This guy wasnt a leaper, but it will show you what I mean. This is where we get into sword-and-stone mythology. These guys will never forget the blur of that mullet-ed head flying past them. Billy Cunningham - IMDb Erasmus Hall in Brooklyn, New York, Draft: His departure had a disastrous effect. He would get up in the air and spread those wings, hed be swoopin. Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. There are celebrity dunk-offs. In the twentieth game of the 19751976 season, Cunningham's career suddenly and inexplicably ended. Cunningham achieved a career trifecta in law, business, and government. He was all but unknown at the University of Massachusetts, then played five seasons in the semi-secret ABA. He prevailed in the end! He played nine seasons for the Baltimore Bullets, beginning in 63, and he died last year. However, you can take all the sergeant numbers of all the jumping jacks, put the numbers in a manure spreader and sprinkle them on your lawn or garden. Its not just his personality that gets attention, though; hes been an NBA Champion in 2013, participated in the Slam Dunk Contest twice, and his vertical leap measures in at a not-too-shabby 37 inches. On 6 May 1986 Cunningham was elected into the NBA Hall of Fame, as one of its ten initial inductees. Dont try a big leap. I asked Kareem if he ever did, and he could jump a little bit. For his college career he averaged 24.8 points per game and set a school record with 1,062 rebounds. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Here's a number: 44 inches. You dont play with a red, white and blue ball if youre into dignity. About a year ago, I was in a playground game with some black guys. As a high school senior, he received a scholarship offer from a Midwestern college, asking him to become the schools first black player. Gus was a colorful thunder dunker and a breaker of backboards. Realizing they needed a dominant big man to contain Abdul-Jabbar, Philadelphia acquired the two-time MVP (1979 and 82) Moses Malone from the Houston Rockets (Malone would win a third MVP as a Sixer in that first season in Philadelphia) before the 1982-83 season. It's also available for football, hockey and baseball. He once grabbed a record 27 rebounds in a game vs. Clemson on February 16, 1963. He was an NBA champion both as a player (1967) and as a coach (1983). Part of Dr. Js legend is the same as the mystique of a gunfighter coming into town, Costas said. His fame began while he was playing at St. Rose of Lima and later Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn,[1] where he was the MVP in the Brooklyn League in 1961. Thats about half the height of Michael Jordan. 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. Clutch West, with his awe-inspiring 60-foot shot in the 1970 NBA Final. Hey, a sportswriter dunks. There have been--and are--very good white jumpers. 22 Feb. 2023 . During his eight seasons as the coach of the 76ers, Philadelphia won 454 regular season games and lost 196. No question, the mystique of the superleaper remains. If that's not impressive enough for you, he also played on two NBA championship teams and later coached the Philadelphia 76ers for eight seasons. Were playing in Philadelphia, against Wilt, Hawkins relates. Thats about the height of the average 4-year-old. Encyclopedias almanacs transcripts and maps, Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: Sports Figures. 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. Home Depot Is Selling A Giant 89-Pound Crab Statue For $1,500. Philadelphia then became a member of the leagues elite. The greatest leaper I ever saw was Jackie. Legends abound of the truly great leapers who could touch the top of the board. In fact, he set the record for most blocks and field goal percentage in a season at his high school, Linganore High in Mt. Mike Conley, who is 6-2 and a triple jumper, won the Foot Locker Slam Dunk Contest last weekend, with 6-2 Raider receiver Tim Brown finishing third and swimmer Matt Biondi in the top five. [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]. Stanford's 6-4 Todd Lichti is a big-time leaper, regardless of race, creed or color. They were trying to touch the top of the board, Nissalke said. The Grizzlies say their star guard will be away from the team for 'at least' the next 2 games. Billy Cunningham College Stats | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com There have been--and are--very good white jumpers. The greatest jumper today? Herb White was moved to write a poem about an eagle that had lost its ability to soar. In the 197374 season, Cunningham and the Cougars finished third in the Eastern Division and lost again to the Kentucky Colonels in the Eastern Division semifinals. home/away, monthly, etc More Billy Cunningham Basketball Reference pages, Compare Billy Cunningham to other players. