Cade Cunningham won both the Big 12 Player of the Year and Freshman Year of the Year on Monday. Jared Butler from Baylor who will be an NBA first round pick came in a respectable second place in the voting.
OU’s Austin Reeves made the Big 12’s First team.
I would expect Cade to later on become the National Player of the Year as well.
Cade could join an elite club in winning Big 12 Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year in the same year if he wins NPOTY. That club is one currently… as in Kevin Durant from his lone collegiate season at Texas in 2007-08. The year I went and watched Kevin play at both Norman and Stillwater.
I actually think Cade is more ready to play in the NBA as a rookie than Kevin Durant was because of three factors… 1 his body is NBA ready, 2 he’s much more emotionally mature than Kevin, and 3 he has a more complete game from a defensive standpoint and is a player who can help you win on a night when he doesn’t go off scoring the ball.
Look at the highlights above and forget the 40 points. Cade made every key defensive play his teammmates needed from him at clutch moments in a game which turned his team’s season around at the goal acheiving portion of the season.
There are games when he’s not highlight reel spectacular, but his game is what I would describe as portable in that he can morph his game as to what his teammates are giving Mike Boynton in that particular game. He can fit multiple needs depending on the game.
Hopefully, the NCAA gets it’s act together and gives O State clearance to play in March Madness.
Cade Cunningham, it’s been a pleasure to cover you on my little blog this Big 12 basketball season especially since we didn’t have relevant NBA hoops in Oklahoma City. Hope you guys make a Danny Manning & The Miracles type of run. Go see if you can grab that One Shining Moment, know what I mean.
Good luck, buddy.