It seems like no day goes by without a player complaining about officiating, whether it’s calls made against them or in their favor. The latest player to voice his concerns is Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham.
Despite a tough season for the Pistons, Cunningham remains a bright spot, averaging a productive 22.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game on 45.3% shooting from the field. While these numbers are eye-catching, one other particular statistic that stands out is his free throw attempts.
Averaging a mere 4.3 free throw attempts per game, Cunningham finds himself ranked only 42nd in the NBA in this category. This lack of attempts was further highlighted in the Pistons’ last game, where he didn’t attempt a single free throw despite taking 20 shots and scoring 26 points.
Now, Cunningham has spoken out about his low free throw rate, even suggesting that he might need to kiss someone’s ass to get more calls.
Per HoopsHype:
“I take pride in being a good basketball player,” Cunningham said. “I don’t take pride in the fact that I can’t get to the line. I’m trying to get there. I’m watching the stuff, trying to learn from it. I have to stop b—-ing and crying. I feel like that’s making them not want to look out for me more. I don’t know. I don’t know what it is. Maybe I need to be nicer. Maybe I need to kiss someone’s ass. I don’t know what it is. I’m working on it. I’m trying to get it.”
