Woj sets personal record, breaking first pick 7 hours before NBA Draft starts

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski is famous for tweeting our NBA Draft selections minutes before they’re announced on TV. But he’s set a new personal record.

Adrian Wojnarowski’s linguistic gymnastics have become a draft night tradition, coming up with ways to announce a draft pick minutes before it’s announced on television, without, you know, officially saying it. For example, the New Orleans Pelicans are laser-focused on Zion Williamson. It’s all part of the fun but Woj has definitely gotten a head start on the action for the 2021 draft.

More than seven hours before the draft actually started, he announced the Detroit Pistons selection for the No. 1 pick.

Woj says the Detroit Pistons are taking Cade Cunningham with the No. 1 pick

This one is a no-brainer but it’s not real until Woj puts it on your timeline. Cunningham has been the presumptive No. 1 pick for months and even lukewarm rumors about the Thunder making a trade push for the pick didn’t seem to go very far.

Cunningham is an elite two-way prospect. On defense, he already has strong defensive instinct and techniques with the size, strength and quickness to handle three positions comfortably. At the other end, he’s a special creator who can get anywhere he wants on the floor, with the vision and creativity to be an exceptional passer. He also has a solid post-game, is a strong spot-up shooter and a very good pull-up shooter. Other than elite run-jump athleticism, he has every attribute you’d like to see in a top prospect.

The Pistons now have their biggest building block in place. With an emerging Jerami Grant and a strong 2020 rookie class that included Killian Hayes, Isaiah Stewart and Saddiq Bey they appear ready to start moving back towards competitiveness. Congrats to the Pistons and Cade, and to Woj for making it all official.