Cade Cunningham called it fun to put on Pistons jersey for first time

Cunningham made his long-awaited debut with the Pistons and the No. 1 overall pick was excited to hit the court.

Cade Cunningham on Sunday made his long-awaited debut with the Detroit Pistons during the Las Vegas Summer League, and the No. 1 pick was excited to hit the court with his new teammates.

Cunningham produced 12 points, six rebounds, two steals and two blocked shots in 26 minutes of work during the 76-72 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. He converted 5-of-17 shot attempts from the field, including 2-of-7 from 3-point range.

The 19-year-old spent much of his time on the court off the ball next to Killian Hayes. He showed rust given he did not play much 5-on-5 action during the pre-draft process. But he flashed his ability as a passer and initiator in some situations.

Cunningham enjoyed his first opportunity to play with the Pistons.

It was fun to be able to put an NBA jersey on for the first time. Obviously, we wanted a win out of this but we spent the last week playing against each other, so it was our first time really being able to get together and be with each other to try to get this thing down. I think we have a lot from this game that we can learn from. I think that’s the main thing you want coming out of your first game so now we’re just trying to keep building off of it.

The Pistons struggled with their shot-making after a hot start while they also battled turnovers, finishing with 20. Cunningham started by making his first two 3-point attempts as he shot it confidently with little hesitation.

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Cunningham’s debut came on the defensive end, underscored by his two steals and two blocks. He used his long arms and body to play physically and that helped him slow the opposition.

Overall, Cunningham showed a lot of promise from his first game of summer league. He views the Pistons’ stint in Las Vegas as a great opportunity to start the transition to the NBA as he looks to get adjusted to playing at the next level.

Certainly, the Pistons had to be happy about what they saw on Sunday.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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