Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: Sports Figures. He and Hal Greer were the only key players from the 1967 championship team still playing vital roles. Pasty skin. His standing vertical was 37.5 inches. Cunningham would never play again. However, the date of retrieval is often important. It was those antsy feet that made him unstoppable, resulting in his inclusion on 10 All-Star Games, achieving the 1952 All-Star Game MVP, and nabbing 5 MVP Award shares. Youd go up, arch your back, and go up even higher. In 1961, his senior year, Cunningham led his team to the city championship and was a high school All-American. Another oft-told legend has Jackie on defense. Patterson, who recently resigned as Arizona States coach, said that Johnson is really an impact player, but not consistently good and solid. . In warmups, we would always check out the other team and get into little contests with their guys. Encyclopedia.com gives you the ability to cite reference entries and articles according to common styles from the Modern Language Association (MLA), The Chicago Manual of Style, and the American Psychological Association (APA). These are professional men: Dr. J, Dr. Dunkenstein, Dr. Jam. The ABA folded after that season, but the slam-off was such a hit with the media that the concept was eventually ripped off by the NBA. Not a great deal is known about Jackie, which is good, because nothing dims a legend faster than facts. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Joe Vanilla Sky Alexander has restless, jumpy feet that propel him way up to block shots and confound his opponents. The Smooth Criminal, as he was called when he played for Spain, didnt stick with the NBA for too long, but sure made an impact. If thats not impressive enough for you, he also played on two NBA championship teams and later coached the Philadelphia 76ers for eight seasons. Mitch Kupchak witnessed a similar jump-off among 6-4 David Thompson, 6-9 Marvin Barnes and 7-4 Tom Burleson. These are not necessarily great basketball players, understand, but their ability to jump has made them objects of something much deeper than profound respect. Cunningham reached 200, 300, and 400 wins faster than any previous coach in NBA history. Philadelphia fans showed surprisingly little bitterness toward Cunningham, who rewarded them with 19.5 ppg in 1974-75. In 1965 Cunningham graduated from UNC and was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the National Basketball Association (NBA) draft. Yep. In the 2005 NBA pre-draft camp he gained 34.5 inches of air. Cunningham hit for 18.9 ppg and 7.6 rpg. Buffman and Cunningham decided to team up in the venture, and they brought in Lewis Schaffel and Ted Arison. Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: Sports Figures. He ran out of his house and to the hoop at St. Rose of Lima grammar school, three blocks away. Note, this is done in an automated way, so we apologize for any errors, & please. They took about 10 jumps each. He cant quite jump out of the gym, but he has come close to jumping out of a bar or two. Sure, Casper and friends tend to dominate less vertically challenging sports like golf, hockey, and tennis, but they have also held their own on the floorboards. They were a winning team the next two seasons but could not repeat as champions, and Cunningham retired after the 19841985 season. During a game in 1963 against Clemson University, he grabbed a record twenty-seven rebounds. It was like, Legend has it that 20 men are buried in Boot Hill because of this guy. I knew he was right there with me. Thats a mouthful. These are two very, very different kinds of feathered friends. Very easily.. Joey made the trip but was nursing a hip pointer, so he couldnt suit up. Oh my God, Smith recalled thinking. With an average height of 64, Arizin had fantastic ball handling skills, played a mean defense, and had some seriously bouncy feet. [8] During his tenure, the team featured Bobby Jones, Maurice Cheeks, Andrew Toney, Moses Malone, and Julius Erving. Known as "The Kangaroo Kid," Billy Cunningham was a high-flying scorer who won an NBA title as a player and coach with the 76ers. In Game 2 of the 1967 NBA Finals, Cunningham scored 28 points during a 126-95 win over the San Francisco Warriors.[3]. Somebody done gotcha. But man, that was sweet music. Is Billy Cunningham married? Cade Cunningham has a vertical jump of 41 inches. Moral of this story: dont count the white guys out of this sport just yet. There is a tavern called the Corner Club, in Moscow, Ida. I defy anyone to say they took change off the top of the backboard, Chamberlain said. Some of the guys started dunking. He played circles around a guy named Robert Cousy. Many have speculated about the reasons behind this phenomenon. That swagger had to come from somewhere. He cant even walk.. In his UNC career, he scored 1,709 points (24.8 points per game), and grabbed 1,062 rebounds (15.4 rebounds per game). College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com, Scores from any date in BAA/NBA or ABA history, Frequently Asked Questions about the NBA, WNBA and Basketball, Basketball-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREE. Though he portrayed a large woman in "You have to Walk it like . Find out more. