Unlike Thompson, a huge star at North Carolina State, Dr. J kind of sneaked up on the basketball world. Hes sought advice from Tim Duncan on how to be a great leader and win with his team. Pregame warmups were his showtime. 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. He finished well out of the running--or jumping--when he clanged at least one attempt off the rim. When I went to Kansas, they had a 12-foot basket in the gym, because Dr. Phog Allen was advocating the 12-foot basket. 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. We should be glad he doesnt demand his own useum. Last season, there were 5,757 NBA dunks by 246 players. 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. Gus was a colorful thunder dunker and a breaker of backboards. Jackie Jacksons all-around game, by most accounts, was only fair. In 1996 he was voted one of the top fifty players at the NBA's fiftieth anniversary. Gus once said, When I dunked that ball and heard that shot for the first time, I said to myself, Oh, oh, Gus. After the 19711972 season, Cunningham left Philadelphia and the NBA for the rival American Basketball Association (ABA), signing on with the (North) Carolina Cougars. When you think about Billys life, it is amazing, former Philadelphia 76er executive and then-Orlando Magic senior executive vice president Pat Williams told New Miami magazine in 1992. That swagger had to come from somewhere. Then they took out Boston in the Eastern Division finals San Francisco in the NBA Finals. Its even been called hellicious.. 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. Spencer Haywood, for one, claims to have been to the top. Marcus Allen was born on March 26, 1960, to Harold and Gwen Allen in San Diego, CA. Cunningham became a playground regular, a gym rat, and a high school star, leading Erasmus Hall to the New York City Championship in 1961. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. White started five games, but was mostly a mop-up guy, then was injured and finished his career in a pro league in Mexico. And some colleges and pro teams were not ready to take chances on what went along with those guys. I got fired up and did a 360 dunk. Legends abound of the truly great leapers who could touch the top of the board. A lot of them, you have to understand, werent able to get into college, Chamberlain said. The greatest leaper I ever saw was Jackie. Billy Cunningham Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images His daddy was also a professional ball player, which means his skill and confidence are ate least somewhat genetic. The following is a list of the NBA's All-Time Top 50 Team: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Nate Archibald, Paul Arizin, Charles Barkley, Rick Barry, Elgin Baylor, Dave Bing, Larry Bird, Wilt Chamberlain, Bob Cousy, Dave Cowens, Billy Cunningham, Dave DeBusschere . Watch even half of any of his highlight reels and youll understand why he made this list. These are professional men: Dr. J, Dr. Dunkenstein, Dr. Jam. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Then theres Jerry Mr. 75 Stories | Billy Cunningham - YouTube Javascript is required for the selection of a player. Billy Cunningham Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Though he portrayed a large woman in "You have to Walk it like . 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. Robinson, David 1965 [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]. Select from premium Billy Cunningham 76ers of the highest quality. I went back a few hours later with a tape measure. He was with the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers for 17 years . He was discovered. Rosters Cut,", "1978 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals - New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers", Goldaper, Sam. Joe Vanilla Sky Alexander has restless, jumpy feet that propel him way up to block shots and confound his opponents. Ive never felt another feeling like it, being able to go up in the air, over someone much bigger, and stay up there. Youre entering another world up there. "Shue Ousted, Cunningham Named; N.B.A. 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.. William John "Billy" Cunningham was born on June 3, 1943. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. The players who fly through this thin air are not simply remembered by hoop fans. Cunningham, though, tore up the ABA. The only other thing in life I couldnt comprehend was looking at the moon and knowing there were men walking on it.. Cunningham would never play again. Who would he share a wing with? Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 4:50AM. 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. A fiery coach, Cunningham stalked the sidelines with the best of them. 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. Media in category "Billy Cunningham" The following 5 files are in this category, out of 5 total. Send us your videotape. for once. They swept the Knicks in the conference semis and topped the Bucks in five games to reach another Finals, where they swept longtime nemesis L.A. for the championship. I said to him, Yes, yes, yes! Wilt said, Im gonna kill you. . But who has seen him? . To that end, heres this writers all-time all-leap team: Dr. J, the Big Dipper, Air Jordan, David Skywalker and Joey Johnson. 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. Billy Cunningham was born in the Parkville section of Brooklyn, New York. Therefore, its best to use Encyclopedia.com citations as a starting point before checking the style against your school or publications requirements and the most-recent information available at these sites: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html. Jerry West could get up. After this historic 2015 event, Twitter lit up with the hashtag #WhiteMenCanJump (the up in lit up is so well placed, right?). I made a left turn at the baseline, flew under the basket to the other side, put it through his arms, and dunked it with two hands over my head. Basketball Player Billy Cunningham's Net Worth, Wife, and Bio 2019Encyclopedia.com | All rights reserved. He inherited a team of underachievers led by Julius Erving. The new generation of jumpers, ushered in by Julius Erving, has pushed the dunk to new artistic heights. Another oft-told legend has Jackie on defense. window.