The Pistons entered summer league with a roster headlined by four first-round picks, including No. 1 pick Cade Cunningham. And they walked away with some honors.
Cunningham, who averaged 18.7 points, 5.7 boards and shot 50 percent from three in three contests before resting the final two with calf soreness, was named Second-Team All-Summer League, as selected by the media. No surprise there.
The surprise was in the teammate who joined him: Luka Garza. The 52nd overall pick in this year's draft, Garza also earned Second-Team All-Summer League honors after averaging 15 points, 9.6 rebounds and shooting 40 percent from three in five games.
Cunningham and Garza were joined on the second team by No. 2 overall pick Jalen Green of the Rockets, second-rounder Patrick Reed of the 76ers and 2020 first-rounder Patrick Williams of the Bulls.
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While the Pistons didn't fulfill Cunningham's goal of going undefeated, he said last week on Da Windy City podcast "our main focus is getting better and feeling each other out, and I think we’ve done that. We’ve had some good moments, for sure. We’ve been able to show some of the light that people are seeing in us, but we just gotta sustain it."
As he prepares for his first season in the NBA, Cunningham said "perspective is everything in this league."
"I’m going in as the No. 1 pick and I know people want to see that instant success, they want to see that instant impact. And trust me, I plan to get to it right now. I plan to win and put on shows right now. But I also know that I’m 19 years old, I’m just stepping into this league and there’s a lot more to learn," he said. "You just don’t know everything until you have some experience in it.
"I know it’s a long journey. I’m really focused on being able to win championships, and I know you can’t win a championship in a summer league game and I know it’s really hard to win a championship going into your rookie season. So it’s just all about working and steady climbing."
The All-Summer League First-Team was comprised of 2021 first-rounders Davion Mitchell of the Kings, Trey Murphy III of the Pelicans, Jalen Johnson of the Hawks and Cam Johnson of the Nets, plus 2020 first-rounders Obi Toppin of the Knicks, Jalen Smith of the Suns and Payton Pritchard of the Celtics.