A superstar will recognize another superstar, even if it is against its former team.
Cade Cunningham was okay in game one versus the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, but he returned with a show during game two that impressed an NBA legend. Cunningham dropped a double-double of 33 points and 12 assists on Monday in Detriot’s 100-94 victory over the Knicks. He made 11 of 21 attempts from the field and had three assists with two steals.
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Cunningham pointed at Carmelo Anthony, a former Knick star, after making a bucket.
Anthony, a native New Yorker, played for the Knicks from 2010-17 during his illustrious 19-year career.
He was an NBA All-Star in all seven seasons in New York, while capturing a scoring title in 2013 and making two All-NBA team rosters. Anthony was on his podcast, 7PM in Brooklyn, giving big respect to Cunningham for beating his Knicks in game two.
He was not happy about it, but Anthony knows Cunningham is a young monster in the league.
Melo says he wants to work with Cade and help him add to his scoring bag in the post pic.twitter.com/Ptf1OKuJHS
— nick (@nick__xo) April 23, 2025
“I am focused in on guys who can really play the game of basketball,” Anthony said Tuesday.
“I’m still a fan of that too. I’ve always said I have wanted to work with Cade. I don’t know if he heard that or not, but I would love to work with him. Even seeing him last night … he got everything. If you got one to two things … good riddance. He is a 6’6″ point guard that’s getting down in the post. If he gets a couple of tools down in that post … shorty is tough.”
Nothing like seeing a legend embrace a young star in his career.
WHAT A NIGHT FOR CADE CUNNINGHAM!
????️ 33 PTS
????️ 12 REB
????️ 2 STLThe @DetroitPistons even the series 1-1 behind an incredible showing from their star guard ???? pic.twitter.com/uzgOvUqudL
— NBA (@NBA) April 22, 2025
Anthony left the NBA as one of its all-time scorers, ranking No. 10 with 28,290 points. He wants to see more from Cunningham and that will happen as the series shifts to Detroit for Game 3 on Thursday night.
Stephen M. Smith is a writer for Ball Exclusives. You can follow him him X via @CoachingMSmith.