__mirage2 = {petok:"ZbxZ3AJWWjyZL0HXDpABwVdW.7p3rtLrWMEsK2FPL0A-86400-0"}; We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Why not simply whip out a tape measure and measure the leapers leaps, take the guesswork out of whos the greatest? This guy that was also selected for the MLB draft, spent time with the Orioles, and pitched an impressive 96 mph. One of the more recent players on this list, Chris Birdman Anderson is known for his celebratory arm flapping and his intriguing tattoos. Some nights Id scare myself.. 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. That Feb. 8, the ABA trotted out its five best slammers. Professional football player Billy Cunningham - IMDb After playing for Philadelphia from 1965 to 1972, he signed a free agent contract with the ABA's . Effortless, absolutely effortless.. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Youre just up there and nobody else can get up there., David (Skywalker) Thompson said: Sometimes Id surprise myself. Not too shabby at all, right? 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. He would perform a reverse dunk-dunk with two balls. 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. Griffin was born of half Afro-Haitian descent and half Caucasian. Dont try a big leap. He is still the winningest coach in Sixers history. Patterson, who recently resigned as Arizona States coach, said that Johnson is really an impact player, but not consistently good and solid. Browse 310 billy_cunningham stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Okay, so LaVine is technically not 100% Caucasian. The other measurement of leap is the money exchange at the top of the backboard, which is exactly 13 feet above the floor and three feet above the rim. A commitment to the basic fundamentals of any game lead to progress, growth, and success. Billy Cunningham was born in New York on June 3, 1943. Billy Cunningham wasn't nicknamed the Kangaroo Kid because he had a pouch. Lift up an arm and hop once or twice to get a feel for how far away the rim is. Destined to become one of the first of basketball's most talented big men, as a young man George Mikan, Sprewell, Latrell 1970 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. I defy anyone to say they took change off the top of the backboard, Chamberlain said. home/away, monthly, etc More Billy Cunningham Basketball Reference pages, Compare Billy Cunningham to other players. 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,. In the twentieth game of the 19751976 season, Cunningham's career suddenly and inexplicably ended. Under Cunningham, the team reached the Eastern Conference finals in 1978 and the NBA finals in 1980 and 1982. He was in the gym in Mesa one afternoon, in street clothes and basketball shoes. Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: Sports Figures. He cant quite jump out of the gym, but he has come close to jumping out of a bar or two. The difference between the two marks, in inches, is the players sergeant jump, as in, Joe Smith has a 29-inch sergeant.. These guys more than held their own in a sport where they were absolutely a minority. 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. Its a rush, a thrill, said the Elevator from Decatur. Billy Cunningham played fiercely, coached intensely, and won frequently. ." I saw him come down the floor once, in the Eastern League, on a fast break. What time is Billy Cunningham's Sunday night show on? So maybe his African American genes are a little stronger than his Caucasian ones after all? No question, the mystique of the superleaper remains. David came the closest, Kupchak said. 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. Cunningham grew up in Brooklyn and on his fifth birthday he received a basketball. He was so good, Red Auerbach saw him play in a schoolyard game and invited him to camp with the Celtics. The ABA wasnt about dignity, it was about style. Do you have a blog? Billy Cunningham, Actor: You've Got to Walk It Like You Talk It or You'll Lose That Beat. These are not necessarily great basketball players, understand, but their ability to jump has made them objects of something much deeper than profound respect. The Leaping Legends of Basketball : Some of The Names Will Jump Out at At six feet, seven inches tall and 220 pounds, Cunningham was a consistent scorer and fierce rebounder. 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. The ONLY white man. Theyll all be going through and over their mountainous opponents in no time! "Cunningham, William John ("Billy") ." Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. Stand underneath a basketball hoop, a regulation 10-footer. I dont believe anyone has ever done it. Fiery and volatile, he would pace the sidelines, driving his team relentlessly. 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. He would get up in the air and spread those wings, hed be swoopin. Dont send letters, leapers. Part of Dr. Js legend is the same as the mystique of a gunfighter coming into town, Costas said. 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. Also, his dunk on Dwight Howard during the 2008 Olympic finals was unreal. I lived there that summer, he later recalled. Cunningham was a member of the powerful 1967 Sixers championship team, which also featured Wilt Chamberlain, Hal Greer, Chet Walker, and Luke Jackson. billy cunningham vertical jump - ingenioemprendedor.com The Philadelphia team Cunningham inherited featured Julius Erving, George McGinnis, Doug Collins, Lloyd B. 