Detroit Pistons‘ own Cade Cunningham could win an award for what he’s done in the 2024-25 NBA season. Cunningham is among the finalists to win the Most Improved Player award, together with Dyson Daniels of the Atlanta Hawks and Ivica Zubac of the Los Angeles Clippers. However, having him on the list has not been well-received, and a former winner of the award has addressed the situation.
On Sunday, after TNT’s “Inside the NBA” revealed the finalists for the NBA Awards, former player Jalen Rose talked about the MIP matter.
“As somebody that’s won the Most Improved Player [award], Cade Cunningham does not fall into this category,” Rose said. “He falls into the category of taking the leap. Like SGA did, like Anthony Edwards did. That’s what category he falls into.”
Jalen Rose on Cade being a finalist for MIP:
"He does not fall into this category. He falls into the category of taking the leap" pic.twitter.com/EB0RvPFX3A
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) April 20, 2025
Rose knows a thing about winning the MIP award. In the 1999-00 season, he improved his production by averaging 18.2 points. The season before, he put up 11.1 points and played 48 of his 49 appearances as the sixth man for the Indiana Pacers. He finished third in the Sixth Man of the Year voting during the 1998-99 season.
Rose believes there’s already an expectation among critics and fans for the Detroit Pistons guard to emerge as a star, since he was the top pick in 2021. The other finalists, however, didn’t have the same projection as his. Daniels was an eighth pick in 2022 and went from scoring 5.8 points to 14.1 points. Zubac, on the other hand, was a second-round pick in 2016 and averaged a career-high 16.8 points and 12.6 rebounds.
Rose believes Zubac is the rightful player to win the award.
All-Star point guard for the Detroit Pistons reflects on his playoff debut
On Saturday, the Detroit Pistons suffered a 123-112 loss against the New York Knicks. The game was physical and the Knicks focused on stopping Cunningham from taking over the game. The one-time All-Star finished with 21 points, six rebounds and 12 assists on 38.1 percent shooting from the field.
After the game, he talked to the media and gave feedback on his playoff debut.
“It was pretty much what I expected,” Cunningham said. “It was fun. It was a lot of fun being out there. I enjoyed it a lot. Was loud in there, it was rocking. Those are the best games to play in. So we’re excited, we’re excited to for this series to keep going. I am ready for Game 2.”
“It was fun…I am ready for Game 2.”
Cunningham speaks on his first playoff experience. #Pistons pic.twitter.com/O7g2uSX8SI
— Coty M. Davis (@CotyDavis_24) April 20, 2025
Game 2 will still be in Madison Square Garden on Monday.
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Reign also writes NBA and WNBA news updates on Sportskeeda. He started as a feature writer for AirAlamo, an NBA website that covers the San Antonio Spurs. Some of his work can also be seen on Valley of the Suns, a Phoenix Suns-centric website, where he served as a contributing writer.
