Its almost like you were floating, like there was no such thing as gravity. With Malone in the middle, and Erving, Bobby Jones, Cheeks and Andrew Toney all playing key roles, the 76ers went 65-17 and blew through the Atlantic Division. Cunningham returned to Philadelphia in 1977 to become the coach of the 76ers, replacing Gene Shue. High School and became known as the Kangaroo Kid for his impressive jumping ability. As an owner and commentator, he also made a favorable impression. Select from premium Billy Cunningham 76ers of the highest quality. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. That Sixers team has since been hailed as the greatest ever assembled. His jump was absolutely awesome. His show is on the air from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. What type of shoes did Billy Cunningham wear? White, also known as the Elevator from Decatur, made the NBA all-time all-warmup team that one season. Cunningham achieved a career trifecta in law, business, and government. Nobody ever played the game could rise any better than Jackie. Retrieved February 22, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/cunningham-william-john-billy. 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 was inducted to the Hall of Fame as a Player in 1986 (Full List) 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. This guys been compared to celebrated center-man Dwight Howard for his max vertical, and to NBA/Olympic legend Oscar Robertson for his triple-doubles. Joe Clarke, founder and president of the South-Central L.A. During his playing career, he was a 4-time All-Star and 3-time All-NBA First Team selection. In a 14-year professional career studded with superla-tives, Wilt Chamberlain established the, Mikan, George Joey made the trip but was nursing a hip pointer, so he couldnt suit up. 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. Browse 310 billy_cunningham stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. Joey walked up to the wall, one foot planted, no rocking, jumped up and missed the nail. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. In the Division Finals, the Cougars lost a tight seven-game series to the Kentucky Colonels, 4 games to 3. The new generation of jumpers, ushered in by Julius Erving, has pushed the dunk to new artistic heights. Weary of the NBA lifestyle, Cunningham retired. He didnt just score, he scored OVER people, including all 68 of Plastic Man Stacey Augmon. They are enshrined in a mythical Museum of Leap. Dont send letters, leapers. The most frequent flyers? Artis (A-Train) Gilmore, George (Ice) Gervin and Larry (Big Cat) Kenon all dunked admirably. I saw him come down the floor once, in the Eastern League, on a fast break. Learn more and register. Athletic Club, has worked with most of the great L.A. prep stars of the last two decades. Trenkle had heard of the Gus Johnson nail, so when the Southern Idaho team was passing through Moscow on a trip, he ordered the bus driver to stop outside the Corner Club, and he took Joey inside. I never had to agonize over that decision all athletes face.. When Joey was a high school senior, Clarke took his Watts Magicians to Mesa, Ariz., for a prep tournament. Seniors Are Getting Freaking And A New Loofah Code Lets Everyone Know. I knew he was right there with me. The following season Philadelphia won sixty-two games and the Eastern Division title but lost to the Celtics in the playoffs. 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. Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list. It's also available for football, hockey and baseball. It's like walking on air. Its even been called hellicious.. But who has seen him? . Ive got the videotape to prove it., Karl Kleinkopf, who coached the Southern Idaho track team for nine years, said: Theres absolutely no doubt Joey could be an eight-foot high jumper by 1992. The players who fly through this thin air are not simply remembered by hoop fans. Then he transferred to Arizona State, clashed with then-coach Steve Patterson and wound up quitting the team. If youre looking for scale, thats taller than most baby elephants. Professional basketball player The Cougars had finished last the previous season, but with Brown and Cunningham inspiring the team, the Cougars finished first. The Globies listed him at 6-5, but Sonny Hill swears Jackie was 6-3, tops. 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. Dunk is cheap. In fact, his hockey-head-ish hair might even be as famous as his dunk. RotoWire names five under-the-radar players who could add value to your rosters as we approach fantasy playoffs. [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. Celtics legend Larry Bird might just be the most famous white guy in basketball. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. As a rebounder and jump shooter he averaged 18.5 ppg and 7.3 rpg. 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. In his second season with Carolina, Cunningham was hampered by injuries, but he still managed a 20.5 average in 32 games. Moral of this story: dont count the white guys out of this sport just yet. Joey, standing about eight feet from the shooter, leaped and slapped the shot away. William John "Billy" Cunningham was born on June 3, 1943. [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]. You dont play with a red, white and blue ball if youre into dignity. Jack Gardner, a former college coach, did our testing, Nissalke said. Joe Vanilla Sky Alexander has restless, jumpy feet that propel him way up to block shots and confound his opponents. Oh my God, Smith recalled thinking. It doesnt take a detective to see these were obviously a foreshadowing of plays to come. Billy Cunningham averaged 21.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game. Find out more. Could this be Gods way of telling us its time to raise the hoop? Stand underneath a basketball hoop, a regulation 10-footer. Back when he played for the Phillies, they had him dribbling alongside Wilt The Stilt Chamberlain for two seasons, and when Chamberlain left in 69, the 76ers had a Kangaroo as their star. That swagger had to come from somewhere. But the final came down to David Thompson vs. Julius Erving--the Skywalker vs. the Doctor. Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. The man waits and waits for Jackie to start coming down, but waits too long. 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. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. He came up with four: Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, Spud Webb and Clyde (the Glide) Drexler. "In a way the injury made things easy for me," he said later. There was a guard from Harlem named Rabbit. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Home Depot Is Selling A Giant 89-Pound Crab Statue For $1,500. Blonde hair. He was with the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers for 17 years . If we were to honor dunkers as we honor actors, Doc would be given a statuette for his body of work. I lived there that summer, he later recalled. We present them here for purely educational purposes. ." Jay Norman, an outstanding defensive player, went into his defensive stance at the foul line. 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. 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 (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 Learn more and register, College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com Blog and Articles. While he was dribbling down the court, his knee exploded. 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. He is six feet seven inches tall. 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As the NBA celebrates it's 75th Anniversary Season, get to know dozens of star players who helped make the NBA what it is today. Billy Cunningham is an American former professional basketball player and coach, who was nicknamed the Kangaroo Kid. The 76ers lost to the Lakers in 1980 and 1982, but after acquiring Moses Malone, they finally got past the Lakers in 1983, winning the franchise's third (and most recent) NBA Championship as part of a 121 playoff run. Its a rush, a thrill, said the Elevator from Decatur. The legendary player and coach was named the ABA MVP for the 1972-73 season. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. All the teams did that. I mean, what next? Then he goes into coaching and, percentage-wise, becomes one of the best ever. These are not necessarily great basketball players, understand, but their ability to jump has made them objects of something much deeper than profound respect. There. Cunningham scored 18.9 points per game. Pitchin Paul is credited as being one of the first basketball players to ever use the jump shot. All rights reserved. The next season, Philly plummeted to 30-52 and missed the postseason and Cunningham (23.3 ppg, 12.2 rpg) was in the last of his four All-Star years. So he tried it again, grabbed the nail and bent it straight down. With an average height of 64, Arizin had fantastic ball handling skills, played a mean defense, and had some seriously bouncy feet. During both is college and NBA career, this guy leapt like nobodys business. Unlike Thompson, a huge star at North Carolina State, Dr. J kind of sneaked up on the basketball world. Cunningham then went to the University of North Carolina, where he excelled. 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. Anybodv can win the lottery.. I have seen everybody, Hill said. 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. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? In warmups, we would always check out the other team and get into little contests with their guys. Join our linker program. Do you have a sports website? 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. He also had stellar 3-pointer abilities, but after that 1996 air show, most of his other accomplishments were left in the dust. He was so good, Red Auerbach saw him play in a schoolyard game and invited him to camp with the Celtics. No. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. They were trying to touch the top of the board, Nissalke said. He reached both the 300 and 400-win milestones faster than any coach in NBA history. Billy Cunningham found success and stardom during his ABA days. 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. Then they took out Boston in the Eastern Division finals San Francisco in the NBA Finals. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Professional basketball player, sports administrator Philadelphia switched Cunningham to small forward, a position that allowed him to use his tenacity and jumping ability around the boards. He had tested thousands of Navy pilots during the war, and he said Griffiths was the highest he ever measured.. Griffin has been one of the most electrifying dunkers in the NBA for the past eight years. I asked Kareem if he ever did, and he could jump a little bit. He and Hal Greer were the only key players from the 1967 championship team still playing vital roles. Robinson, David 1965 Lift up an arm and hop once or twice to get a feel for how far away the rim is. Athletics are in this guys genes; daddy Rick Barry produced a total of four bball loving sons. 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. Youd go up, arch your back, and go up even higher. [5] The reversal of that judgment in the United States Court of Appeals .mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}6+12 months later on April 5, 1972, meant that Cunningham was obligated to honor his Cougars contract until its expiration in October 1974. He played nine seasons for the Baltimore Bullets, beginning in 63, and he died last year. 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. Then an All-Star. 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. I dont believe anyone has ever done it. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. Hey, a sportswriter dunks. He would toss the ball off the backboard and then slam it home. After Chamberlain left the team in 1968, Cunningham became the 76ers' franchise player. 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 Memphis forward sustained the injury Friday night during the 1st quarter of the Grizzlies 113-97 loss to the Nuggets. Or write about sports? But while Cunningham was reaching his peak, the 76ers were beginning to crumble. I was right there and it wasnt a foot. Many have speculated about the reasons behind this phenomenon. window.__mirage2 = {petok:"ZbxZ3AJWWjyZL0HXDpABwVdW.7p3rtLrWMEsK2FPL0A-86400-0"}; Theyll all be going through and over their mountainous opponents in no time! The Philadelphia team Cunningham inherited featured Julius Erving, George McGinnis, Doug Collins, Lloyd B. Michael Jordan has stopped just short of holding the ball in his mouth, uncoiling his tongue in mid-flight and inventing the Anteater Slam. These are professional men: Dr. J, Dr. Dunkenstein, Dr. Jam. Cunningham hit for 18.9 ppg and 7.6 rpg.
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