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. Dolph Schayes is an icon in Philadelphia 76ers lore and was one of the NBA's first stars as well. And there was a dog. In Game 2 of the 1967 NBA Finals, Cunningham scored 28 points during a 126-95 win over the San Francisco Warriors.[3]. Here's a number: 44 inches. Ervings early obscurity helped make him famous. Position: 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 may be the greatest leaper of all time. Top 15 NBA Players Who Prove That White Men CAN Jump - TheSportster Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list. The color barrier and the sex barrier of slam-dunk have fallen: Many white guys and a few women can dunk. Many of the legendary leapers of that era didnt play NBA ball because all they could do was leap. His jersey number "32" was later retired by Philadelphia. 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 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. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. In fact, his hockey-head-ish hair might even be as famous as his dunk. It's 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, and its become pretty popular. 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. [14] He then returned for one last year to help cover the 1991 NCAA men's basketball tournament, partnered with Dick Stockton once again. David Robinson, future NBA Hall-of-Famer and leader of the San Antonio Spurs, was born in Key We, Chamberlain, Wilt Cunningham led the league in steals with 216 and was fourth in scoring with a 24.1 points-per-game average. He holds the second-best regular-season winning percentage in league history of .698 (only Phil Jackson is ahead of him). During a game in 1963 against Clemson University, he grabbed a record twenty-seven rebounds. Detroits Adrian Dantley, 6-foot-4, and Clevelands Phil Hubbard, 6-8, were the only front-court starters to go through the season dunkless. Cunningham then went to the University of North Carolina, where he excelled. "I don't know anything he has done that hasn't worked," said the Orlando, Florida, executive Pat Williams. Erasmus Hall in Brooklyn, New York, Draft: Billy Cunningham attended Erasmus Hall in Brooklyn, New York and UNC. I dont want anyone ripping rib-cage muscles or wrenching spinal disks. . Jay Norman, an outstanding defensive player, went into his defensive stance at the foul line. See, for example, Jan Hubbard, ed., The Official NBA Basketball Encyclopedia, 3d ed. 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. And despite the proliferation of dunkers, there is a very elite group of leapers. The Doc won it with a long run, a leap from two inches inside the free throw line and a dramatic, powerful windmill slam. Not only could he dunk, but he had a serious white boy swagger. 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!) 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 played it constantly. Hes one of only a handful of white guys to even make it to the Slam Dunk Competition, and hes rumoured to have reached a vertical jump of 39 inches. Somebody done gotcha. But man, that was sweet music. Posted by; Date June 12, 2022; Comments . As a player, he was fiery yet consistent, pulling down rebounds and scoring points. 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. Stanfords 6-4 Todd Lichti is a big-time leaper, regardless of race, creed or color. My sergeant was higher than Jordans. After that season, Cunningham jumped from the NBA to the ABA with the Carolina Cougars. Kareem came the closest. His departure had a disastrous effect. Cade Cunningham Vertical Jump Height. Top 15 NBA Players Who Prove That White Men CAN Jump, The sun even shines on a dog's a** some days. The most frequent flyers? NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network, *Translations are limited to select pages, NBA Legends: Profiling the league's greats, Brooks suspended after receiving 16th technical foul, Grizzlies' Clarke (torn achilles) out indefinitely, Ja will be away from team for 'at least' 2 games, Ex-NBA player Morrow facing assault charges, Durant passes 'Big O' for 13th in career points, NBA Fantasy: Under-the-radar additions for playoffs. (b. 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.. Billy Cunningham - Basketball-Reference.com There was a guard from Harlem named Rabbit. Yep. When Joey was a high school senior, Clarke took his Watts Magicians to Mesa, Ariz., for a prep tournament. His standing vertical was 37.5 inches. Other notable dunks include his shot on the Sonics seriously ticked off Robert Reid, and another on the Knicks flabbergasted Patrick Ewing. Chess Robot Grabs And Breaks Finger Of Seven-Year . I mean, what next? What happens when you put stilts on kangaroo? In the JC championship game, an opponent fired a jump shot at the buzzer. After acquiring the talented Moses Malone for the 19821983 season, Philadelphia won sixty-five regular season games and then the league championship, losing one of thirteen play-off games. In 1965 Cunningham graduated from UNC and was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the National Basketball Association (NBA) draft. billy cunningham vertical jump I loved it instantly.. So I did a 360, two handed, and he conceded.. They drove a new nail in for Joey, measured it at 11-7 1/2. It looked like the half-court line was around a mile and a half away, Cunningham said. Has Joey Johnson simply outleaped the game of basketball? Thats the outer space were dealing with today, the sky above the hoop, the rare air inhabited by only a select group of humans, the legendary leapers. (February 22, 2023). In his rookie season of 19651966 Cunningham was at first assigned to be a guard, then switched positions, becoming a small forward. (2000). 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. Thompson was on a par with Erving but after five great NBA seasons, his career hit a quick decline, caused in part by cocaine problems.