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. His standing vertical was 37.5 inches. 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. Most of these leapers are black, and in the late 50s and early 60s, the NBA still had unofficial quotas, and only eight or nine teams. (February 22, 2023). And the problem these days is inflation. The next year he exploded for 24.8 points per game and 12.8 rebounds and he was named a first-team All-Star. "It's a remarkable life.". billy cunningham vertical jump - mail.edtna-erca.org And there was a dog. His performance in the 2009 Sprite Slam Dunk Contest was nothing less than stellar, and some say he was robbed of the chance to move to the next round. CREATIVE. Thompson, as a consolation prize, won the MVP award in the All-Star game itself. Marcus Allen was born on March 26, 1960, to Harold and Gwen Allen in San Diego, CA. With the exception of Chamberlain, Dr. J was the first superleaper who was also a superstar NBA player, and the first big-time player to exploit the dunk as an art form at the pro level. Billy Cunningham Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images It was like, Legend has it that 20 men are buried in Boot Hill because of this guy. [1] His first regular show on the station was at night, generally from 9:00 p.m. until midnight. June 3, 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. Note, this is done in an automated way, so we apologize for any errors, & please. The soaring flight of the great leaper is amazing, even to himself. Now imagine yourself crouching a bit, like Superman, and springing high into the air. Wilt mentioned a few names, then said, You know, there was a white boy who played for Atlanta around 1970. Chris Wallace, the college talent scout, said: I dont believe measurements. Michael Jordan has stopped just short of holding the ball in his mouth, uncoiling his tongue in mid-flight and inventing the Anteater Slam. In the 2005 NBA pre-draft camp he gained 34.5 inches of air. Bobby Jones could swoop and soar. He ran to the nearest school, three blocks away, and started shooting baskets. Knowing he was inexperienced, Cunningham assembled a group of veteran ex-coaches as assistants, including Chuck Daly, who later to become head coach of the Detroit Pistons. My sergeant was higher than Jordans. In fact, his hockey-head-ish hair might even be as famous as his dunk. ." All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. Lets add Billy Hoyle as an honourary #16 to this list, shall we? 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. As a freshman he went out for the track team, worked out a total of 10 hours, then high-jumped 7-3 7/8. Date of birth: 3 June 1943 . Spencer Haywood, for one, claims to have been to the top. Basketball Player Billy Cunningham's Net Worth, Wife, and Bio I saw him come down the floor once, in the Eastern League, on a fast break. Thats how much air was between Connaughton and those shiny floorboards at the NBA Combine in 2015. Upload media Wikipedia. 1 draft choice. In his first ABA season, Cunningham averaged 24.1 points per game, 12.0 rebounds per game, and led the league in total steals. Those Sixers advanced to the East finals before losing in five games to the Celtics. And that performance in Denver was the national coming-out party for Dr. J, the godfather of dunk. As a professional he was selected to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, an NBA All-Star, All-NBA First and Second Team, an ABA All-Star, All-ABA First Team, and the ABA Most Valuable Player. Billy Cunningham was born on June 3, 1943. In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. Midway through the previous season the club had acquired Wilt Chamberlain from the San Francisco Warriors, and in his first full campaign with the Sixers, he helped them to the Eastern Division title. 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. Do you have a blog? Cunningham hit for 18.9 ppg and 7.6 rpg. These men have their own ancient orders, such as Phi Slama Jama, the mythical fraternity created during the 1982-83 college season by Houston scribe Thomas Bonk, now a Times writer, to honor the dunk-happy University of Houston Cougars. 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. Professional basketball player, sports administrator Despite his Caucasian genetic setbacks, he shot up an unbelievable 41.5 inches at the NBA Draft Combine in 2014. Geraldo Rivera is standing by. