Pistons Star Cade Cunningham Announces Major Off Court News

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham has expanded his portfolio beyond the hardwood, purchasing a minority stake in Major League Baseball’s Texas Rangers, industry insider Shams Charania of ESPN reported Thursday. The move makes the 24-year-old Arlington native both an NBA All-Star and part-owner of the hometown franchise he cheered for as a child.

Cunningham’s investment places him among a rising wave of elite athletes acquiring equity in professional teams while still in the prime of their playing careers. The timing is deliberate: the 2021 No. 1 overall pick is enjoying the most productive season of his career, averaging 25.3 points, 9.6 assists and 5.6 rebounds while guiding the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons toward championship contention. He will showcase his talents Sunday as a member of the USA Stars.

Financially, Cunningham is positioned for long-term growth. After signing a five-year maximum rookie extension in 2024 that could reach $269 million, he followed up with a six-year endorsement renewal with Nike that includes a signature shoe line. Those revenue streams provided the capital to diversify into baseball ownership.

The Rangers have been controlled by Rangers Baseball Express since a 2010 bankruptcy-driven sale valued at $539 million. Principal owners Ray C. Davis and Bob R. Simpson have overseen the franchise since the transition, and they now welcome Cunningham into the ownership group. While the exact size of his minority stake has not been revealed, the symbolic weight is significant: a local superstar reinvesting in the community that helped shape him.

Cunningham’s connection to the Rangers runs deep. Minutes from Globe Life Field, he starred at Bowie High School and spoke glowingly last July after throwing out a ceremonial first pitch, calling the experience “amazing” and praising the opportunity to support the teams he “grew up loving.”

Across professional sports, athlete equity has evolved from novelty to norm. LeBron James holds interests via Fenway Sports Group in the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool FC. Giannis Antetokounmpo owns a piece of the Milwaukee Brewers, and NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes has stakes in multiple Kansas City franchises. Cunningham’s entry into the ownership ranks mirrors that strategic blueprint, ensuring wealth generation that will extend well beyond his playing days.

On the court, Cunningham has transformed individual accolades into team success. After earning All-Rookie First Team honors, he has improved his efficiency and playmaking each season, culminating in a second consecutive All-Star selection and Detroit’s surge to the top of the standings. The franchise has not reached the NBA Finals since 2005; Cunningham’s dual focus on winning titles and building business equity underscores a modern superstar’s blueprint for impact.

By securing a share of the Rangers, Cunningham is not merely leading a resurgent Pistons squad—he now owns a piece of the sports landscape he once dreamed of playing under.