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Imagine yourself lifting off the blacktop, up and up, until you can reach into the air far above the rim. Chris Wallace, the college talent scout, said: I dont believe measurements. Despite his Caucasian genetic setbacks, he shot up an unbelievable 41.5 inches at the NBA Draft Combine in 2014. I got fired up and did a 360 dunk. Almost always the feat involves money--claims that the player could grab a dollar bill off the top of the board, or could pluck off a quarter and leave two dimes and a nickel change. He was in the gym in Mesa one afternoon, in street clothes and basketball shoes. Player stats broken down into various categories; i.e. Cunningham returned to Philadelphia in 1977 to become the coach of the 76ers, replacing Gene Shue. Hey, a sportswriter dunks. Ridiculous, but it has been done, by a kid youve probably never heard of, unless you started reading this story at the end. You cant accomplish that feat unless youve got some serious springs in your heels! Herb White was moved to write a poem about an eagle that had lost its ability to soar. There have been--and are--very good white jumpers. He was with the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers for 17 years . Billy Cunningham was drafted by Philadelphia 76ers, 1st round (7th pick, 7th overall), 1965 NBA Draft. I loved it instantly." One explanation for the reverence accorded the big jumpers is offered by psychologist-sportscaster Bob Costas, who once did play-by-play for the Spirit of St. Louis, a team in the now-defunct American Basketball Assn., where every game was a jam-boree. In 1987, Cunningham replaced Tom Heinsohn as the lead color commentator (alongside play-by-play man Dick Stockton) for CBS' NBA telecasts. Celtics legend Larry Bird might just be the most famous white guy in basketball. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. In 1966-67, the 76ers dominated the NBA. In the Division Finals, the Cougars lost a tight seven-game series to the Kentucky Colonels, 4 games to 3. The difference between the two marks, in inches, is the players sergeant jump, as in, Joe Smith has a 29-inch sergeant.. Anybodv can win the lottery.. A lot of great leapers dont bother to perfect those skills, because they are treated with such awe. The breakthrough occurred when Harvey Pollack, the venerable stat whiz of the Philadelphia 76ers, collected dunk data from every team for the entire 1987-88 NBA season, accounting for every last slammeroo. Draft: Philadelphia 76ers, 1st round (7th pick, 7th overall), 1965 NBA draft, More Cunningham pages at Sports Reference, Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 6:03AM. Earl Manigault was another fabulous flyer off the Eastern blacktop in the late 50s and early 60s. In his rookie season of 19651966 Cunningham was at first assigned to be a guard, then switched positions, becoming a small forward. After acquiring the talented Moses Malone for the 19821983 season, Philadelphia won sixty-five regular season games and then the league championship, losing one of thirteen play-off games. Erasmus Hall in Brooklyn, New York, Draft: amc gremlin for sale washington state billy cunningham vertical jump. Then theres Jerry Mr. Theres not room for both of us. The next day Red let Rabbit go. So he tried it again, grabbed the nail and bent it straight down. A fairly average 65 Sura fit in among the other players on the court, but he set himself apart with his gorgeous dunking abilities. Its a feeling of power and freedom Ive never gotten from anything else. Well find out next season. However, the poet laureate of leap is Darryl Dawkins. Billy Cunningham wasn't nicknamed the Kangaroo Kid because he had a pouch. In his final season, he was the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year. Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: Sports Figures. The college boys are no doubt wide eyed and gape-mouthed when they meet this coach for the first time. Still, the Sixers finished 34-48, only the second losing season of Cunninghams career. At Carolina, he was reunited with the coach Larry Brown, who had been a UNC teammate. He was all but unknown at the University of Massachusetts, then played five seasons in the semi-secret ABA. He was a tough, intense, competitive player who used his intelligence as much as his physical talents. The following season Philadelphia won sixty-two games and the Eastern Division title but lost to the Celtics in the playoffs. He led the Cougars to the best record in the league and was selected to the All-ABA First Team and was named the ABA MVP. He was a No. Manigault, for instance, developed an addiction to heroin, stole to get it, did time in two prisons. [9] In 1996, Cunningham was voted as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History as part of the NBA's 50th Anniversary. His masterpiece was a backboard shattering dunk over Kansas City forward Bill Robinzine. Cunningham again led the team in scoring in 1970-71, ranking ninth in the NBA with 23.0 ppg. Cunningham began his second basketball career on Nov. 4, 1977, when he was hired to replace Gene Shue at the Sixers helm. ." Billy Cunningham of the Philadelphia 76ers shoots a jump shot against the Boston Celtics during a game played in 1968 at the Boston Garden in Boston,. If you play the game, you know how high that is. As if this wasnt impressive enough, it was during a practice with the LA Lakers about a month after the Combine that he flew up 46 inches, creating a new pre-draft