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny OFFICIAL TRAILER! "Cunningham, William John ("Billy") His colourful tattoos and hairstyles are about as famous as his skills too, with hairdos including mohawks, spikes, and shoulder-length shag. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Effortless, absolutely effortless.. Oh my God, Smith recalled thinking. He came on back to Harlem. (2000). //]]>. I used to dunk on that basket. June 12, 2022 . He was with the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers for 17 years . The Philadelphia 76ers star was a consistent scorer throughout his heyday in the 1960s and '70s. Many of the legendary leapers of that era didnt play NBA ball because all they could do was leap. Curtis Bunn, a 6-1 reporter for Newsday, has a very decent repertoire of slams. Browse 310 billy_cunningham stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. window.__mirage2 = {petok:"ZbxZ3AJWWjyZL0HXDpABwVdW.7p3rtLrWMEsK2FPL0A-86400-0"}; Cade Cunningham has a vertical jump of 41 inches. Never got off the bench, but in warmups he could dunk better than anyone Ive ever seen.. billy cunningham vertical jump Many have speculated about the reasons behind this phenomenon. The Memphis forward sustained the injury Friday night during the 1st quarter of the Grizzlies 113-97 loss to the Nuggets. Joe Vanilla Sky Alexander has restless, jumpy feet that propel him way up to block shots and confound his opponents. Or write about sports? He played 80 games, primarily as a sixth man, while averaging 14.3 points and 7.5 rebounds a game. Dennis never was much of a leaper. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. Imagine yourself lifting off the blacktop, up and up, until you can reach into the air far above the rim. During one game he went THROUGH and OVER the 77 Manute Bol of the Golden State Warriors to ALMOST score. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. He was All-ACC, the ACC Player of the Year, and an All-American in college, later named to the ACC 50th Anniversary men's basketball team honoring the fifty best players in Atlantic Coast Conference history. In 1972-73, he was named the Most Valuable Player of the American Basketball Association and he scored 18 points in the ABA All-Star Game. When they were not taking everything off, the dancing was more alluring. If accurate, that would have put him as the 10th-highest max vertical leaper (not standing, but with a short running start) in the NBA Draft, just behind Grayson Allen's number of 40.5 inches. If the Land of Leap had a national holiday, it would be Feb. 8, the anniversary of the legendary 1976 ABA All-Star games first--and last--slam dunk contest. I mean, what next? We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. No discussion of legendary leapers is complete without heated debate. Moral of this story: dont count the white guys out of this sport just yet. Not only could he dunk, but he had a serious white boy swagger. Most of the players had between 29 and 33, so I dont believe any of that stuff in the 40s.. These are two very, very different kinds of feathered friends. "Shue Ousted, Cunningham Named; N.B.A. According to a warrant for Morrow's arrest, he's facing charges of assault by strangulation, second-degree kidnapping and communicating threats. Carolina lost to the Kentucky Colonels in the Eastern Division rinals, but Cunninghams regular-season performance earned him the ABA MVP. 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 His list of accolades from his time at the University of North Carolina is probably as long as his legs (hes 67, in case youre wondering), which is not surprising since anybody with the nickname Kangaroo Kid must have worked pretty hard and jumped pretty high to earn it. Its almost like you were floating, like there was no such thing as gravity. I said to myself, Ive got to try. I angled to the right. Its almost like burlesque dancing. Throughout his life, Cunningham excelled at all aspects of the game he loved. 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. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. So he tried it again, grabbed the nail and bent it straight down. That Feb. 8, the ABA trotted out its five best slammers. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. Weve all heard the saying: white men cant jump. Ron Shelton even made a (fantastic) movie about it in the 90s! It was legendary, however, and cemented young Majerle as one of the best white dunkers of all time. City, and a member of the Parade Magazine All-America Team. That's because like many players expected to be picked very high in the draft, they do not attend the Draft Combine or its measurements. I cant put my finger on it exactly, but there was just something about the game. The Hawks favorite flight story, like many stories of that era, features Chamberlain as a foil. What happens when you put stilts on kangaroo? Before the game, English and I went back and forth. Find out more. Then an All-Star. Hed shoot it short and Joe and I would leap up and shake hands over the basket.. In 1966 Cunningham In 1967, he teamed with fellow Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain and Hal Greer to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to the NBA title. With a dad who played basketball center for Northwestern Oklahoma University, and a childhood that included playing baseball, football, AND hoops, Blake Griffin was destined for greatness. Rosters Cut,", "1978 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals - New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers", Goldaper, Sam. Dont send letters, leapers. Yep. That swagger had to come from somewhere. 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. Then he went to North Carolina and was an All-American. Or write about sports? https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/cunningham-william-john-billy, "Cunningham, William John ("Billy") 1936-1999 A person who is a poor leaper is said to have white mans disease. White guys use the expression, black guys use it, mostly in a spirit of good fun. Its like walking on air. He also became an NBA broadcaster on national television and later a part-owner of the Miami Heat. Wed been on the bus eight hours by then, Trenkle said. He finished well out of the running--or jumping--when he clanged at least one attempt off the rim. At Southern Idaho, the legend grew. If you give bonus points for obscurity and mystery, it would be Joey Johnson, younger brother of Celtic guard Dennis. Cunningham guided the 76ers for eight years, reaching the 200- and 300-victory levels faster than any coach before him. After that season, he earned the first of what would be three straight All-NBA First Team selections. White started five games, but was mostly a mop-up guy, then was injured and finished his career in a pro league in Mexico. [8] During his tenure, the team featured Bobby Jones, Maurice Cheeks, Andrew Toney, Moses Malone, and Julius Erving. Joey? Cunningham arrived in Chapel Hill just as Dean Smith was taking over as the head basketball coach of the UNC Tar Heels. Soon Greer would be alone. I was right there and it wasnt a foot. He was a five-time All Star, 1972-73 MVP, and received recognition for numerous goals, throws, rebounds, and assist plays. RotoWire names five under-the-radar players who could add value to your rosters as we approach fantasy playoffs. Legends profile: Billy Cunningham | NBA.com Latrell Sprewell, a rising NBA star, would be known more for his off-court antics than his bas, Erving, Julius 1950 Its unbelievable. inBrooklyn,New York Contending that the Cougars had reneged on paying the remaining $80,000 of a $125,000 signing bonus due on May 15, 1970, he reversed himself and signed a fouryear, $950,000 contract extension to stay with the 76ers through 197475 on July 15, 1970. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Robinson, David 1965 Its even been called hellicious.. I was phoning the Charlotte Hornets to reach David (Skywalker) Thompson, who now works in the teams front office, when a female secretary said: Ive only seen two players who did things that I watched and I didnt believe--David, and Michael Jordan. Still, the thrill is not all gone. Griffin was born of half Afro-Haitian descent and half Caucasian. Finally he did a 360, one handed. I see kids in the eighth grade, kids 5-11, dunking behind their heads, said Rod Thorn, former National Basketball Assn. and inspired headlines everywhere to scream White Men CAN Jump! Seriously, though. Most of these leapers were from the inner city, where they suffered from overexposure to drugs and underexposure to formal education. Pasty skin. The Philadelphia team Cunningham inherited featured Julius Erving, George McGinnis, Doug Collins, Lloyd B. I told him Id read he had a 44. The Doc won it with a long run, a leap from two inches inside the free throw line and a dramatic, powerful windmill slam. We Have Fusion Energy! Another oft-told legend has Jackie on defense. There was a Philadelphia boy, Sonny Hill, about 5-10 (actually 5-9), he was the first guy that size I ever saw dunk. Biography. Patterson, who recently resigned as Arizona States coach, said that Johnson is really an impact player, but not consistently good and solid. Position: He is still the winningest coach in Sixers history. His departure had a disastrous effect on the 76ers, who posted a 9-73 record in 1972-73, the worst mark in NBA history.

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