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No. 2 jersey now hangs in the rafters

Former ����Ӱҵ ISD student����returned to��Bowie High School��last night,��not as an NBA star, but as one of its own.��

The����guard was back on campus to��retire��his high school No. 2 jersey, a number he has worn since he was a kid��–��and the��same number he still wears in the��. The moment marked a full-circle return for a student who once��walked��Bowie’s halls with a dream and the belief that��hard��work��could take him far.��

Cunningham attended Bowie from 2016 to 2018 after growing up in ����Ӱҵ ISD, first at��Larson Elementary��and later at��Barnett Junior High.����

“He was just as amazing and smart off the court when he walked through these halls,” said Bowie principal Lee Jones. ��“Great kid, humble, positive, and it was very noticeable that he had a strong foundation.”��

Those early years shaped not only his game, but his character��–��something educators say was��evident��from the start.��

One of those educators was��Doris Morehead Jones, a teacher at Bowie during Cunningham’s time on campus, who said his impact went far beyond the basketball court.��

“Cade was always kind, always joyful, always funny, and always made people feel seen,” Morehead said. “From day one, Cade was a people person. That was a snapshot of the kind of man that he would become.”��

The celebration filled the gym with sound and school spirit, with Bowie’s cheer, dance,��and band programs��–��along with Cunningham’s teammates, who��came��to support him as his jersey was raised to the rafters.��

Long before the accolades, Cunningham was open about his goals. He told Jones he was going to play basketball��–��a dream she admits she initially viewed like many others.��

“I’ll be honest, I thought that every kid has a dream to play in the NBA,” she said. “But he asked me if I’d come and watch him play.”��

That invitation turned into a front-row seat��to��something special. As a��freshman, Cunningham earned a spot on the varsity team.��

“That was my first glimpse of the athlete he was becoming,”��she��said.��

As Cunningham’s talent continued to rise, so did the belief of those around him.��When he shared his desire to attend a basketball-focused school,��Morehead��took action, reaching out to help make that path possible.��

“Now I didn’t know anything about his stance or his position,”��Morehead��said. “But what I did know was that my kid had a dream. And I was going to make sure that I did everything in my power to help him reach that dream.”��

Entering his junior year, Cunningham transferred to��Montverde Academy��in Montverde, Florida��–��a nationally recognized program ranked No. 1 in the country. He chose Montverde for��its��academics and elite coaching, a move that helped prepare him for the next level and��ultimately the��NBA.��

Despite his rise to the professional stage,��Morehead��said Cunningham never lost sight of who he was.��

“He’s a stellar athlete, a grounded human being, a superstar who never forgot who he was at this school,” she said.��

As Cunningham stood beneath the rafters while his��No. 2 jersey was officially retired, the moment carried deep meaning for the educators, coaches,��and classmates who watched his journey unfold.��

“As we stand here today and��retire��your high school jersey, Cade, know this��–��your teachers, your administrators, coaches,��and your friends will never forget the kid that you were,”��Morehead��said. “We honor, respect,��and love the man��you’ve��become. This was always who you were destined to be.”��

For Cunningham, returning to Bowie brought reflection and gratitude.��

“Being from ����Ӱҵ is something I am very proud of,”��Cunningham said.��“I was here for two years, about seven years ago now.��I was in this school,��walking��the halls, playing here. I just had a dream. I just wanted to be great. I wanted to help my family the best I could.”��

That pride was met with overwhelming support from the community that helped shape him.��

“This is so special,” he said. “I appreciate the amount of love and support that��I’ve��gotten since��I’ve��been in the NBA. Every time I come back home,��I’m��just overflowed with love and support, and that means a lot.”��

The ceremony concluded with students, staff,��Cunningham,��and his team��standing together to sing the��Bowie alma mater, closing the celebration with a moment of shared pride and tradition.��

“Cade’s success is a clear message to our students,” said deputy superintendent Dr. Jennifer Collins. “Your goals are valid, your work matters, and your future is wide open.”��

As his No. 2 jersey now hangs in Bowie’s gym��–��a number tied to his name, his childhood,��and his journey��–��Cunningham’s story stands as a reminder to students across ����Ӱҵ ISD: dreams��can start early, stay true, and lead you right back home.��