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. "I lived there that summer," he later recalled. Is Billy Cunningham married? This guy couldshoot AND dunk. They drove a new nail in for Joey, measured it at 11-7 1/2. The single-game high was eight, by Drexler, against the Lakers. David came the closest, Kupchak said. At six feet, seven inches tall and 220 pounds, Cunningham was a consistent scorer and fierce rebounder. 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 Cunningham had just snared a defensive rebound and was dribbling to the Sixers free-throw line when, as he later recounted, his knee just exploded. No one had touched him, although Alfred Butch Beard was given a foul on the play. Billy Cunningham wasn't nicknamed the Kangaroo Kid because he had a pouch. . Some of the guys started dunking. Billy Cunningham averaged 21.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game. He coached eight years with 76ers, never finishing lower than second place in the Atlantic and posted a career record of 454-196 (.698). Detroits Adrian Dantley, 6-foot-4, and Clevelands Phil Hubbard, 6-8, were the only front-court starters to go through the season dunkless. The Kangaroo Kid, Kang, Billy C are nicknames for Billy Cunningham. I loved it instantly.. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Most of these leapers were from the inner city, where they suffered from overexposure to drugs and underexposure to formal education. 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. The mystery leaper was--and is--Herb White, 6-foot-2, eyes of blue, from Decatur, Ga. As with most leaping legends, Herbs aerial reputation often preceded him. junio 12, 2022. abc news anchors female philadelphia . It was the Human Highlight Film vs. a Selected Short. For his college career he averaged 24.8 points per game and set a school record with 1,062 rebounds. But the final came down to David Thompson vs. Julius Erving--the Skywalker vs. the Doctor. All rights reserved. Date of birth: 3 June 1943 . The obvious question is, why didnt more of these guys play in the NBA? 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. 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. Do you have a blog? And there was a dog. So maybe his African American genes are a little stronger than his Caucasian ones after all? Thompson, as a consolation prize, won the MVP award in the All-Star game itself. He also became an NBA broadcaster on national television and later a part-owner of the Miami Heat. Cunningham was part of a group that helped to secure an NBA franchise for Miami in the late 1980s. There. Hawkins is now vice president of communications for the Dodgers. Billy Cunningham is an American former professional basketball player and coach, who was nicknamed the Kangaroo Kid. 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. In his second season with Carolina, Cunningham was hampered by injuries, but he still managed a 20.5 average in 32 games. Find out more. Legends abound of the truly great leapers who could touch the top of the board. 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.. Connie Hawkins, another of the elite leapers of that era, was blackballed from the NBA because of involvement with gamblers when he was in college. Youre just up there and nobody else can get up there., David (Skywalker) Thompson said: Sometimes Id surprise myself. Cunningham guided the 76ers for eight years, reaching the 200- and 300-victory levels faster than any coach before him. Billy Cunningham found success and stardom during his ABA days. If they play the game far above the rim, it is because they are tall. Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: Sports Figures. How in the world can this kid play ball? There is a tavern called the Corner Club, in Moscow, Ida. Most of the players had between 29 and 33, so I dont believe any of that stuff in the 40s.. The white guys listed below are heroes of the basketball world. In The Finals, however, Abdul-Jabbar, Earvin Magic Johnson, Jamaal Wilkes and the Lakers were too much. [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]. He would get up in the air and spread those wings, hed be swoopin. This is where we get into sword-and-stone mythology. William John Cunningham (The Kangaroo Kid, Kang, Billy C) Position: Small Forward and Power Forward Shoots: Left 6-6, 210lb (198cm, 95kg) . He inherited a team of underachievers led by Julius Erving. 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. Dont try a big leap. Until recently, nobody ever tried to keep track of dunks on any league-wide scale. In those eight seasons, the team posted a 454-196 record, reached three NBA Finals and captured a championship in 1983. 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 Game 2 of the 1967 NBA Finals, Cunningham scored 28 points during a 126-95 win over the San Francisco Warriors.[3]. Known as "The Kangaroo Kid," he won an NBA Championship with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1967, then coached the team to another championship in 1983. Blonde hair. Its a remarkable life.. They were trying to touch the top of the board, Nissalke said. He cant quite jump out of the gym, but he has come close to jumping out of a bar or two. Even so, Erving was the NBAs most dazzling aerial star until he retired in 1987 and passed the title to Michael Jordan. These guys more than held their own in a sport where they were absolutely a minority. Could this be Gods way of telling us its time to raise the hoop? His colourful tattoos and hairstyles are about as famous as his skills too, with hairdos including mohawks, spikes, and shoulder-length shag. 1936-1999 Now they take everything off and it takes a lot more to get people excited.. 