In Game 2 of the 1967 NBA Finals, Cunningham scored 28 points during a 126-95 win over the San Francisco Warriors.[3]. Wilt mentioned a few names, then said, You know, there was a white boy who played for Atlanta around 1970. 1 draft choice. The next year he exploded for 24.8 points per game and 12.8 rebounds and he was named a first-team All-Star. 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. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. When Joey was a high school senior, Clarke took his Watts Magicians to Mesa, Ariz., for a prep tournament. Not a great deal is known about Jackie, which is good, because nothing dims a legend faster than facts. Griffin was born of half Afro-Haitian descent and half Caucasian. Its a feeling of power and freedom Ive never gotten from anything else. The greatest leaper I ever saw was Jackie. and inspired headlines everywhere to scream White Men CAN Jump! Seriously, though. There are celebrity dunk-offs. Showing all 5 items. My perception is, with players that rely on their jumping ability, they reach a certain level of competition where their fundamental skills have to kick in, they have to become a basketball player, he said. 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. Hes sought advice from Tim Duncan on how to be a great leader and win with his team. All rights reserved. There is no full-length biography of Cunningham, but he is mentioned in most authoritative histories of basketball and in several magazine and online profiles. Has Joey Johnson simply outleaped the game of basketball? And Dirk Nowitzki who no doubt has walls plastered top to bottom with awards and achievements. Professional basketball player He was about a foot from the top.. In 1961, his senior year, Cunningham led his team to the city championship and was a high school All-American. Cunningham would never play again. He would replace the injured and aging Luke Jackson as the starting power forward of the team, and averaged 24.8 points per game and 12.8 rebounds per game during the 196869 season while leading the 76ers to 55 wins. 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. Refer to each styles convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates. And despite the proliferation of dunkers, there is a very elite group of leapers. Send us your videotape. Cunningham led the league in steals with 216 and was fourth in scoring with a 24.1 points-per-game average. Hed shoot it short and Joe and I would leap up and shake hands over the basket.. Small Forward and Power Forward In the exhibition season he was assigned to bring the ball up the court against Bostons K.C. There is a tavern called the Corner Club, in Moscow, Ida. Cunningham could not even crack the starting lineupwhich included Wilt Chamberlain, Chet Walker, Lucious Jackson, Hal Greer, and Wally Jonesbut he averaged 18.5 points and 7.3 rebounds per game coming off the bench. 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. As a rebounder and jump shooter he averaged 18.5 ppg and 7.3 rpg. VIDEO: Giant Space Slingshot In Action. In 1965, Cunningham joined the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association. One dunking dinosaur who could fly and play was Gus Johnson, a 6-6 hipster-forward who had a gold star implanted in a front tooth. Look up. Boston kept Philadelphia out of The 1981 Finals, but the Sixers roared back to the 1982 before falling to the Lakers again. The rim was two inches low. Bones Barry is pretty much Larry Bird, only with a slightly higher jump and significantly longer shorts. In the JC championship game, an opponent fired a jump shot at the buzzer. As a rookie in 1965-66, he pulled down 7.5 rpg, scored 14.3 ppg and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team. Curtis Bunn, a 6-1 reporter for Newsday, has a very decent repertoire of slams. 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. In todays semifinals, folks, well see Gary (Up in the Airy) Coleman vs. Bea (the Flea) Arthur, and Jumpin Johnny Carson vs. Pogo Stick Peter Jennings. There was a guard from Harlem named Rabbit. Find out more. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. These are true royalty: Sir Jamalot, Sir Slam, the Prince of Midair. Ginoblili is 39 years old and recently won a jump ball against the 22-year-old Nerlens Noel, who has a good five inches on the Argentinian-Italian. Anybodv can win the lottery.. Philadelphia then became a member of the leagues elite. Billy Cunningham averaged 21.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game. Free, Darryl Dawkins and Bobby Jones. But while Cunningham was reaching his peak, the 76ers were beginning to crumble. 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. . for once. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 4:50AM. "Cunningham Quits; Loughery Dropped,", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Billy_Cunningham&oldid=1135516255, 3-year letter winner (in his day, freshmen were ineligible for, His number 32 jersey is retired by the Philadelphia 76ers; however, he allowed it to be worn by, This page was last edited on 25 January 2023, at 03:41. His masterpiece was a backboard shattering dunk over Kansas City forward Bill Robinzine. Join our linker program. I get a rebound and Im driving up the floor, ready to go coast to coast. 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The University of North Carolina (UNC) coach Frank McGuire convinced Cunningham to enroll there. The new generation of jumpers, ushered in by Julius Erving, has pushed the dunk to new artistic heights. His show is on the air from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. What type of shoes did Billy Cunningham wear? But the winning wasnt over. In the 19701971 season he again was an All-Star starter and finished ninth in the NBA with 23.0 points per game. He ran to the nearest school, three blocks away, and started shooting baskets. Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: Sports Figures. His jump was absolutely awesome. He told me, Sonny, no. . He prevailed in the end! In Madison Square Garden, he got a standing ovation for his warmup dunks. The two teams waged a court battle, each claiming the rights to Cunningham, but the new league won. It doesnt take a detective to see these were obviously a foreshadowing of plays to come. After three days, Rabbit said to Red, One of us is gonna have to go., Red said, What do you mean? Rabbit said, Either get rid of Bob Cousy or get rid of me. It's also available for football, hockey and baseball. The greatest nicknames in basketball are reserved for those who attain the greatest altitude. Youd go up, arch your back, and go up even higher. How tall is Billy Cunningham? Billy Cunningham wasnt nicknamed the Kangaroo Kid because he had a pouch. In warmups, we would always check out the other team and get into little contests with their guys. billy cunningham vertical jump. Really, though, hed have to in order to make it look like he belonged there among all the African American bball greats. He played nine seasons for the Baltimore Bullets, beginning in 63, and he died last year. 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. Encyclopedia.com. Billy Cunningham attended Erasmus Hall in Brooklyn, New York and UNC. Jones, a noted defensive terror. Position: "I don't know anything he has done that hasn't worked," said the Orlando, Florida, executive Pat Williams. Cunningham scored 18.9 points per game. Griffin has been one of the most electrifying dunkers in the NBA for the past eight years. During both is college and NBA career, this guy leapt like nobodys business. He once grabbed a record 27 rebounds in a game vs. Clemson on February 16, 1963. And that performance in Denver was the national coming-out party for Dr. J, the godfather of dunk. Were playing in Philadelphia, against Wilt, Hawkins relates. So he tried it again, grabbed the nail and bent it straight down. The legendary player and coach was named the ABA MVP for the 1972-73 season. Joey, standing about eight feet from the shooter, leaped and slapped the shot away. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Now thats something to brag about at Sunday family dinners. 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. In 1967, he teamed with fellow Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain and Hal Greer to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to the NBA title. Dennis never was much of a leaper. Billy Cunningham was born on June 3, 1943. Anybodv can win the lottery, a move in which a player drives past a defender by stepping one way and then quickly taking a big lateral step in the other direction. In 1966 Cunningham In the twentieth game of the 19751976 season, Cunningham's career suddenly and inexplicably ended. "I lived there that summer," he later recalled. 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. In 1987, Cunningham replaced Tom Heinsohn as the lead color commentator (alongside play-by-play man Dick Stockton) for CBS' NBA telecasts. He spent a total of 17 seasons with the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers (nine as player, eight as coach), and two seasons as a player with the Carolina Cougars of the ABA. In his first ABA season, Cunningham averaged 24.1 points per game, 12.0 rebounds per game, and led the league in total steals. City, and a member of the Parade Magazine All-America Team. Youre just up there and nobody else can get up there., David (Skywalker) Thompson said: Sometimes Id surprise myself. Nobody ever played the game could rise any better than Jackie. In a 14-year professional career studded with superla-tives, Wilt Chamberlain established the, Mikan, George These are professional men: Dr. J, Dr. Dunkenstein, Dr. Jam. Technicalities, you know. Nissalke tells of an informal leaping contest between second-year man Kareem, who then was Lew Alcindor, and Milwaukee forward Don Smith, who now is Zaid Abdul-Aziz. Within the Cite this article tool, pick a style to see how all available information looks when formatted according to that style. Watch even half of any of his highlight reels and youll understand why he made this list. Do you have a sports website? Earl Manigault was another fabulous flyer off the Eastern blacktop in the late 50s and early 60s. Billy Cunningham is an American former professional basketball player and coach, who was nicknamed the Kangaroo Kid. Jackie Jacksons all-around game, by most accounts, was only fair. He cant even walk.. 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. Last season, there were 5,757 NBA dunks by 246 players. 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. Cunningham hit for 18.9 ppg and 7.6 rpg. They think they could track down what the announcer calls a routine fly ball. [2] At the conclusion of the season he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team. I said to him, Yes, yes, yes! Wilt said, Im gonna kill you. . In the Division Finals, the Cougars lost a tight seven-game series to the Kentucky Colonels, 4 games to 3. billy cunningham vertical jump. [8] During his tenure, the team featured Bobby Jones, Maurice Cheeks, Andrew Toney, Moses Malone, and Julius Erving. Never got off the bench, but in warmups he could dunk better than anyone Ive ever seen.. That Feb. 8, the ABA trotted out its five best slammers. Home Depot Is Selling A Giant 89-Pound Crab Statue For $1,500. Chamberlain remembers other playground legends: Boy named Helicopter (real name: Herman Knowings) had incredible wingspan. Learn more and register, College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com Blog and Articles. After Chamberlain left the team in 1968, Cunningham became the 76ers' franchise player. Thats about half the height of Michael Jordan. Another oft-told legend has Jackie on defense. Theres no greater feeling than going up in a crowd, over guys a foot taller., Tommy (the Hawk) Hawkins said: If you can think about Peter Pan, thats the feeling. The ONLY white man. 