Bickerstaff has a comp for Cunningham. “Neo,” he says. “From The Matrix.” Not early Neo, the overwhelmed character played by Keanu Reeves who was red-pilled into reality. The one in the later films, says Bickerstaff, “who realized he was The One.” Cunningham can’t pinpoint any Neo-Agent Smith moment. (Look it up.) “I don’t know,” he says. “I feel like everything has just slowed down.” The 6' 6" point guard picked up his first All-Star nod last season, finished seventh in MVP voting and earned a spot on the All-NBA third team. In the offseason he bulked up, using yoga and mixed martial arts to get stronger. Five years of being at the top of opposing teams’ scouting reports has prepared him to dissect any defense thrown at him. “Every year I feel more and more sharp,” he says. “I feel like I’m one of the best processors to have the ball.”
Sports Illustrated