2019Encyclopedia.com | All rights reserved. He was a No. Close to the superleaper class in Kupchaks book, but a shade short, are Charles Barkley, Larry Nance, Orlando Woolridge, Roy Hinson, Tom Chambers and Akeem Olajuwon. The 1984-85 season, Cunninghams last as coach, featured the addition of rookie Charles Barkley to the team. Chamberlain couldnt remember the players name, but Rod Thorn did. Jones, a noted defensive terror. The Philadelphia 76ers star was a consistent scorer throughout his heyday in the 1960s and '70s. 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. Thats a white head, remember. The new generation of jumpers, ushered in by Julius Erving, has pushed the dunk to new artistic heights. That said, you can see his leaping ability when he takes off. Many of the great leapers of that era inhabited the fringes of reality as we know it. He and Hal Greer were the only key players from the 1967 championship team still playing vital roles. But he was over by a good six to eight inches. (b. It was like, Legend has it that 20 men are buried in Boot Hill because of this guy. He played circles around a guy named Robert Cousy. Can the old Elevator still ascend? 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In the NBA, where everyone can dunk--you wouldnt even want to rule out David Stern--there are really only a few top guns. He was a five-time All Star, 1972-73 MVP, and received recognition for numerous goals, throws, rebounds, and assist plays. He says it came by accident, that in his early days they often played on dance floors, which were often slippery, so he started jumping to avoid sliding and faceplanting. 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. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 4:50AM. However, none of the other basketball-playing Barry brothers Scooter, Jon, and Drew - can claim to be the only white man in history to win the Slam Dunk contest, though. Pasty skin. If thats not impressive enough for you, he also played on two NBA championship teams and later coached the Philadelphia 76ers for eight seasons. Cunningham played with visible enthusiasm. Under Cunningham, the team reached the Eastern Conference finals in 1978 and the NBA finals in 1980 and 1982. If youre looking for scale, thats taller than most baby elephants. 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. 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. "I don't know anything he has done that hasn't worked," said the Orlando, Florida, executive Pat Williams. Really, though, hed have to in order to make it look like he belonged there among all the African American bball greats. Bones Barry is pretty much Larry Bird, only with a slightly higher jump and significantly longer shorts. Tom Nissalke, an assistant coach at Milwaukee when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar came into the league, and later head coach of the Utah Jazz and Houston Rockets, says he always had his players measured, and the best sergeant he ever saw was a 35, by Darrell Griffith as a rookie. He was in the gym in Mesa one afternoon, in street clothes and basketball shoes. However, the date of retrieval is often important. 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. That swagger had to come from somewhere. Mitch Kupchak witnessed a similar jump-off among 6-4 David Thompson, 6-9 Marvin Barnes and 7-4 Tom Burleson. 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. 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. Herb White was moved to write a poem about an eagle that had lost its ability to soar. Watch even half of any of his highlight reels and youll understand why he made this list. Free, Darryl Dawkins and Bobby Jones. Lift up an arm and hop once or twice to get a feel for how far away the rim is. 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. Wilt meets me at mid-court and says, Na, na, na, not this time.. Note that this is not the official NBA measurement. Effortless, absolutely effortless.. Or write about sports? He said he was tired and tight. I see kids in the eighth grade, kids 5-11, dunking behind their heads, said Rod Thorn, former National Basketball Assn. Do you have a sports website? Theyll all be going through and over their mountainous opponents in no time! The Globies listed him at 6-5, but Sonny Hill swears Jackie was 6-3, tops. Find out more. I dont want anyone ripping rib-cage muscles or wrenching spinal disks. In the 19701971 season he again was an All-Star starter and finished ninth in the NBA with 23.0 points per game. [15], For other people named William Cunningham, see, Learn how and when to remove this template message, ACC 50th Anniversary men's basketball team, List of National Basketball Association single-game playoff scoring leaders, "The Rumble: AN OFF-THE-BALL LOOK AT YOUR FAVORITE SPORTS CELEBRITIES", "Philadelphia 76ers 134 - Portland Trail Blazers 132", Goldaper, Sam. Thats how much air was between Connaughton and those shiny floorboards at the NBA Combine in 2015. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Stanfords 6-4 Todd Lichti is a big-time leaper, regardless of race, creed or color. Jerry West could get up. It looked like the half-court line was around a mile and a half away, Cunningham said. It was legendary, however, and cemented young Majerle as one of the best white dunkers of all time. In his basketball uniform and shoes, with a short, unmeasured run-up, he soared over seven feet. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. inBrooklyn,New York He holds the second-best regular-season winning percentage in league history of .698 (only Phil Jackson is ahead of him). Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. 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. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. They annihilated the opposition all season and finished with a 68-13 record. They are enshrined in a mythical Museum of Leap. I saw him come down the floor once, in the Eastern League, on a fast break. Soon Greer would be alone. Billy Cunningham weighed 210 lbs (95 kg) when playing. Billy Cunningham, Actor: You've Got to Walk It Like You Talk It or You'll Lose That Beat. can arthur get a girlfriend rdr2; cook county jail roster; zip code validation rule in salesforce; first coast security ehub; billy cunningham vertical jump. Celtics legend Larry Bird might just be the most famous white guy in basketball. 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. His masterpiece was a backboard shattering dunk over Kansas City forward Bill Robinzine. In fact, he made so much of an impact that his NBA departure in 2012 made heads spin, and rumours that he might return to the US last year were eagerly believed. Bobby Jones could swoop and soar. Nobody ever played the game could rise any better than Jackie. Chamberlain remembers other playground legends: Boy named Helicopter (real name: Herman Knowings) had incredible wingspan. Cunningham could not even crack the starting lineupwhich . His entire head and neck were above the rim. In 1961, his senior year, Cunningham led his team to the city championship and was a high school All-American. As a sophomore, with as little work, he improved to 7-5 7/8. 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. Browse 1,052 billy cunningham stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. He rises to the highest level of broadcasting. Philadelphia 76ers, 1st round (7th pick, 7th overall), 1965 NBA Draft, NBA Debut: October 16, 1965▪ABA Debut: October 12, 1972, Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1986 (Full List), More Billy Cunningham pages at Sports Reference. If you give bonus points for obscurity and mystery, it would be Joey Johnson, younger brother of Celtic guard Dennis. I could. Upon his retirement on May 28, 1985,[13] his 454 wins as a head coach were the 12th best in NBA history. He ran out of his house and to the hoop at St. Rose of Lima grammar school, three blocks away. My mother has a bar here in southern Idaho, and shes got a nail where Joey touched, at 11-9 1/2.. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. Media in category "Billy Cunningham" The following 5 files are in this category, out of 5 total. This guy that was also selected for the MLB draft, spent time with the Orioles, and pitched an impressive 96 mph. Boston kept Philadelphia out of The 1981 Finals, but the Sixers roared back to the 1982 before falling to the Lakers again. 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. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Theres not room for both of us. The next day Red let Rabbit go. In his final season, he was the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year. His standing vertical was 37.5 inches. Cunningham would never play again. I loved it instantly." A fairly average 65 Sura fit in among the other players on the court, but he set himself apart with his gorgeous dunking abilities. I dont believe anyone has ever done it. In his UNC career, he scored 1,709 points (24.8 points per game), and grabbed 1,062 rebounds (15.4 rebounds per game). He was finished as a player. Cunningham became a top analyst for CBSs broadcasts of NBA games. American basketball player The NBA had no such contest at the time, considering such frivolity to be beneath the senior leagues dignity. 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. The two teams waged a court battle, each claiming the rights to Cunningham, but the new league won. Showing all 5 items. Billy Cunningham tells broadcaster John Andariese about his early success with the 76ers. He said he was afraid he would cut himself. 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. Position: us, High School: I was right there and it wasnt a foot. 1924- In Cunninghams debut year the team went 55-27 and won the Atlantic Division before losing to eventual-champion Washington in the Eastern Conference finals. He also had a famously difficult childhood and came from very humble beginnings; it was his hometown of French Lick, Indiana, that inspired the nickname The Hick from French Lick. He was determined not to let his tiny hometown or his troubled family life hold him back though, and instead remained hardworking and classy until the end of his career. In 1962, Johnson jumped and touched a spot high on the wall, and a nail was driven into the spot to commemorate the unbelievable leap. Patterson, who recently resigned as Arizona States coach, said that Johnson is really an impact player, but not consistently good and solid. Destined to become one of the first of basketball's most talented big men, as a young man George Mikan, Sprewell, Latrell 1970 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. The team finished 42-40 and was bounced in the first round of the playoffs by the Milwaukee Bucks. As a player and then a coach for the Philadelphia 76ers, he was part of two NBA championship teams. 