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. Finally he did a 360, one handed. While he was dribbling down the court, his knee exploded. Cunningham became a playground regular, a gym rat, and a high school star, leading Erasmus Hall to the New York City Championship in 1961. Dunk-off of the Network Superstars? Hawkins is now vice president of communications for the Dodgers. Claims of sergeants in the mid- and high 40s are common. He scored 16,310 points and pulled down nearly 8,000 rebounds. 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. Youre entering another world up there. Erasmus Hall in Brooklyn, New York, Draft: He succeeded Gene Shue as head coach of the 24 76ers on November 4, 1977. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. The Grizzlies say their star guard will be away from the team for 'at least' the next 2 games. Wilt Chamberlain claims that his sergeant, during his prime, was 46 to 48 inches, easy. Of course, Wilt also claims he once averaged 50 points for an entire NBA season, so his credibility is suspect. By the time Dr. J got to the NBA, in 1976 at the age of 26, more than 25% of his leg spring--by his estimate--was shot. 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. 22 Feb. 2023 . His entire head and neck were above the rim. The Kangaroo Kid, Kang, Billy C are nicknames for Billy Cunningham. For three days, Rabbit put on a show like theyve never seen before. The Philadelphia 76ers star was a consistent scorer throughout his heyday in the 1960s and '70s. "In a way the injury made things easy for me," he said later. Gus once said, When I dunked that ball and heard that shot for the first time, I said to myself, Oh, oh, Gus. Join our linker program. 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. Before his senior year, White happened to work out with some Atlanta Hawks players and they went to coach Richie Guerin with tales of this amazing leaper. He and Hal Greer were the only key players from the 1967 championship team still playing vital roles. Cunningham achieved a career trifecta in law, business, and government. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. Note that this is not the official NBA measurement. Marcus Allen was born on March 26, 1960, to Harold and Gwen Allen in San Diego, CA. Michael Jordan has stopped just short of holding the ball in his mouth, uncoiling his tongue in mid-flight and inventing the Anteater Slam. 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. Then he goes into coaching and, percentage-wise, becomes one of the best ever. Keith Smart always reported he had a 44. So I did a 360, two handed, and he conceded.. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. He is still the winningest coach in Sixers history. He was an NBA champion both as a player (1967) and as a coach (1983). Billy Cunningham was born in the Parkville section of Brooklyn, New York. Data Provided By He played 80 games, primarily as a sixth man, while averaging 14.3 points and 7.5 rebounds a game. He led Philadelphia to the playoffs in every year as coach, and advanced to the NBA Finals 3 times, in the 197980, 198182 and 198283 seasons. Browse 1,052 billy cunningham stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. The Cougars had finished last the previous season, but with Brown and Cunningham inspiring the team, the Cougars finished first. Joey was a good player at Banning High in Wilmington and spent two years at the College of Southern Idaho, a junior college. Thats a mouthful. Upon his retirement on May 28, 1985,[13] his 454 wins as a head coach were the 12th best in NBA history. If thats not impressive enough for you, he also played on two NBA championship teams and later coached the Philadelphia 76ers for eight seasons. I told him Id read he had a 44. Cunningham became a top analyst for CBSs broadcasts of NBA games. If youve got a good imagination, imagine yourself wearing a baseball cap, and leaping so high, arms at your side, that you flick your head sideways and dunk your cap. After the 19711972 season, Cunningham left Philadelphia and the NBA for the rival American Basketball Association (ABA), signing on with the (North) Carolina Cougars. Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.com cannot guarantee each citation it generates. 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. Ill give you an example. Jay Norman, an outstanding defensive player, went into his defensive stance at the foul line. Part of Dr. Js legend is the same as the mystique of a gunfighter coming into town, Costas said. ." A lot of young men soar into the NBA but are quickly weighted down by injuries and the 82-game grind, such as Darrell (Dr. Dunkenstein) Griffith of the Utah Jazz. The schools former coach, Frank McGuire, was the one who had recruited Cunningham, which left Smith with a prize recruit he had never seen. Stand underneath a basketball hoop, a regulation 10-footer. He coached eight years with 76ers, never finishing lower than second place in the Atlantic and posted a career record of 454-196 (.698). Thompson, as a consolation prize, won the MVP award in the All-Star game itself. Could this be Gods way of telling us its time to raise the hoop? After that season, he earned the first of what would be three straight All-NBA First Team selections. Until recently, nobody ever tried to keep track of dunks on any league-wide scale. In those days, didnt nobody dunk but Wilt Chamberlain, so Sonny was an absolute marvel.. People think, mistakenly in most cases, that they could hit a baseball, Costas says. Whats unfortunate is that most people regard the great leapers as being only the short guys who could dunk, said the 7-1 1/16 Chamberlain. He was an incredible shot blocker. 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. He would get up in the air and spread those wings, hed be swoopin.