"He's not ready" - NBA fans pump the brakes on Cade Cunningham's name in MVP conversation despite 24.5 PPG breakout season

There was a lot of hype surrounding Cade Cunningham prior to the 2021 NBA draft. It is tough to find a 6-foot-8 guard with gifted scoring abilities. It is even tougher to find one that is able to control the pace of a game, has exceptional vision, and is mature beyond his year. Now in his fourth year in the NBA, Cunningham is showing how special he really is, and reminding fans why he was many experts clear No. 1 pick in the draft.

The Detroit Pistons star is off to a flying start this season. Cunningham is currently posting career highs in points, rebounds, assists, blocks, field goal percentage and 3-point percentage. The Texas native ranks 15th in the NBA in points per game with 24.5 and third in assists per game with 9.3. Add to that the 6.5 rebounds he is contributing per outing, and Cunningham is proving to be the complete player.

After his exceptional start, ESPN's Marc Spears went so far as to say Cade Cunningham should be in the MVP conversation.

"Can we start talking about this kid for like MVP considerations?" Spears asked.

However, some fans are not convinced that the Pistons guard deserves to be among the NBA's elite. Fans on X were quick to pump the breaks when it came to Cunningham's MVP chances.

"He’s not ready for that rn," said a fan.

"Def not MVP yet Jokic and SGA clear still," commented a fan.

"Nah we good," said a fan.

"Love Cade but let's be serious lmao," said one fan.

"I like this kid, bur they’re 21-20! The 7th seed! If we're putting this kid in MVP convos than the award has lost all its integrity," commented a fan.

"There's a lot of people above Cade on the MVP ladder," said a fan.

Cade Cunningham has shown flashes of brilliance, but it is important to note that his team sits in seventh position in the Eastern Conference standings.

Many analysts see Oklahoma City guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the early favorite for the MVP award, followed by Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic. Milwaukee Bucks center/forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum should also be in consideration for the prestigious award.

Cade Cunningham currently ranks third in the league in assists per game

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham looks on against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Photo Credit: Imagn

Cade Cunningham's vision, basketball IQ and his ability to make his teammates better make him a dangerous figure on the court. His exceptional distribution has been vital for a Detroit Pistons team that already has more wins at the halfway stage of the season than they recorded throughout the 2024-25 campaign.

Cunningham currently ranks third in the NBA with 9.3 apg, behind only Trae Young and Nikola Jokic. He ranks fourth in the league in total assists with 364 over 39 games.

Against the New York Knicks on Dec. 7, Cade Cunningham had arguably his best game of the season, finishing with a triple double. He recorded an incredible 15 assists on the night, and contributed 29 points and 10 rebounds to guide his team to a 120-111 win over the Knicks.

The 23-year-old point guard has had 10 or more assists 18 times this season, recording a season-high 18 assists against the Miami Heat on Dec. 16.