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. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. 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. The soaring flight of the great leaper is amazing, even to himself. At the 1991 Slam Dunk Competition he came in third. Shoots: Hes earned a list of nicknames, including LaVine The Machine as well as being part of the Bounce Brothers duo with Minnesota Timerwolves teammate Andrew Wiggins. 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. In a way the injury made things easy for me, he added. Despite his Caucasian genetic setbacks, he shot up an unbelievable 41.5 inches at the NBA Draft Combine in 2014. Artis (A-Train) Gilmore, George (Ice) Gervin and Larry (Big Cat) Kenon all dunked admirably. [CDATA[ Player stats broken down into various categories; i.e. ." His show was not heard during the summer months, when WLW broadcasts Cincinnati Reds baseball games. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. In the 19661967 season the 76ers were a powerhouse, winning sixty-eight against only thirteen losses and beating the Boston Celtics and San Francisco in the playoffs to win the championship. Julius, Gus (Johnson), Pogo Joe Caldwell. 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!) And the man has pulled out some pretty crazy surprise dunks. Dennis never was much of a leaper. 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. And he made it to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame with a career that reads like a how-to book for legends. Hes also not 100% African American, though, which means he doesnt automatically have insane jumping genes. He would find a way to beat you., Billy Cunningham discovered the game after receiving a basketball for his fifth birthday. During both is college and NBA career, this guy leapt like nobodys business. I was a good free throw shooter in college.. During his eight seasons as the coach of the 76ers, Philadelphia won 454 regular season games and lost 196. The college boys are no doubt wide eyed and gape-mouthed when they meet this coach for the first time. In fact, he set the record for most blocks and field goal percentage in a season at his high school, Linganore High in Mt. Who would he share a wing with? Billy Cunningham attended Erasmus Hall in Brooklyn, New York and UNC. The following season Philadelphia won sixty-two games and the Eastern Division title but lost to the Celtics in the playoffs. They asked him to show how high he could jump, so with no warmup of any kind, in his school clothes, Joey stood there, jumped up and put his chin on the rim. I told him Id read he had a 44. Joey walked up to the wall, one foot planted, no rocking, jumped up and missed the nail. Data Provided By 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. As a player, he was fiery yet consistent, pulling down rebounds and scoring points. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Athletic Club, has worked with most of the great L.A. prep stars of the last two decades. He succeeded Gene Shue as head coach of the 24 76ers on November 4, 1977. There was a Philadelphia boy, Sonny Hill, about 5-10 (actually 5-9), he was the first guy that size I ever saw dunk. During one game he went THROUGH and OVER the 77 Manute Bol of the Golden State Warriors to ALMOST score. His playing days ended on one play in the 1975-76 season. At Southern Idaho, the legend grew. And Dirk Nowitzki who no doubt has walls plastered top to bottom with awards and achievements. Spencer Haywood, for one, claims to have been to the top. With an average height of 64, Arizin had fantastic ball handling skills, played a mean defense, and had some seriously bouncy feet. He may be the greatest leaper of all time. Judging by a still shot the DukeMBB videographer took during the testing, Williamson cleared a vertical leap mark of 40 inches. Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. Ive never felt another feeling like it, being able to go up in the air, over someone much bigger, and stay up there. About a year ago, I was in a playground game with some black guys. Seniors Are Getting Freaking And A New Loofah Code Lets Everyone Know. In our museum of hoop flight, there is a special wing for the charter members, the dinosaurs of dunk. On 6 May 1986 Cunningham was elected into the NBA Hall of Fame, as one of its ten initial inductees. Or write about sports? When I went to Kansas, they had a 12-foot basket in the gym, because Dr. Phog Allen was advocating the 12-foot basket. Hes sought advice from Tim Duncan on how to be a great leader and win with his team. He is six feet seven inches tall. His daddy was also a professional ball player, which means his skill and confidence are ate least somewhat genetic. In warmups, we would always check out the other team and get into little contests with their guys. //]]>. That year, he was the First-Team All-New York Somebody done gotcha. But man, that was sweet music. A sample: In Your Face Disgrace, Sexophonic Turbo Delight, Hammer of Thor, and Yo Mamma. The Memphis forward sustained the injury Friday night during the 1st quarter of the Grizzlies 113-97 loss to the Nuggets. Nope. Now imagine yourself crouching a bit, like Superman, and springing high into the air. 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.