Marcus Smart picks up new jersey from fellow Oklahoma State alum originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Cade Cunningham’s stock is soaring, and Marcus Smart is getting in while there’s still room on the ground floor.
Following a 114-103 win for Smart’s Boston Celtics over Cunningham’s Detroit Pistons on Friday, Smart swapped jerseys with Cunningham, the top pick in the 2021 NBA Draft who shares an alma mater with Smart in Oklahoma State.
Though the Pistons are struggling, Cunningham is living up to the hype following his one season with the Cowboys. He’s averaging 16.8 points per game, tops among rookies, is fourth in rebounds (5.8) and second in both assists (5.2) and steals (1.2) per contest among first-year players.
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Cunningham scored 27 points for Detroit on Friday, his sixth straight game with at least 20 points. Smart had one of his best all-around games of the season for the C’s in the win with 20 points on 6 of 10 shooting (2 for 3 from 3-point range) with five steals and five assists.
Smart was the highest-drafted player from Oklahoma State this century (sixth overall, 2014) until Cunningham this season.
