NCAA Basketball: Breakdown of star freshmen from Montverde high school

Cade Cunningham – Oklahoma State – 6’8 – 220 lbs – September 2001

Cade Cunningham is the best high school prospect I’ve seen in quite some time. Listed at 6’8, he uses his height to see over defenders. He reads the court brilliantly, passing to guys in the right spots before they even get there.

He’s got elite touch on his passes, and constantly hits shooters. He’s masterful at manipulating defenders with his eyes to free teammates.

In his passing arsenal, Cunningham has the pick-and-roll skip pass to the corner down. His passing and manipulation is reminiscent of that of Luka Doncic.

As a scorer, Cunningham is a good finisher with either hand. He’s a mismatch because he can use his strength to bully guards, and has flashed the handle and burst to go around bigs. He is not a prolific shooter, but has good form and can hit both catch-and-shoot and off the dribble threes. Good touch around the rim and a high free-throw percentage are indicators that he’ll survive as a shooter long-term.

With his size and strength, Cunningham should be a good defender. He’ll be able to guard multiple positions. Cunningham makes smart defensive reads and doesn’t take possessions off. He’s got a winning mentality on both ends.

Cunningham isn’t super athletic. He’s thrown some powerful dunks down on film, but he’s not overly quick. How he adjusts to college athleticism and more in-depth scouting will be worth watching. In college, he’ll likely still be dominant even without special leaping or running ability.

Cunningham will be tasked with tons of responsibility as the Cowboys struggled last year, then lost three of their top four scorers this offseason. His backcourt mate Isaac Likelele, is a good defender and facilitator but struggles to shoot (21% from three). The Cowboys only have one upperclassman on the roster and the Big 12 is loaded this year.

But with Cunningham on the roster, they’ll be competitive. Surround Cunningham with shooters, and he’ll make you pay. Oklahoma State can’t play in the NCAA Tournament due to an NCAA sanctioned ban, but they’ll be must-watch television with Cunningham running the show.

NBA Draft Projection: 2021 No. 1 pick