Cade Cunningham didn’t hold back when he talked about his draft night thoughts, and his honesty lit up social media fast. He looked back at the 2021 lottery moment and shared a line that instantly turned into a headline. “Whenever the lottery was happening, and it started coming down, its final three is Cleveland, Houston and Detroit. I’m like, ‘Don’t let me go to Cleveland.’”
He added another blunt line that stirred even more reaction: “I was a big Bron fan growing up, but I’m not trying no Cleveland.”
That one comment turned a normal interview into a debate, because any reference to Cleveland still sparks a strong reaction from fans who watched LeBron James carry the city to an NBA title. Hearing a young star like Cade Cunningham say he didn’t want to land there felt like a direct jab to some, and just normal preference to others.
Cade Cunningham on the NBA Draft Lottery in 2021
“Whenever the lottery was happening, I’m like, Don’t let me go to Cleveland.”
Via @boardroom pic.twitter.com/jPIvq5908A
— Pistons Talk (@Pistons__Talk) November 17, 2025
Detroit fans laughed it off, happy their franchise player actually wanted to be there. Cleveland fans, meanwhile, had jokes, memes, and a little bit of smoke for him. But that’s expected when someone talks about a team with such a strong fan base.
In truth, players have felt this way about certain markets for decades. Some prefer warm weather, some want a bigger media scene, and some want a place where they believe they’ll get more chances to grow. Cade Cunningham choosing Detroit in his mind isn’t about disrespect — it’s about comfort and fit.
Still, when you mention Cleveland, LeBron, and the draft all in one breath, you’re guaranteed a reaction. And Cade Cunningham learned that again this week.
Fans Fire Back After Cade Cunningham’s Cleveland Remark
The reaction from fans came quickly after Cade Cunningham said he wanted to avoid Cleveland during the draft process. One comment summed up the early mood: “Cavs fans ain’t gonna like this lmao.” It wasn’t wrong. Cleveland supporters immediately jumped in with their own takes, jokes, and reminders that the franchise didn’t need anyone who didn’t want to be there.
Another fan didn’t hold back either, saying, “We good over here. No one even knew this dude’s name before the draft. I had to google his name when people were saying he could go number one.” That type of heat wasn’t surprising, because any jab at a proud fan base always gets answered.
What made the reaction funnier is that both sides felt like they won the moment. Detroit fans defended Cade Cunningham, pointing out that he’s the face of their rebuild and is free to be honest about his feelings. Cavs fans circled the wagons, throwing jokes back and acting like losing him was never a problem.
This is normal in the league. A simple draft-night preference turns into a full fanbase-versus-fanbase thread, complete with old highlights, quick insults, and a few reminders of who has the better season record. And whenever a player speaks this freely, the conversation grows fast.
The main point is simple: Cade Cunningham didn’t say anything harmful. He shared a personal preference from years ago, and the rest turned into pure fan energy. With how social media works, moments like this always spread fast, and anything connected to LeBron or Cleveland only gets louder.
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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
