NCAA Basketball: Options for Cade Cunningham after Ok State postseason ban

Cade Cunningham could always stay at Ok State

Not having an opportunity to play for a national championship is a major blow for any competitors. That’s especially true for seniors and those all but guaranteed to be around for just that particular season. Since there is an appeal, it always could be changed but that could take months, as is many decisions made by the NCAA.

Cunningham will have to make a decision about his future in the next week or two so the assumption of the ban will have to be there. There has been a history of players not leaving schools despite the ineligibility so there’s a real chance that no one on the roster decides to leave. Winning isn’t everything for players and being with his brother and assistant coach Cannen Cunningham could be enough for the recruit to remain with the program.

Even without the NCAA Tournament, there are benefits for players having a big NCAA Basketball season. Zion Williamson’s spectacular freshman campaign is evidence of the power and PR of dominating college. And the G League and its impact are still unknown. Having a pair of major performances against the likes of Kansas and Baylor would be big for his potential with sponsorships and growing fanbase.

And let’s be honest. If playing for a national title contender was a major factor in Cunningham’s college aspirations, he wouldn’t have picked Oklahoma State, to begin with. So he can still achieve many of the individual goals he had overall. Plus, he’ll be a season-long sympathetic figure due to many not being happy that the players are punished for the actions of a former assistant.