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If one is to believe almost every notable NBA simulation project, Cade Cunningham, first rookie in Oklahoma State, will be the first overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. Saturday’s game did certainly not done much to change that.
Facing rival Oklahoma, ranked No.7 in the AP poll, Cunningham had the game of his life leading the Cowboys to a 94-90 victory. The guard finished with 40 points and 11 rebounds, two new career highs.
It was also a nice 40 points:
Cunningham is now averaging 19.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game in his freshman year, and no one expects a second year.
Yahoo Sports’ Krysten Peek had Cunningham as the safest choice to go first overall in his last mock draft, praising his solid all-round play. This includes a tall stature (6ft 8in, 220lb) at his stance, a high basketball IQ, the ability to defend three different stances and a playing ability that “showed glimpses of Luka Doncic”.
He’s the kind of player whose defensive strengths can be as impressive as his considerable offensive strengths.
It’s not hard to see how this will play out in an NBA that increasingly rewards ball-dominant playmakers with defensive versatility.
Sadly, there’s a good chance Cunningham’s college basketball career won’t extend into the March craziness as the NCAA hit the state of Oklahoma with a playoff ban last summer. The state of Oklahoma quickly appealed the decision and appears eligible for the tournament for now, but the possibility remains that the NCAA hammer will land before the selection on Sunday.
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