#1: Cade Cunningham, Guard – Oklahoma State
The number one prospect on this list is none other than Oklahoma State’s Cade Cunningham. The previous two guys on this list could fight for the number two spot, but in my opinion, Cunningham is the clear number one right now. Cade is that special prospect that is the prize of the 2021 NBA Draft and I believe is on the level of a Doncic or Williamson in terms of a prospect coming out.
Cade comes in at 6-foot-7 and 215 pounds, and his terrific size and length with a wingspan that is “roughly half a foot longer” than his height, as The Stepien’s Cameron Purn hit on. Cade may not be a ridiculously athletic player like Jalen Green, but he’s still a good athlete.
What separates Cunningham though is his versatility, while his feel for the game, basketball IQ, leadership, vision/playmaking combination is rare and are very Luka-like. Those are just qualities that are gifted and aren’t something you can really teach.
Cunningham is also a player that get his own shot in a variety of ways, but his bread-and-butter is as a slasher, where he’s a good finisher through contact. Realistically, his jump shot needs work, but it is getting better, he can definitely improve on that in coming years.
Cunningham, who had 13.9 points, 6.4 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game for Montverde Academy, was also a finalist for the National Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year, but he was a runner-up to forward Emoni Bates of Lincoln, as was h/t the Detroit Free Press‘ Omari Sankofa II.
Defensively, Cade could be very solid. He has good size and he has outstanding length. He is very versatile and is able to guard multiple positions, particularly 1-3, too, as 247 Sports’ Evan Daniels emphasized.
Moreover, all of these prospects have number one overall-type talent and this class is absolutely loaded as well, but in my opinion, Cunningham has distanced himself from the other two and is the clear-cut number one pick at this point for the 2021 NBA Draft.
Cunningham looks like a can’t-miss prospect and is the franchise center piece that the Cavs need and are currently missing that would at least put them on the map.