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Mike SchmitzESPN
STILLWATER, Okla. — Cade Cunningham isn’t your typical No. 1 draft pick.
He doesn’t defy physics like Zion Williamson did at Duke. He’s not a human highlight reel like Ben Simmons was at LSU. He’s not loaded with traditional upside like Anthony Davis at Kentucky. He’s not a speed demon like John Wall at UK or an elite ball handler like Kyrie Irving at Duke.
Like Luka Doncic before him, Cunningham faces lingering questions about his star potential at the next level. Is he a playmaking wing or a lead guard? Does he project as a really good player on a winning team or a perennial All-Star who can turn a franchise?
Why is it that — in what’s considered a loaded draft with a physical talent like Jonathan Kuminga, a unicorn like Evan Mobley, a high-flier like Jalen Green and an energizer like Jalen Suggs in the top five — Cunningham is the top prospect?
I spent a few days tracking Cunningham in person and breaking down film with him. Here’s what I learned that helps answer those questions: