In the end, there really was no suspense. The Detroit Pistons made the expected move, taking Cade Cunningham with the top pick in the 2021 NBA Draft on Thursday. 

The Houston Rockets followed up by selecting Jalen Green second overall and the Cleveland Cavaliers took Evan Mobley third. 

Though everyone had predicted for months that Cunningham would be the top pick, he still had to take time to collect himself after NBA commissioner Adam Silver called his name. 

"It's still crazy to be in the moment," Cunningham told ESPN. "Words can't really describe the emotions. ... I'm just so happy to be here and I'm ready to see what I can do at the next level."

The 19-year-old Cunningham starred in his only season at Oklahoma State, earning consensus All-America honours after averaging 20.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists.

At 6-foot-8, he looks like a forward but plays like a guard and is comfortable creating shots for his team-mates and scoring on his own. 

Green, 19, skipped college to go straight to the NBA G League Ignite developmental team. The 6-foot-6 guard is a natural scorer who should provide the Rockets and immediate boost on the offensive end. 

Mobley, 20, is known for his two-way abilities, excelling on offence and defence in his lone season at Southern California. The 7-footer averaged 16.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.9 blocks for the Trojans.