Cade Cunningham Tabbed Preseason First-Team All-American
STILLWATER -- A day after Oklahoma State hoops announced its conference schedule for the 2020-21 season, Cowboy fans have another reason to celebrate.
Freshman guard Cade Cunningham has been tabbed a First-Team Preseason All-American by CBS Sports.
Cunningham joins Baylor guard Jared Butler, Iowa center Luke Garza, Illinois guard Ayo Dosunmu and Gonzaga forward Corey Kispert.
The projected No. 1 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. Cunningham is going to inject optimism into the Oklahoma State program because he's a wonderful blend of size, smarts, strength, maturity and expert decision-making. He's a power point guard and could turn an otherwise just-OK Cowboys team into one of the 40 best squads in the sport. Would rank high on the short list of must-see college basketball players.-CBS Sports
Cunningham checks in as a 6-8, 220-pounds and is wearing No. 2 for the Pokes this season. As it's been talked about for months, Cunningham came to Oklahoma State as not only the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2020 class and the highest-rated signee in the modern recruiting era, but as the projected No. 1 overall draft pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.
Related: Oklahoma State announces 2020-21 conference slate of games
“I came in with a lot of hype,” Cunningham said before the official start of practice two weeks ago. “Being able to come in and work just as hard, I don’t want anybody to feel like they have to cater to me or anything. I think me coming in and not asking for any extra or complaining about all the work everybody’s doing or whatever, I think that’s been a big thing for the team to see because they know that I’m in it with them. Just coming in, I think I have a pretty good basketball IQ, so I share it whenever I can. I think naturally I’m a decent leader. I’m not gonna say I’m just the best leader ever, but I think I’m alright. So, I just try to bring that to the team.”
Mike Boynton and Co. signed one of the best classes in the country during the 2020 signing periods. They brought in the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2020 class in the Cade Cunningham, the No. 1 overall prospect out of Canada in Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe, two more four-star prospects in Rondel Walker and Donovan Williams and highly athletic and versatile wing Montreal Pena. In terms of transfers, Boynton and Co. brought in sharpshooting guards Ferron Flavors Jr and Bryce Williams and big man Bernard Kouma.
The Cowboys kick off the 2020-21 season in the 2020 Golden Window tournament taking place Nov. 25-28 in Lincoln, NE. Game details and other teams have yet to be announced.
