By JACOB POLACHECK
COLORADO SPRINGS, Co. — Cade Cunningham, the 6-foot-7 combo guard from Montverde (FL) Academy, had a great showing on the second day of practices at the Team USA U-19 Men’s Basketball Training Camp on Sunday.
Cunningham, who is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 3 player in the Class of 2020, made a great case to be the top player in his class after Sunday’s practice. He played well on both ends of the court, with physical and aggressive play.
“I’ve been solid,” Cunningham told ZAGSBLOG Sunday. “I feel like I can be a lot better and assert myself more. I’ve been a little bit passive but I’m just trying to feel it out a little bit.
“The USA Camp is a different place. You have to try and fit in with some of the other good players.”
In terms of his recruitment, Cunningham recently cut his list to ten. He is currently considering Duke, Kentucky, Kansas, Memphis, Florida, North Carolina, Texas, Oklahoma State, Virginia and Washington.
It’s worth noting that Washington head coach Mike Hopkins is an assistant coach for the U-19 Team.
“Every day I’m evaluating it some more,” Cunningham said. “That list was just to put something out there. Out of respect, I wanted to let the schools I know I wasn’t going to and let the schools I do like know.”
Cunningham hopes to further cut down his list in the near future.
“I want to cut it down to way less than 10, probably around five,” he said. Ten was a lot for me. I’m probably going to talk with my family some more and get it down to five. That is the goal.”
With no visits planned at the moment, Cunningham said he wants to start taking visits for Midnight Madnesses and football games, during the next school year.
Cunningham broke down what he’s looking for in a school when deciding where to commit:
“I want to play for a coach that is going to let me play my game,” he said. “Obviously, a school that is going to compete right away for a national championship. I want to win my first year.
“There are a lot of things. I want to play for a team that plays defense, for sure. Those are the teams that win. Good coaches. I feel that all the schools in my top ten have great coaches. Just a coach that is going to let me do what I do.”
Listed at 6-foot-7, Cunningham has showed his ability to run the point and control the ball.
“I feel like I’m a big playmaker,” said Cunningham. “I have a big body so I can see over a lot of people and make a lot of plays. I feel like I dribble the ball well. I’m good on the perimeter.”
Cunningham also talked about the areas of his game that need improvement.
“I want to work on my jump shooting and finding my spots to get shots,” he said. “I want to be able to make plays for other people when I want to, instead of just reading the game. I want to force someone to be open. Just different reads but I feel like I’m getting better at them every day.”
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