Wed been on the bus eight hours by then, Trenkle said. Imagine yourself lifting off the blacktop, up and up, until you can reach into the air far above the rim. He finally got a pro tryout with the Utah Stars of the ABA at 25, but by then his fabulous springs were sprung. These guys will never forget the blur of that mullet-ed head flying past them. It sure did make me feel good inside.. After playing for Philadelphia from 1965 to 1972, he signed a free agent contract with the ABA's . With Maurice Cheeks and Lionel Hollins adding vitality to the backcourt, the Sixers roared to a 59-23 record in the 1979-80 regular season and then defeated favored Boston with rookie sensation Larry Bird in the Eastern Conference finals. He came on back to Harlem. Pitchin Paul is credited as being one of the first basketball players to ever use the jump shot. Cunningham again led the team in scoring in 1970-71, ranking ninth in the NBA with 23.0 ppg. At Southern Idaho, the legend grew. In 1966-67, the 76ers dominated the NBA. 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. Professional football player 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. 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. Billy Cunningham found success and stardom during his ABA days. He was so good, Red Auerbach saw him play in a schoolyard game and invited him to camp with the Celtics. Billy Cunningham. The single-game high was eight, by Drexler, against the Lakers. The greatest nicknames in basketball are reserved for those who attain the greatest altitude. During both is college and NBA career, this guy leapt like nobodys business. I also think, in Joeys case, he gets up so high it hurts his shooting technique., Clarke said: When other players were shooting jump shots in their back yards, Joey was practicing dunks.. 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. //billy cunningham vertical jump - epcorcentre.org To that end, heres this writers all-time all-leap team: Dr. J, the Big Dipper, Air Jordan, David Skywalker and Joey Johnson. ! Professional basketball player On December 20, 1970, Cunningham scored 31 points and grabbed a career-high 27 rebounds en route to a 134132 road win over the Portland Trail Blazers. And he played it constantly. 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. I knew he was right there with me. 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,. https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/cunningham-william-john-billy, "Cunningham, William John ("Billy") Billy Cunningham weighed 210 lbs (95 kg) when playing. 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. 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. He and Hal Greer were the only key players from the 1967 championship team still playing vital roles. Note, this is done in an automated way, so we apologize for any errors, & please. High School and became known as the Kangaroo Kid for his impressive jumping ability. Do you have a blog? His shooting skills may be what he is best remembered for, but his vertical leaps were nothing to sneeze at: he made 28 inches on more than one occasion. However, the poet laureate of leap is Darryl Dawkins. But listen to Wilt. At Carolina, he was reunited with the coach Larry Brown, who had been a UNC teammate. He was in the gym in Mesa one afternoon, in street clothes and basketball shoes. It was like, Legend has it that 20 men are buried in Boot Hill because of this guy. Chamberlain remembers other playground legends: Boy named Helicopter (real name: Herman Knowings) had incredible wingspan. He inherited a team of underachievers led by Julius Erving. In his basketball uniform and shoes, with a short, unmeasured run-up, he soared over seven feet. It doesnt take a detective to see these were obviously a foreshadowing of plays to come. Weary of the NBA lifestyle, Cunningham retired. Dunk-off of the Network Superstars? In his second season with Carolina, Cunningham was hampered by injuries, but he still managed a 20.5 average in 32 games. He was discovered. Hes also not 100% African American, though, which means he doesnt automatically have insane jumping genes. (February 22, 2023). In 1976-77, the season before Cunningham took the helm, the Sixers reached The Finals, only to fall to the Portland Trail Blazers. Jack Gardner, a former college coach, did our testing, Nissalke said. 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. On 6 May 1986 Cunningham was elected into the NBA Hall of Fame, as one of its ten initial inductees. After the 19711972 season, Cunningham left Philadelphia and the NBA for the rival American Basketball Association (ABA), signing on with the (North) Carolina Cougars. It was the Human Highlight Film vs. a Selected Short. The white guys listed below are heroes of the basketball world. Cunningham could not even crack the starting lineupwhich . Instead he went to Georgia as a white player and was a so-so power forward. It looked like the half-court line was around a mile and a half away, Cunningham said. . In 1987, the NBA Board of Governors awarded the group an expansion franchise to begin play in 1988-89 and thus the Miami Heat was born. [1] His first regular show on the station was at night, generally from 9:00 p.m. until midnight. The difference between the two marks, in inches, is the players sergeant jump, as in, Joe Smith has a 29-inch sergeant.. His departure had a disastrous effect. Cunningham would later rejoin the CBS broadcast team starting with the 198586 season, again often paired with Musburger, covering both the NBA as well as NCAA men's college basketball for the network. And he made it to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame with a career that reads like a how-to book for legends. See, for example, Jan Hubbard, ed., The Official NBA Basketball Encyclopedia, 3d ed. In the 2005 NBA pre-draft camp he gained 34.5 inches of air. Thunder Dan has more than made friends with the rim and earned his name! "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. They were like jazz musicians in sneakers. He finished well out of the running--or jumping--when he clanged at least one attempt off the rim. They were a winning team the next two seasons but could not repeat as champions, and Cunningham retired after the 19841985 season. He cant quite jump out of the gym, but he has come close to jumping out of a bar or two. 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. Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. Home Depot Is Selling A Giant 89-Pound Crab Statue For $1,500. of 6. Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. His entire head and neck were above the rim. It was so good that Cunningham, a future Hall of Famer, came off the bench. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. Right now Johnson is red-shirting at ASU. Who would he share a wing with? Encyclopedia.com. There. Part of Dr. Js legend is the same as the mystique of a gunfighter coming into town, Costas said. Billy Cunningham attended Erasmus Hall in Brooklyn, New York and UNC. 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!) 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. White started five games, but was mostly a mop-up guy, then was injured and finished his career in a pro league in Mexico. I said, What the hell, Im 40. . Billy Cunningham - IMDb 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. Uh oh! Then he went to North Carolina and was an All-American. Hes set records for leading the NBA in dunks during his very first year playing pro. Cunningham became a top analyst for CBSs broadcasts of NBA games. Its like walking on air. Born: June 3, 1943 in Brooklyn, New York us College: UNC High School: Erasmus Hall in Brooklyn, New York Draft: Philadelphia 76ers, 1st round (7th pick, 7th overall), 1965 NBA Draft In 1974 Cunningham returned to the 76ers. Dennis never was much of a leaper. Thats a white head, remember. In the NBA, where everyone can dunk--you wouldnt even want to rule out David Stern--there are really only a few top guns. 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. Erasmus Hall in Brooklyn, New York, Draft: With an average height of 64, Arizin had fantastic ball handling skills, played a mean defense, and had some seriously bouncy feet. I could. 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. 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. It didnt make no difference to him.. The Grizzlies say their star guard will be away from the team for 'at least' the next 2 games. Philadelphia won 62 games the next season, but the Celtics upset the 76ers in the playoffs. What happens when you put stilts on kangaroo? Jones, a noted defensive terror. Free, Darryl Dawkins and Bobby Jones. No question, the mystique of the superleaper remains. He stood below the basket, no run, just jumped straight up with his arms at his sides, flipped his head sideways and dunked his cap.. CUNNINGHAM, William John ("Billy") ( b. Billy Cunningham College Stats | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com I get a rebound and Im driving up the floor, ready to go coast to coast. In the exhibition season he was assigned to bring the ball up the court against Bostons K.C. 22 Feb. 2023
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