In the first half of the season, the Detroit Pistons emerged as one of the biggest success stories in the NBA. Not only did they drastically improve from a rough 2024 campaign, but one of their top prospects made a big step towards stardom.

When the Pistons drafted Cade Cunningham No. 1 overall in 2021, they envisioned him become a star and being a pillar for the franchise. He’s taken the reigns in full force this season, putting together a breakout campaign. The young guard was recently rewarded for his hard work and strong play, as Cunningham was chosen to be an All-Star.

Over the past two years, there’s been a bit of a shift in the league when it comes to players. 2024 featured an array of first-time All-Stars, and the same goes for this season. Cunningham is among six players who received the first nod of their career.

Aside from Cunningham, other first-time All-Stars include a fellow No. 1 pick in Victor Wembanyama. There is also Evan Mobley, who was chosen two picks after the Pistons star in 2021. Rounding out the group is Tyler Herro, Alperen Sengun, and Jalen Williams of the OKC Thunder.

In the midst of now his first All-Star season, Cunningham is posting career-highs across the board. Across 43 appearances, he is averaging 25.0 PPG, 6.4 RPG, and 9.3 APG. Cunningham’s playmaking numbers are also good for third-best in the NBA, trailing only Nikola Jokic and Trae Young.

Cunningham and the rest of this group will compete in their first All-Star Game on February 16th. This year, the festivities are being held at Chase Center, home of the Golden State Warriors.