NBA Draft Thursday, July 29, 2021 Brooklyn, New York, USA Cade Cunningham

mentality that the team has. has always been about grit and working for everything that they have. Q. Just start by talking about what you'll bring to the Pistons. You look back on the Bad Boys teams, that's what made those teams great. I want to try to bring that mentality to CADE CUNNINGHAM: What's going on, everybody? I'm the team. I know that they already have young guys that so excited just to have this hat on right now. Still pretty have that mentality, and I feel like me just adding on will surreal to me. But I know how much responsibility comes only take us to the next step. with being the No. 1 pick. I know how much responsibility a city will put on the guy that they take No. 1. But I'm more Q. I'm going to throw you a little bit of a curveball. than excited to take on those tasks and try to deliver to the city of Detroit. CADE CUNNINGHAM: Let's see. I'm just happy to be here, thankful for the opportunity and Q. Somewhere down the road, a year, two years, 10 ready to get started. years this is going to be remembered that got traded to the Lakers or the night Cade Q. Obviously you came here tonight knowing you'd be Cunningham got drafted by the Pistons. Which is it the top pick. Can you explain what it's like to hear going to be and why? your name called No. 1 overall by the Commissioner and I'm sure a lifelong dream? CADE CUNNINGHAM: I think it will be Cade Cunningham's night, that he got drafted by the Pistons, CADE CUNNINGHAM: Yeah, it's crazy because I've been because when people look back, that will be the start of trying to wrap my head around it for a while, just the fact of whenever the Pistons restored their franchise and brought getting drafted. But like you said, once you hear that greatness back to the city. That's my whole goal stepping name, it's like all the plans that you made beforehand, all into Detroit, to restore that city. They've already had that is out the window. All those emotions hit you again. championship teams. They've already witnessed greatness. I want to be able to bring that back to the city. It was surreal for me. I'm glad I had my family all there for it. I've got all my family up in the stands. To be able to Q. What's the most important thing your father and experience that with all of them, I'm happy. your older brother taught you that you will take into the league with you? Q. Just with the young core that the Pistons have built, last year especially in the draft, what do you CADE CUNNINGHAM: My pops, I mean, he is the hardest think you bring to that mix, and what's your worker I've ever met in my life. He's wired to work -- to expectation for this year? wake up at 3:45 every morning, no matter if it's a holiday, no matter what's going on, he's ready to get up and work. CADE CUNNINGHAM: Last year Detroit had a great draft That's a fact. I've never seen him oversleep. I've never I feel like. Getting two All-Rookie (players) is huge. It's a seen him complain about working. So to have that as the great young core that they already have, along with Killian head of your household, I mean, you can only take from Hayes, who coming off of injury, he's going to have a big that and learn from it and apply it to your life. year this year. I know how much hard work can bring you, and to be in I'm excited to be able to join that young core and grow this position now is a testament to that. together with them. I think that's the biggest thing. I want to hop right in and contribute to the mentality that they go My brother has pushed me crazy, just like my pops. He into games with. They want to defend, they want to play wants greatness out of me. He's pushed me to be great hard and that's what I want to come in and provide for since I was a kid. He's never taken it easy on me. He's them, as well. I don't want to take a step back from the

110860-2-1015 2021-07-30 00:59:00 GMT Page 1 of 2 always kept it real with me. That's why those two guys are stepping into a situation where you have a lot of guys the biggest influences in my life, because they've always your age obviously with the same goal and in the same kept it real with me and they've always been there to situation as you? support me. CADE CUNNINGHAM: Yeah, it definitely adds a lot of Q. Arlington Texas, Bowie High School. Can you talk energy to it. But I think more than anything it makes about what it means to come out of Arlington, and who everybody know that we're going to have to work a lot are you most excited to face in the NBA? harder, being young guys in the NBA. No vet is going to want to lose to a young team like Detroit Pistons. CADE CUNNINGHAM: I mean, coming out of Arlington, I'm very prideful about my city. I love my city to the end of I know me, I know the team, I know we're ready for that me. I'm born and raised there. I've learned so much there. challenge. I know we're ready to step into any game and All my friends grew up there. I've had ups, downs, show people that we're really trying to restore the Pistons everything in Arlington, Texas. That's a place I'll always and bring that greatness back to Detroit. call home and will always be grateful for. Q. What were your impressions of and You know, in the NBA I want to carry that same Arlington when you first met them? You mentioned swag and step in with the same mentality that somebody restore. That's something Troy tells us all the time. from the DFW has. What did you take away from those talks?

I feel like stepping onto the court with the greats that I've CADE CUNNINGHAM: More than anything, they're locked watched for a long time, the LeBrons, Giannis -- I mean, in and they're stuck on restoring them. I heard that so Giannis is great right now, but the LeBrons, the Kawhis, many times throughout my visit in Detroit, and it stuck with the guys that have been in the league for a while that have me just because it makes sense. been killing, I'm excited to be able to step on the court and see them in person and learn from them and take as much Seeing the two guys that are leading that organization as as I can from them. far as the and having that type of motivation to bring the team back, I mean, I know And then the Giannises and the young guys, Lukas, Ja it's their job. I know that technically they're supposed to Morants, all those guys in the league right now giving the feel that way. But to really feel the genuine feel that I had NBA a spark and the young core, I'm excited to try to add from them, it meant a lot to me and it gave me a different onto that and be the next guy that's coming in and making confidence going in because I know I'm going to be in a a real impact. good situation.

Q. What's your quintessential Detroit Pistons memory Q. You mentioned playing with . How do from growing up in Austin and in Oklahoma? you think Dwane Casey will use both of you in facilitation roles? CADE CUNNINGHAM: Well, my brother played for at SMU. I've heard plenty of stories about the Bad CADE CUNNINGHAM: I think me stepping in will help Boys teams and things like that. I was young for those Killian a lot and I think Killian will help me a whole lot. I feel teams. But I've talked to LB. I've heard stories from my like we'll take a lot of pressure off each other. Both of us brother about those teams and things like that. are capable of being primary ball handlers and both of us are capable of playing off the ball and making things So yeah, I was already kind of hip to what they had going happen off the ball. on. But I'll just say being able to finally meet Larry Brown, somebody that won an NBA championship for the I feel like it will be a good mix. I feel like it will bring a lot of organization and to be in his presence for three years for versatility to our backcourt. We're both big, we're both my brother's college career, the last three years, to be in strong and we're both playing under control. I feel like it his presence and learn as much as I learned from him was will be a different look from a backcourt, and I think we'll be a blessing. successful.

Q. You see that this is obviously a very young team. FastScripts by ASAP Sports They had a lot of rookies last year and some other young guys and you kind of fit right in with that. Does that kind of add to the energy knowing that you're

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