Despite being one of the biggest names in the NBA, Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham admitted that finding a romantic partner hasn’t exactly been a layup.
In a video posted to the Pistons’ social media on Monday, January 12, Cunningham, 24, was asked to “describe your love life in basketball terms.”
Cunningham’s teammate Jalen Duren, who was standing nearby, wasted no time in ribbing him.
“Airball,” Duren, 22, said.
Cunningham took the joking in stride, offering up “double dribble” and “shot clock violation” to describe his dating status.
At least Cunningham was able to find companionship in Duren, telling the camera, “We’ve kind of got the same situation going on.”
“Our love lives ain’t going too good,” said Cunningham, who is currently in the midst of an MVP-caliber season in the Motor City.
When the social media admin suggested the teammates should go on double dates, Cunningham said, “We need to try that.”
“We need to find some candidates,” Cunningham continued. “Let’s turn it up a little bit. We want to find some candidates.”
Duren added, “Spice it up a little bit!”
“Tag some people below that should go on double dates with us,” Cunningham said with a laugh. “Tag who y’all want to see us on a double date with.”
Predictably, the comments on the video did not disappoint.
“This real yall hit me up 😂😂😂 nurse and I got my own,” one person wrote.
Another follower tagged Cunningham and said, “How is the most handsome, talented, beautiful, dreamy, gorgeous man in the nba single? 😫.”
“If Cade Cunningham who’s 6’6”, built, and is an NBA superstar with elite aura is struggling to find love I don’t even know what to say man,” another person joked.
Some Pistons fans urged Cunningham and Duren not to get distracted with off-the-court pursuits in the middle of the season.
“Only thing y’all boys need to date is the playoffs and then marry a championship!!!!” one person commented.
The Pistons currently have the best record in the Eastern Conference and, despite missing the past two games with a wrist injury, Cunningham currently has the third-best NBA MVP odds, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Detroit emphatically stated their case as the team to beat in the East with a dominant 121-90 win over the New York Knicks on January 5, the team that bounced them from the first round of the playoffs last year.
“It’s a new season,” Cunningham said with a smile during his postgame interview on Peacock. “We knew that there was a little extra to this game. We wanted to beat them, there’s no hiding that. It was the elephant in the room.”
Cunningham expressed the same sentiment to reporters during his postgame press conference after the Knicks victory.
“Great win for us, definitely meant a lot,” he said. “The playoff series last year, them being [in second place], us being [in first place], them being on our heels, trying to get where we’re at, we’re not trying to allow that. [It was a] big game, and we all came locked in for it.”
