I went back a few hours later with a tape measure. How in the world can this kid play ball? Philadelphia fans showed surprisingly little bitterness toward Cunningham, who rewarded them with 19.5 ppg in 1974-75. Chris Wallace, the college talent scout, said: I dont believe measurements. Note that this is not the official NBA measurement. Chamberlain couldnt remember the players name, but Rod Thorn did. Not a great deal is known about Jackie, which is good, because nothing dims a legend faster than facts. junio 12, 2022. abc news anchors female philadelphia . Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? The college boys are no doubt wide eyed and gape-mouthed when they meet this coach for the first time. Marcus Allen was born on March 26, 1960, to Harold and Gwen Allen in San Diego, CA. Cunningham was a member of the powerful 1967 Sixers championship team, which also featured Wilt Chamberlain, Hal Greer, Chet Walker, and Luke Jackson. Cunningham guided the 76ers for eight years, reaching the 200- and 300-victory levels faster than any coach before him. People think, mistakenly in most cases, that they could hit a baseball, Costas says. He was a five-time All Star, 1972-73 MVP, and received recognition for numerous goals, throws, rebounds, and assist plays. The rim was two inches low. Really, though, hed have to in order to make it look like he belonged there among all the African American bball greats. Technicalities, you know. Billy Cunningham, Actor: You've Got to Walk It Like You Talk It or You'll Lose That Beat. Cunningham left CBS Sports the following season to join the Miami Heat expansion franchise as a minority owner; he ultimately sold his interest of the Heat on August 12, 1994. The schools former coach, Frank McGuire, was the one who had recruited Cunningham, which left Smith with a prize recruit he had never seen. He coached eight years with 76ers, never finishing lower than second place in the Atlantic and posted a career record of 454-196 (.698). Imagine yourself lifting off the blacktop, up and up, until you can reach into the air far above the rim. Blonde hair. His show is on the air from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. What type of shoes did Billy Cunningham wear? In the twentieth game of the 19751976 season, Cunningham's career suddenly and inexplicably ended. American basketball player Latrell Sprewell, a rising NBA star, would be known more for his off-court antics than his bas, Erving, Julius 1950 Top 15 NBA Players Who Prove That White Men CAN Jump - TheSportster 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. Cunningham has been on 50,000-watt radio station 700 WLW for over 30 years, beginning in 1983. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Though he portrayed a large woman in "You have to Walk it like you talk it or You'll Lose that Beat" (1971), he is best known as an American former professional basketball player and coach. [14] He then returned for one last year to help cover the 1991 NCAA men's basketball tournament, partnered with Dick Stockton once again. City, and a member of the Parade Magazine All-America Team. "Cunningham, William John ("Billy") Can you do that? In our museum of hoop flight, there is a special wing for the charter members, the dinosaurs of dunk. Eight players dunked in triple figures: Barkley of Philadelphia, 188; Jordan of Chicago, 156; Otis Thorpe of Golden State, 150; Pat Ewing of the Knicks, 146; Karl Malone of Utah, 142; Drexler of Portland, 130; Wilkins of Atlanta, 126, and Olajuwon of Houston, 118. Then he transferred to Arizona State, clashed with then-coach Steve Patterson and wound up quitting the team. 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,. And some colleges and pro teams were not ready to take chances on what went along with those guys. [8] During his tenure, the team featured Bobby Jones, Maurice Cheeks, Andrew Toney, Moses Malone, and Julius Erving. Within the Cite this article tool, pick a style to see how all available information looks when formatted according to that style. 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. He was an NBA champion both as a player (1967) and as a coach (1983). Then he goes into coaching and, percentage-wise, becomes one of the best ever. Note, this is done in an automated way, so we apologize for any errors, & please. > Archive 75: Billy Cunningham| 75 Stories: Billy Cunningham. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. Here's a number: 44 inches. I got fired up and did a 360 dunk. The next season, Phily finished 47-35, but lost to the Spurs in the conference semis. Billy Cunningham - Popular Bio The new generation of jumpers, ushered in by Julius Erving, has pushed the dunk to new artistic heights. Billy Cunningham was inducted to the Hall of Fame as a Player in 1986 (Full List) The Philadelphia 76ers selected Cunningham in the first round of the 1965 NBA Draft, figuring the 6-foot-6 bony and mobile player would be a guard. I knew he was right there with me. Youd go up, arch your back, and go up even higher. Dont send letters, leapers. 