"I’m going to go with me" - $13,940,809 young star snubs Victor Wembanyama to bet on himself as the best player in the NBA in five years

To say that the Detroit Pistons have been through a lot lately might be a bit of an understatement. However, it seems like they're finally reaping what they sowed. J.B. Bickerstaff has instilled a strong defensive identity, and the team is finally trending toward playoff contention.

Needless to say, a lot of that has to do with their rising star, Cade Cunningham, who has a cap hit of $13,940,809 for the 2024-25 season (per Spotrac). The former No. 1 pick just got his first All-Star nod, but he's far from satisfied. If anything, he believes he's going to be the face of the league.

That was evident in a survey conducted by The Athletic. While other players, such as Anthony Edwards or Evan Mobley chose Victor Wembanyama as the best player in the NBA five years from now, the Pistons star chose himself over everybody else:

“That’s what they got Wemby for,” Edwards said.

“Maybe me or Victor. One of those guys,” Mobley added.

“I’m going to go with me,” Cunningham said.

As bold a take as that might be, there's no reason to believe that can't be the case. He's a do-it-all guard who fills up the stat sheet on a nightly basis, and he's currently averaging 25.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, 9.4 assists, and 2.2 three-pointers per game on 45.5% from the floor.

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Cade Cunningham is embracing the Pistons' culture

The Oklahoma State star missed most of his second year in the league with an injury, and he's had to endure plenty of losing in Detroit. Nevertheless, he's more than happy to be a Piston. In a sitdown with The Athletic on Monday, he credited the fan base for embracing him, and he now wants to pay them back with his play on the court:

“It feels great to play for the Pistons. Obviously, we have a super passionate fan base,” Cunningham said. “That definitely plays into the commitment to the organization and city, the amount of love they give back to you. All of it plays a huge role in why I’m so passionate about the Pistons, the city and the organization. It’s fun and I’m glad I get to represent them.”

The Pistons set a record for the most consecutive losses (28) in an NBA season last year. Now, they're No. 6 in the Eastern Conference with a 29-26 record despite having Jaden Ivey miss several games with an injury.

After showing glimpses of greatness in his first three seasons, Cunningham is taking a leap forward as a nightly triple-double threat and one of the most exciting players to watch in the league.