The Detroit Pistons Are For Real – Dwane Casey Talks Cade and More
As a lifelong Detroit Pistons fan, there’s nothing like the electricity in Little Caesars Arena when this team is rolling. After years of rebuilding, you can feel something different in the air. The energy, the hunger—Detroit is ready for winning basketball again, and Dwane Casey sees it too. We talked with him during the show Monday (full conversation here – or click player below). Huge homestand this week – great opportunity to see the team (tickets here).
Dwane Casey on Cade and the vibe with the Pistons
Jim O’Brien: I was at the game Friday night, and there were two things that stood out. One was the vibe from everybody in LCA. Everyone was just amped up, and it was such a beautiful cross-section of Detroit and Southeastern Michigan. And the second thing—Cade Cunningham is a freak in the best way possible. That guy—can you explain this to me? We were trying to figure it out. He slows the game down. Is that something great players do, or are we just overthinking it?
Dwane Casey: Well, Jim, it’s amazing because when he first came out of college, we thought, “Okay, he’s methodical, he’s slowing the game down.” And if you don’t have a great feel for what’s going on, that usually turns into a turnover. But what has happened with Cade is that the game has slowed down for him. He was already a great player, but now, mentally, he’s seeing plays and making plays. His methodical style is now an advantage. You see him—if he gets a mismatch, he can back the defender down and get to the basket. If he gets a big guy on him, he can face him up and hit his elbow jump shot. He is really developing into the number-one pick that we drafted. He’s exciting. He deservedly became an All-Star this year, and I mentioned to him—don’t be satisfied with just being an All-Star. Now it’s time to take our team further, continue to win, and become an All-Pro player. He’s flirting with that now because, Jim, every night he’s looking at a triple-double. I’m really proud of him, really happy with his progression and contributions to the team’s success. These aren’t just empty stats; his triple-doubles are contributing to wins. His assists, leadership—everything he’s doing on the court is a positive.
Jim O’Brien: You always hear that players feed off the fans, and the place was rocking Friday night and again last night. Is it true that even coaches feed off that energy?
Dwane Casey: No question. I told one of the coaches the other night—my first year here, we were fortunate enough to make the playoffs, and I’ll never forget the energy in LCA that night. Then we went into the rebuild, and people were waiting, waiting. But Friday night, that was a great vibe. Everyone was excited, into the game, and it was special. The players feed off it. You make a big defensive play, go to the other end—JB gets excited, the fans get loud. It energizes the team. If they make a mistake, they don’t dwell on it because they’re still riding that wave of energy. That’s what winning does—it brings that energy back. Detroit is a sports city. Fans here know what winning basketball looks like, feels like, tastes like, and now our guys are starting to deliver that again.

And that’s what this resurgence means. It’s not just about Cade Cunningham or a few wins here and there—it’s about Detroit getting its swagger back. It’s about a fanbase that’s been waiting for something real, something tangible. The Pistons are finally giving us a reason to believe again. And from the sound of it, the best is yet to come.
