"Two years ago, I wrote an article asking this same question about a different young guard. And the similarities were striking. In 2023, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was coming off a season where he had led a team most believed was lottery-bound to a playoff run. Gilgeous-Alexander had posted great numbers while doing so, in what was the first largely healthy season of his prime. And early in the 2023-24 season, he had the eighth-shortest MVP odds, according to ESPN BET."
"Fast-forward to today, and Cunningham is coming off a season in which he led his previously lottery-bound Detroit Pistons to the playoffs. This was the first time in his career that Cunningham, the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NBA draft, was able to play in more than 64 games in a season. Now, a week into the season, Cunningham has the seventh-shortest MVP odds ( 60-1), according to ESPN BET."
Cade Cunningham led the previously lottery-bound Detroit Pistons to the playoffs and played more than 64 games for the first time in his career. Early in the season Cunningham held the seventh-shortest MVP odds (60-1) on ESPN BET. The MVP favorites included Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (+225), Victor Wembanyama (+275) and Nikola Jokic (+375). Shai Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 32.7 points, 6.4 assists and 5.0 rebounds last season, finished second in the 2023-24 MVP race and went on to win the 2024-25 MVP. Cunningham's situation is compared to Gilgeous-Alexander's path from contender to eventual winner.
Read at ESPN.com
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