Jared Cunningham is such a quiet, unassuming guy – and has kind of developed a big brother/little brother relationship with LeBron James – that it sometimes seems like he’s still growing up, at least among this year’s “Cavaliers family.”
Actually, Cunningham grew up in the West Coast hoops mecca of Oakland, where this year’s squad will play their biggest regular season game to date – a heavyweight Christmas Day matchup against the Golden State Warriors in the eagerly-anticipated Finals rematch.
The 6-4 point guard was originally drafted by the Cavaliers in 2012 after a stellar three seasons at Oregon State. But he never suited up with Cleveland. Instead, he was part of four-player deal that brought Tyler Zeller to the Cavaliers and sent him to Dallas. But after short stints with the Mavericks, Hawks, Kings and Clippers – with three D-League assignments interspersed – Cunningham found himself with the team that drafted him in this year’s Training Camp.
With Kyrie Irving still rehabbing from offseason knee surgery, and the Cavs determined to add depth to the point guard position, Cunningham impressed everyone with his play on both ends of the floor, and secured a coveted roster spot with the Wine and Gold.
He’s continued to impress and his play has commanded floor time – averaging a career-best 13.3 minutes per game, including three starts. And anyone who watched Sunday’s win over Philly can attest to his almost unlimited hops.
In terms of his relationship with LeBron, anyone who spends time around the Cavaliers can tell you that James loves toying with his new teammate in a big-brotherly way. After last week’s victory against OKC, LeBron dogged him – literally – as he cited the scene from Will Ferrell’s classic comedy “Anchorman.”
”I’ve never seen (“Anchorman”), but somebody said they were gonna send me the DVD,” explained Cunningham. “But (LeBron)’s been talking about punting my dog, so I really want to see (the movie). I have a little French bulldog and he’s always talking about punting it like in the movie.”
Of course, Cleveland’s four-time MVP would never pooch-punt Cunningham’s pup – or any other canine for that matter. But it got a big laugh in the postgame locker room.
”It’s funny – (LeBron)’s always messing with me, making me do things for him – but taking care of me at the same time,” concluded the 24-year-old guard. “So it’s definitely a good thing that he’s taking a liking to me. We joke around. We’re cool, and it’s been great.”
So as the Cavs prepare for their four-game junket, beginning with a big first stop in Cunningham’s hometown, Cavs.com sat down for today’s installment of Growing Up …
My family was … pretty athletic. My dad played in high school and played a little bit in college. He played for Idaho. My older sister played in high school and she won two state championships.
When we were young, my sister … beat me at hoops a couple times in the front yard. But that’s when she was taller than me. After that, it was a wrap. I was dunking on her and all that.
Basketball’s big in Oakland … because I just think everybody has a competitive edge, growing up. And not a lot of people make it out. So that gives people the fight inside of them to fight hard and keep going.
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I was … always a point guard. I was short up until I got into high school.
When I got to high school … I was only 5-10. And then I grew to 6-2 and then 6-4. So I always played point – and then when I started being able to jump, then I started to get away from the natural point guard stuff.
At that point … I started dunking on people and being athletic and flying around. So I played both the 1 and 2 in high school.
I think one thing that made me better … was, as I was going into high school, they put me on the varsity team, but they didn’t play me at all. And I felt like I should’ve been out there. It just made me mad.
The next summer … I came back – and I had grown a couple inches – and I was starting the next year, was best player on the team. And I think that’s what really got me going.
From my freshman to my sophomore year … I went from 5-10 to 6-2. That’s when it really started happening. I started dunking and everything.
I was a good student … in high school – Academic All-America as a senior. I had a 3.5 GPA. I figured: to be a great student and a great player on the basketball court, not much can go wrong.
After my sophomore season … I had committed to Arizona State. So, from not playing my freshman year, then going and getting a college scholarship the next year was great.
I picked Arizona State first … because I actually went up there and hung out with James Harden and a couple other guys. And they convinced me that this was the place and James was going to stay there. But he eventually left by the time it was time (for me) to go there. I de-committed from there and chose Oregon State.
Playing at Oregon State … was great. I went up there for my visit for about four hours and said: ‘I want to come here.’
Oregon State has a history … of Oakland guards – like Gary Payton and Lester Connor – going up there. So it was great, a great environment.
I remember my … my first dunk was in practice, I think I was 15. There were bleachers behind the basketball court – so I would jump off the bleachers and dunk it.
But a couple weeks later … I just tried going up there and dunking it. And that’s when it happened! And after that, I started doing 360s and through the legs and everything. I was 15 going on 16.
The first dunk in a game … I don’t honestly remember. But I do remember the best one I ever had in high school, I had a fastbreak and I just 360ed it! The place went crazy! And I thought: Yeah, there’s gonna be more of this.