Tuesday afternoon Oklahoma State announced the hiring of former Rivals.com four-star prospect Cannen Cunningham as their newest assistant coach. The hiring could cause a major ripple effect when it comes to recruiting the top of the high school class of 2020.
After playing at SMU, Cunningham spent last year on staff at Tulane in an administrative capacity. Not only is Cunningham connected and well regarded in the state of Texas, he just so happens to be the older brother of 2020's No. 2 ranked player Cade Cunningham.
The Cowboys were also the first high major program to offer the rising senior.
“Coach (Mike) Boynton is great. We have a good relationship,” Cuningham told Rivals.com. “He was the first coach to offer me whenever he was an assistant at Oklahoma State.”
The No. 1 question on everybody's mind is whether or not the hiring of Cannen Cunningham means that the Cowboys will land Cade Cunningham.
“My recruitment is still completely open," said Cade. "I love my brother forever and that is obviously a big factor but it doesn’t determine my recruitment.
“My brother has been my guy, I mean, he was the one that put the ball in my hands. He has been the guy that pretty much determines everything that I have been doing with my development and where I am now. He is my guy."
The other nine finalists for Cunningham are Duke, Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Memphis, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Washington and the super skilled point guard is going to do his best to separate his brother's new gig with what is best for his own personal future.
“He got hired and he had to take the job," said the Texan. "It was a great opportunity. I wanted for him to take the job but I don’t think that it sways my recruitment or my decision because he knows what is best for me. I want to be with him and he wants to be with me but I am not going to go to a spot that is not best for me and he is not going to put me at a place that is not best for me.”
Additionally, the hiring of Cunningham's brother doesn't speed up his recruitment with OSU or any other program.
“Our main saying has always been to not get sped up,” he said. “Every talk that we have, it has been, don’t get sped up, don’t get sped up, so I am just going to take my time and he is not going to speed me up.”
If the hiring of Cannen Cunningham does bring forth the commitment of Cade Cunningham, the ramifications could be immense. Already, the Cowboys hold the pledge of Rivals150 guard Davonte Davis and are in a great spot for five-star guard Bryce Thompson and top-75 center Jaylin Williams. Cunningham is just the type of transcendent talent that others want to play alongside of which could entirely change the complexion of where the top talent enrolls in the fall of 2020.