record. ." The 6-2 product of the Harlem slums could dunk, catch the ball with his opposite hand and dunk it again, all in the same leap. I won the unofficial NBA slam dunk title that season, said White, who now sells heavy equipment in Georgia. The NBA had no such contest at the time, considering such frivolity to be beneath the senior leagues dignity. White, also known as the Elevator from Decatur, made the NBA all-time all-warmup team that one season. Billy Cunningham was a standout scorer for the Philadelphia 76ers. Hes set records for leading the NBA in dunks during his very first year playing pro. Billy Cunningham (Billy; The Kangaroo Kid) Position: Forward 6-6 , 210lb (198cm, 95kg) School: North Carolina (Men) Draft: Philadelphia 76ers, 1st round (7th pick, 7th overall), 1965 NBA draft SUMMARY Career G 69 PTS 24.8 TRB 15.4 AST - FG% 47.3 FT% 62.8 Cunningham Overview More Cunningham Pages More Cunningham pages at Sports Reference It didnt make no difference to him.. Bobby Jones could swoop and soar. I have seen everybody, Hill said. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? In the JC championship game, an opponent fired a jump shot at the buzzer. This guy wasnt a leaper, but it will show you what I mean. 1924- [5] The reversal of that judgment in the United States Court of Appeals .mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}6+12 months later on April 5, 1972, meant that Cunningham was obligated to honor his Cougars contract until its expiration in October 1974. Someone would put a quarter up and Id snatch it down. He averaged 24.1 ppg (fourth best in the league) and 6.3 apg (fifth best), leading the Cougars to a 57-27 record, tops in the ABAs Eastern Division. After playing for Philadelphia from 1965 to 1972, he signed a free agent contract with the ABA's . [6] He announced on June 15, 1972, that he was going to play with the Cougars beginning with the upcoming season at press conferences in Charlotte and Greensboro, North Carolina which occurred almost simultaneous to the Sixers' introduction of Roy Rubin as its new head coach.[7]. The obvious question is, why didnt more of these guys play in the NBA? He was a consummate team player, and he used the same unifying concept and enthusiasm to become a successful head coach. I loved it instantly.. Billy Cunningham was born in the Parkville section of Brooklyn, New York. Fiery and volatile, he would pace the sidelines, driving his team relentlessly. I mean, what next? CUNNINGHAM, William John ("Billy") ( b. His entire head and neck were above the rim. He scored 16,310 points and pulled down nearly 8,000 rebounds. At six feet, seven inches tall and 220 pounds, Cunningham was a consistent scorer and fierce rebounder. Professional basketball player The 1996 dunk competition boasted great ballers like the 76ers Jerry Stackhouse and the Suns Michael Finley, and nobody really expected the Lakers guard to triumph. I told him Id read he had a 44. Those Sixers advanced to the East finals before losing in five games to the Celtics. Its a rush, a thrill, said the Elevator from Decatur. These guys will never forget the blur of that mullet-ed head flying past them. And there was a dog. In 1968-69, Cunningham broke loose, scoring 24.8 ppg and recording 12.8 rpg while earning his first of four consecutive All-Star appearances and the first of three successive berths on the All-NBA First Team. I was right there and it wasnt a foot. Some of them were pretty damn eccentric. Since joining the NBA in the 2002-03 season, this guy has achieved dozens of honours and awards, including three MVP award shares and a spot playing in two All-Star games. Send us your videotape. Then an All-Star. In a way the injury made things easy for me, he added. He had wide shoulders--he was built like Orlando (Woolridge), 6-7 or 6-8. Since his slamming days in the NBA, hes continued with the sport as a scout, director, analyst, commentator, and even vice president of player personnel. Billy Cunningham found success and stardom during his ABA days. Very tall players are seldom recognized as great leapers. How in the world can this kid play ball? In Madison Square Garden, he got a standing ovation for his warmup dunks. A sample: In Your Face Disgrace, Sexophonic Turbo Delight, Hammer of Thor, and Yo Mamma. To think that we can thank a bunch of sweaty dancers for this fundamental basketball maneuver. Hed shoot it short and Joe and I would leap up and shake hands over the basket.. In the exhibition season he was assigned to bring the ball up the court against Bostons K.C. People think, mistakenly in most cases, that they could hit a baseball, Costas says. Media in category "Billy Cunningham" The following 5 files are in this category, out of 5 total. Cade Cunningham Vertical Jump Height. You dont play with a red, white and blue ball if youre into dignity. In 1967, he teamed with fellow Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain and Hal Greer to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to the NBA title. Youd be hard pressed to find a list of Best Dunks that didnt include his legendary knee-to-the-throat jump on Mark Jackson, where he rose like a Phoenix (how clever!) What happens when you put stilts on kangaroo? He recorded 14 triple doubles in the NBA and 5 in the ABA, good for 43rd all-time in the NBA and 5th in the ABA. Instead he went to Georgia as a white player and was a so-so power forward. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Or write about sports? [1] His first regular show on the station was at night, generally from 9:00 p.m. until midnight. One expert, Mitch Kupchak, the Lakers assistant general manager, was asked to name the games bona fide super leapers. He was a role player on the 1967 title team in . No question, the mystique of the superleaper remains. In 1969-70, Cunningham averaged a career-best 26.1 points, fourth-highest in the league behind Jerry West, Lew Alcindor (later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) and Elvin Hayes. The legendary player and coach was named the ABA MVP for the 1972-73 season. Ill give you an example. One of basketball's all-time greats, Cunningham was elected to the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame and honored by selection to both the NBA's 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams as one of its legendary players, as well as to the ABA All-Time Team. It was the Human Highlight Film vs. a Selected Short. David Robinson, future NBA Hall-of-Famer and leader of the San Antonio Spurs, was born in Key We, Chamberlain, Wilt Current Grand Canyon Antelopes coach and the Phoenix Suns favourite former shooting guard/small forward is an NBA All Star, an Olympian, and World Team member. Curtis Bunn, a 6-1 reporter for Newsday, has a very decent repertoire of slams. After this historic 2015 event, Twitter lit up with the hashtag #WhiteMenCanJump (the up in lit up is so well placed, right?). 3 June 1943 in Brooklyn, New York), professional basketball player known for his vertical leap who was a top scorer and rebounder in the 1960s and 1970s, and who later became a winning coach, television commentator, and team owner. I made a left turn at the baseline, flew under the basket to the other side, put it through his arms, and dunked it with two hands over my head. During one game he went THROUGH and OVER the 77 Manute Bol of the Golden State Warriors to ALMOST score. . The ABA wasnt about dignity, it was about style. He was never even charged with wrongdoing, but the NBA ban stuck until Connies lawyers broke it down in 1969, when the Hawk was 27 and well past his swooping prime. So goes the popular assumption. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list. These guys more than held their own in a sport where they were absolutely a minority. Then he enters into the [NBA] expansion pursuit and gets it. At halftime of one Southern Idaho game, Joey was pursuaded to give a brief high-jump demonstration. Michael Jordan has stopped just short of holding the ball in his mouth, uncoiling his tongue in mid-flight and inventing the Anteater Slam. Joey was a good player at Banning High in Wilmington and spent two years at the College of Southern Idaho, a junior college. As a sophomore, with as little work, he improved to 7-5 7/8. In his first ABA season, Cunningham averaged 24.1 points per game, 12.0 rebounds per game, and led the league in total steals. American basketball player Join our linker program. This guy that was also selected for the MLB draft, spent time with the Orioles, and pitched an impressive 96 mph. A commitment to the basic fundamentals of any game lead to progress, growth, and success. junio 12, 2022. abc news anchors female philadelphia . Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 4:50AM. After the 197374 season, Cunningham returned to the 76ers, where he played until torn knee cartilage and ligaments ended his career as an active player early in the 197576 season. Its even been called hellicious.. billy cunningham vertical jump. The color barrier and the sex barrier of slam-dunk have fallen: Many white guys and a few women can dunk. As the NBA celebrates it's 75th Anniversary Season, get to know dozens of star players who helped make the NBA what it is today. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. Why not simply whip out a tape measure and measure the leapers leaps, take the guesswork out of whos the greatest? Gus was a colorful thunder dunker and a breaker of backboards. Stanford's 6-4 Todd Lichti is a big-time leaper, regardless of race, creed or color. The schools former coach, Frank McGuire, was the one who had recruited Cunningham, which left Smith with a prize recruit he had never seen. Gus once said, When I dunked that ball and heard that shot for the first time, I said to myself, Oh, oh, Gus. William John Cunningham (born June 3, 1943) is an American former professional basketball player and coach, who was nicknamed the Kangaroo Kid for his leaping and record-setting rebounding abilities. Cunningham became a top analyst for CBSs broadcasts of NBA games. We know he was born in New Bern, N.C., grew up (and flew up) in Brooklyn, attended Virginia Union, then played several years for the Harlem Globetrotters and in the old Eastern League. Carolina lost to the Kentucky Colonels in the Eastern Division rinals, but Cunninghams regular-season performance earned him the ABA MVP. The ONLY white man. If they play the game far above the rim, it is because they are tall. Basketball was just a game they played for fun. His list of honors continued in 1986 when he was elected to the Hall of Fame, in 1990 when he was one of the 10 initial inductees to the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame and in 1996, he was named to the NBA 50th Anniversary All-Time Team.