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. When they were not taking everything off, the dancing was more alluring. Upon graduation, his 1,062 rebounds were the best in North Carolina history and he held single-season records for most rebounds (379 in 1964) and rebound average (16.1 in 1963). Youre just up there and nobody else can get up there., David (Skywalker) Thompson said: Sometimes Id surprise myself. One day he received a call from Zev Buffman, who needed a well-known basketball personality to help secure an NBA franchise for Miami. There. Moral of this story: dont count the white guys out of this sport just yet. It looked like the half-court line was around a mile and a half away, Cunningham said. Boston kept Philadelphia out of The 1981 Finals, but the Sixers roared back to the 1982 before falling to the Lakers again. As a player, he was fiery yet consistent, pulling down rebounds and scoring points. We played Portland in the last game of the season. See, for example, Jan Hubbard, ed., The Official NBA Basketball Encyclopedia, 3d ed. The next season, the consistent Cunningham scored 23.3 points per game and was selected as an All-Star for the fourth time. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. If you give bonus points for obscurity and mystery, it would be Joey Johnson, younger brother of Celtic guard Dennis. Think about Steve Nash and the beautiful game he played: flawless passes, sinking 90.4% of his free throws, point guard skills on point every time. Upload media Wikipedia. Not only could he walk, but he was also an All-ACC selection three times and a two-time All-American. People swear he cleared it by a foot, said Fred Trenkle, Southern Idahos basketball coach. Even back in his Florida State days, where he was ACC Rookie of the year for the 1991-92 season, it was obvious that he loved to run, jump, and make friends with the rim. Category:Billy Cunningham - Wikimedia Commons Hes also not 100% African American, though, which means he doesnt automatically have insane jumping genes. Ill give you an example. billy cunningham vertical jump. Most of the players had between 29 and 33, so I dont believe any of that stuff in the 40s.. "The beauty part of playing basketball," he once said, "is that your mind is occupied with playing basketball and nothing else, and you're having fun.". 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. In the JC championship game, an opponent fired a jump shot at the buzzer. The next year he exploded for 24.8 points per game and 12.8 rebounds and he was named a first-team All-Star. You get it. This guy wasnt a leaper, but it will show you what I mean. Do you have a blog? I won the unofficial NBA slam dunk title that season, said White, who now sells heavy equipment in Georgia. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Ive never felt another feeling like it, being able to go up in the air, over someone much bigger, and stay up there. In the Museum of Leap, Wilt (the Big Dipper) Chamberlain has his own wing. It takes a lot more to get people excited now, said Chris Wallace, editor of the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook. Moral of this story: dont count the white guys out of this sport just yet. They think they could track down what the announcer calls a routine fly ball. In 1966 Cunningham My sergeant was higher than Jordans. Thunder Dan has more than made friends with the rim and earned his name! June 3, After that season, Cunningham jumped from the NBA to the ABA with the Carolina Cougars. He did prefer ball to hockey, after all. They took about 10 jumps each. In his first playoff appearance, he led the Sixers to a 4-game sweep against the Knicks,[12] before bowing down to the Bullets in six games. It is near the University of Idaho campus, where the legendary Gus Johnson once played. Select from premium Billy Cunningham 76ers of the highest quality. The Doc won it with a long run, a leap from two inches inside the free throw line and a dramatic, powerful windmill slam. In fact, he set the record for most blocks and field goal percentage in a season at his high school, Linganore High in Mt. In a 14-year professional career studded with superla-tives, Wilt Chamberlain established the, Mikan, George Joey didnt even have his shoes laced, Clarke said. Do you have a sports website? The Memphis forward sustained the injury Friday night during the 1st quarter of the Grizzlies 113-97 loss to the Nuggets. Weve all heard the saying: white men cant jump. Ron Shelton even made a (fantastic) movie about it in the 90s! There are two other pure measurements of leap--the dunk and the top of the money exchange. 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. Gus once said, When I dunked that ball and heard that shot for the first time, I said to myself, Oh, oh, Gus. An American-Israeli boy who was actually born in Taiwan, this dude was THIS CLOSE to entering the Slam Dunk competition in 2009, but was passed over for the Portland Trail Blazers Rudy Fernandez. White started five games, but was mostly a mop-up guy, then was injured and finished his career in a pro league in Mexico. (February 22, 2023). 1 in everyones heart and myths is Jumpin Jackie Jackson, also known as Sidecar Jackson. Basketball Player Billy Cunningham's Net Worth, Wife, and Bio Very tall players are seldom recognized as great leapers. 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. If you play the game, you know how high that is. Find out more. As a freshman he went out for the track team, worked out a total of 10 hours, then high-jumped 7-3 7/8. Why isnt this guy in the hall of fame yet? In 1965 Cunningham graduated from UNC and was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the National Basketball Association (NBA) draft. Cunningham was part of a group that helped to secure an NBA franchise for Miami in the late 1980s. He spent several years as one of the owners of the Miami Heat and the team quickly became a contender. Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. On 6 May 1986 Cunningham was elected into the NBA Hall of Fame, as one of its ten initial inductees. I said, What the hell, Im 40. . He became a three-time NBA champion, three-time MVP, two-time Finals MVP, 12-time All-Star, All-Star Game MVP, NBA Rookie of the Year, three-time Three-Point Shootout Champion, and two-time member of the 50-40-90 club. 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. Buffman and Cunningham decided to team up in the venture, and they brought in Lewis Schaffel and Ted Arison. I get a rebound and Im driving up the floor, ready to go coast to coast. His daddy was also a professional ball player, which means his skill and confidence are ate least somewhat genetic. Bones Barry is pretty much Larry Bird, only with a slightly higher jump and significantly longer shorts. 1 draft choice. Now, as radio's "Voice of the Common Man," Bill merges all his knowledge, along with his distinguished guests to enrich the minds of his loyal and participative audience. Billy Cunningham Wiki, Biography, Age, Career, Relationship, Net Worth Joey made the trip but was nursing a hip pointer, so he couldnt suit up. High School and became known as the Kangaroo Kid for his impressive jumping ability. As Cunningham was adjusting to the professional game, the 76ers were becoming a powerhouse. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Cunningham was subsequently replaced on CBS by Hubie Brown, but would return to CBS to help fill in during the 1990 NBA Playoffs, partnered with Verne Lundquist. Billy Cunningham was a standout scorer for the Philadelphia 76ers. Legends abound of the truly great leapers who could touch the top of the board. I see kids in the eighth grade, kids 5-11, dunking behind their heads, said Rod Thorn, former National Basketball Assn. All rights reserved. In the exhibition season he was assigned to bring the ball up the court against Bostons K.C. 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. 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. His departure had a disastrous effect. He said he was afraid he would cut himself. Not only could he dunk, but he had a serious white boy swagger. In his final season, he was the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year. On a good day, he said. He finished well out of the running--or jumping--when he clanged at least one attempt off the rim. Its a feeling of power and freedom Ive never gotten from anything else. A commitment to the basic fundamentals of any game lead to progress, growth, and success. William John "Billy" Cunningham was born on June 3, 1943. By word of mouth, you would get to know who the best dunkers were, and by the end of the season it was pretty much agreed the best two were a Portland guy named Claude English and me. Jump to navigation Jump to search Billy Cunningham American basketball player and coach. Skywalker, Helicopter, Elevator, Clyde the Glide, Air Jordan, the Hawk, Rodan, Pogo Joe, Honeycomb, Sidecar, the Big Dipper, the Human Highlight Film, Sky King, Kangaroo Kid. The color barrier and the sex barrier of slam-dunk have fallen: Many white guys and a few women can dunk. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Keith Smart always reported he had a 44. Many have speculated about the reasons behind this phenomenon. With an average height of 64, Arizin had fantastic ball handling skills, played a mean defense, and had some seriously bouncy feet. Billy Cunningham tells broadcaster John Andariese about his early success with the 76ers. But with a leaper, everybody instantly knows they couldnt do it, that only the tiniest fraction of humans can jump that high.. (b. Can the old Elevator still ascend? 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. For his eleven-year career, Cunningham averaged 21.2 points per game. 2019Encyclopedia.com | All rights reserved. [1] His first regular show on the station was at night, generally from 9:00 p.m. until midnight. Bobby Jones could swoop and soar. Soon Greer would be alone. During his playing career, he was a 4-time All-Star and 3-time All-NBA First Team selection. Unlike Thompson, a huge star at North Carolina State, Dr. J kind of sneaked up on the basketball world. 44 is only four inches less than the NBAs all-time record by His Airness, Michael Jordan, and also by Darrell Griffith. 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. In the 19691970 season he averaged a career high of 26.1 points, the fourth highest in the league, and was again selected as an All-Star. He had wide shoulders--he was built like Orlando (Woolridge), 6-7 or 6-8. I loved it instantly." 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 his first ABA season, Cunningham averaged 24.1 points per game, 12.0 rebounds per game, and led the league in total steals. In the NBA, where everyone can dunk--you wouldnt even want to rule out David Stern--there are really only a few top guns. billy cunningham vertical jump - quraneducator.com At halftime of one Southern Idaho game, Joey was pursuaded to give a brief high-jump demonstration. It didnt make no difference to him.. He played nine seasons for the Baltimore Bullets, beginning in 63, and he died last year. 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. 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. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. It doesnt take a detective to see these were obviously a foreshadowing of plays to come. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Cunningham began his second basketball career on Nov. 4, 1977, when he was hired to replace Gene Shue at the Sixers helm. Hailing from Argentina and a family chock full of ball players, Ginobili uses his signature Euro Step to fake out the defense and get him where he needs to go.