and searching for an identity. Young guards Collin Sexton and Darius Garland were already in place, and the roster construction raised questions about how a ball-dominant playmaker like Cunningham would fit.
Detroit, meanwhile, offered a blank canvas. The Pistons were clearly building around a lead creator and face-of-the-franchise type. Cunningham could walk in as the primary decision-maker, with full organizational backing to grow through mistakes, command the offense, and shape the culture.
Ironically, Cleveland has since become one of the East’s most stable young cores, with Garland, Mobley, and Donovan Mitchell leading multiple playoff runs. Detroit, despite Cunningham’s growth into a high-level initiator and budding star, has struggled to translate potential into wins, cycling through coaches and lineups amid extended losing streaks.
Cunningham’s “don’t send me to Cleveland” line underscores a broader truth about the draft: prospects aren’t just evaluating cities, they’re evaluating situations—rosters, roles, and developmental environments. His preference at the time reflected where he believed he could best flourish as a franchise cornerstone.
Three years later, both sides might feel validated. Cleveland found its defensive anchor in Mobley, and Cunningham got the keys in Detroit. The quote simply offers a rare, unfiltered glimpse into how top prospects view their futures on one of the NBA’s most consequential nights.
In a candid reflection, Cunningham revealed that as the lottery unfolded, one thought ran through his mind: “Don’t let me go to Cleveland.” At the time, the Cavaliers were one of several rebuilding franchises near the top of the board, alongside the Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, and others jockeying for position to land the Oklahoma State star.
Cunningham ultimately landed in Detroit as the No. 1 overall pick, while Cleveland selected Evan Mobley at No. 3. In hindsight, his comment is more about fit and perception than disrespect. In 2021, the Cavaliers were still emerging from the post-LeBron era, cycling through coaches and searching for an identity. Young guards Collin Sexton and Darius Garland were already in place, and the roster construction raised questions about how a ball-dominant playmaker like Cunningham would fit.
Detroit, meanwhile, offered a blank canvas. The Pistons were clearly building around a lead creator and face-of-the-franchise type. Cunningham could walk in as the primary decision-maker, with full organizational backing to grow through mistakes, command the offense, and shape the culture.
Ironically, Cleveland has since become one of the East’s most stable young cores, with Garland, Mobley, and Donovan Mitchell leading multiple playoff runs. Detroit, despite Cunningham’s growth into a high-level initiator and budding star, has struggled to translate potential into wins, cycling through coaches and lineups amid extended losing streaks.
Cunningham’s “don’t send me to Cleveland” line underscores a broader truth about the draft: prospects aren’t just evaluating cities, they’re evaluating situations—rosters, roles, and developmental environments. His preference at the time reflected where he believed he could best flourish as a franchise cornerstone.
Three years later, both sides might feel validated. Cleveland found its defensive anchor in Mobley, and Cunningham got the keys in Detroit. The quote simply offers a rare, unfiltered glimpse into how top prospects view their futures on one of the NBA’s most consequential nights.
