VIDEO: Giant Space Slingshot In Action. But with a leaper, everybody instantly knows they couldnt do it, that only the tiniest fraction of humans can jump that high.. William John Cunningham (The Kangaroo Kid, Kang, Billy C) Position: Small Forward and Power Forward Shoots: Left 6-6, 210lb (198cm, 95kg) . CREATIVE. Detroits Adrian Dantley, 6-foot-4, and Clevelands Phil Hubbard, 6-8, were the only front-court starters to go through the season dunkless. Dont try a big leap. billy cunningham vertical jump - a portrait of the artist as filipino - a portrait of the artist as filipino - Joe Clarke, founder and president of the South-Central L.A. 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. CUNNINGHAM, William John ("Billy") ( b. A lot of them, you have to understand, werent able to get into college, Chamberlain said. Yes, 44. He was so good, Red Auerbach saw him play in a schoolyard game and invited him to camp with the Celtics. Someone would put a quarter up and Id snatch it down. Philadelphia won 62 games the next season, but the Celtics upset the 76ers in the playoffs. 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. The Kangaroo Kid, Kang, Billy C are nicknames for Billy Cunningham. Theyll all be going through and over their mountainous opponents in no time! "I never had to agonize over that decision all athletes face" about when to retire. He is still the winningest coach in Sixers history. Weve all heard the saying: white men cant jump. Ron Shelton even made a (fantastic) movie about it in the 90s! When Dominique (the Human Highlight Film) Wilkins was in college, a 5-9 laundry man named Leroy Nowells would saunter into the Georgia gym and match slams with Wilkins. Its not just his personality that gets attention, though; hes been an NBA Champion in 2013, participated in the Slam Dunk Contest twice, and his vertical leap measures in at a not-too-shabby 37 inches. Basketball was just a game they played for fun. In his UNC career, he scored 1,709 points (24.8 points per game), and grabbed 1,062 rebounds (15.4 rebounds per game). Chris Wallace, the college talent scout, said: I dont believe measurements. He once grabbed a record 27 rebounds in a game vs. Clemson on February 16, 1963. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. As Cunningham was adjusting to the professional game, the 76ers were becoming a powerhouse. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. It doesnt take a detective to see these were obviously a foreshadowing of plays to come. Do you have a sports website? Julius, Gus (Johnson), Pogo Joe Caldwell. 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. He was elected to the Hall of Fame the following year. 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. He was with the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers for 17 years . 1964 UNC at Duke, tip-off.jpg 1,454 1,750; 377 KB. us, High School: After playing for Philadelphia from 1965 to 1972, he signed a free agent contract with the ABA's . billy cunningham vertical jump. 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. He was in the gym in Mesa one afternoon, in street clothes and basketball shoes. I was right there and it wasnt a foot. We sure are glad he picked basketball! The Grizzlies say their star guard will be away from the team for 'at least' the next 2 games. Clutch West, with his awe-inspiring 60-foot shot in the 1970 NBA Final. Yes, he married a former judge. . 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. I said to myself, Ive got to try. I angled to the right. The greatest leaper I ever saw was Jackie. An influential figure on the game at large, Julius Erving won a 1983 NBA title in Philadelphia and was the face of the ABA as well. Joey? Griffin was born of half Afro-Haitian descent and half Caucasian. Bones Barry is pretty much Larry Bird, only with a slightly higher jump and significantly longer shorts. 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. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 4:50AM. Averaging 14.3 points per game, Cunningham was named to the league's All-Rookie team. It was like, Legend has it that 20 men are buried in Boot Hill because of this guy. 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. Or write about sports? In fact, he set the record for most blocks and field goal percentage in a season at his high school, Linganore High in Mt. Moral of this story: dont count the white guys out of this sport just yet. Really, though, hed have to in order to make it look like he belonged there among all the African American bball greats. His departure had a disastrous effect on the 76ers, who posted a 9-73 record in 1972-73, the worst mark in NBA history. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? The most frequent flyers? Encyclopedias almanacs transcripts and maps, Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: Sports Figures. He recorded 14 triple doubles in the NBA and 5 in the ABA, good for 43rd all-time in the NBA and 5th in the ABA. Cunningham reached 200, 300, and 400 wins faster than any previous coach in NBA history. Stand underneath a basketball hoop, a regulation 10-footer. Top 15 NBA Players Who Prove That White Men CAN Jump, The sun even shines on a dog's a** some days. 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. Now imagine yourself crouching a bit, like Superman, and springing high into the air. At (one NBA tryout camp), where we had a strong cross section of draftees, the highest was 36 1/2 inches. Technicalities, you know. Thats how much air was between Connaughton and those shiny floorboards at the NBA Combine in 2015. 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. . Every time Gus slam-dunked at home, the recorded sound of a rifle shot would whistle through the arena. Those Sixers advanced to the East finals before losing in five games to the Celtics. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list. They were trying to touch the top of the board, Nissalke said. Billy Cunningham wasn't nicknamed the Kangaroo Kid because he had a pouch. for once. Somebody done gotcha. But man, that was sweet music. He didnt just score, he scored OVER people, including all 68 of Plastic Man Stacey Augmon. Thompson, as a consolation prize, won the MVP award in the All-Star game itself. That said, you can see his leaping ability when he takes off. It didnt happen, though, and Fernandez remains playing with Real Madrid, where he feels he is a better player.This, however, is debatable. Throughout his life, Cunningham excelled at all aspects of the game he loved. married Sondra; they had two daughters. 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. When Joey was a high school senior, Clarke took his Watts Magicians to Mesa, Ariz., for a prep tournament. Billy Cunningham was a standout scorer for the Philadelphia 76ers. Lets add Billy Hoyle as an honourary #16 to this list, shall we? Ive heard stories about Jackie Jackson doing it, but Ive never seen anyone (but himself) come close., Sonny Hill, a Philadelphia leaping legend of the 60s, backs Wilt, saying, The only man thats been to the top, thats Wilt. Dawkins claimed to have come from the planet Lovetron, he called himself Chocolate Thunder and Zandokan the Mad Dunker, and he named his dunks. 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. However, the poet laureate of leap is Darryl Dawkins. Billy Cunningham is an American former professional basketball player and coach, who was nicknamed the Kangaroo Kid. You cant accomplish that feat unless youve got some serious springs in your heels! I defy anyone to say they took change off the top of the backboard, Chamberlain said. In 1969-70, Cunningham averaged a career-best 26.1 points, fourth-highest in the league behind Jerry West, Lew Alcindor (later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) and Elvin Hayes. While he was dribbling down the court, his knee exploded. 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. Jones, a noted defensive terror. The single-game high was eight, by Drexler, against the Lakers. Whats unfortunate is that most people regard the great leapers as being only the short guys who could dunk, said the 7-1 1/16 Chamberlain. White is a regular at Hawk games and a fan of Wilkins. Geraldo Rivera is standing by. Theres not room for both of us. The next day Red let Rabbit go. At Southern Idaho, the legend grew. Some of the guys started dunking. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. "We just helped knock on doors and pull people out of their homes last night. See, for example, Jan Hubbard, ed., The Official NBA Basketball Encyclopedia, 3d ed. Officially, his nickname originated from a 2002 summer league in Salt Lake City, where other players commented on his jumps and grabs, saying he could fly like a bird. Dont get him confused with Larry Bird though. He was about a foot from the top.. We Have Fusion Energy! We should be glad he doesnt demand his own useum. 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. 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. [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. As a freshman he went out for the track team, worked out a total of 10 hours, then high-jumped 7-3 7/8. I mean, what next? Can you do that? I could. What happens when you put stilts on kangaroo? 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. Now they take everything off and it takes a lot more to get people excited.. In his basketball uniform and shoes, with a short, unmeasured run-up, he soared over seven feet. He finished well out of the running--or jumping--when he clanged at least one attempt off the rim. Fiery and volatile, he would pace the sidelines, driving his team relentlessly. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Bobby Jones could swoop and soar. Dunk-off of the Network Superstars? Stanford's 6-4 Todd Lichti is a big-time leaper, regardless of race, creed or color. When I went to Kansas, they had a 12-foot basket in the gym, because Dr. Phog Allen was advocating the 12-foot basket. That year, he was the First-Team All-New York Ive never felt another feeling like it, being able to go up in the air, over someone much bigger, and stay up there. Its a feeling of power and freedom Ive never gotten from anything else. You dont play with a red, white and blue ball if youre into dignity. In his second season with Carolina, Cunningham was hampered by injuries, but he still managed a 20.5 average in 32 games. Billy Cunningham was born on June 3, 1943. Cunningham was part of a group that helped to secure an NBA franchise for Miami in the late 1980s. The 1984-85 season, Cunninghams last as coach, featured the addition of rookie Charles Barkley to the team. 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. Date of birth: 3 June 1943 . In 1974 Cunningham returned to the 76ers. Pasty skin. 22 Feb. 2023 . inBrooklyn,New York He said he was tired and tight. 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. They outlawed that, but I wouldnt have done it in a game, anyway. Some nights Id scare myself.. Airy, Maryland. He had a baseball cap on, and he turned the bill sideways. 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. Marcus Allen was born on March 26, 1960, to Harold and Gwen Allen in San Diego, CA. During the post-season, the Cougars defeated the New York Nets in five games in the Eastern Division Semifinals to advance to the Eastern Division Finals. Is Billy Cunningham married? Dolph Schayes is an icon in Philadelphia 76ers lore and was one of the NBA's first stars as well. One of the more recent players on this list, Chris Birdman Anderson is known for his celebratory arm flapping and his intriguing tattoos. If you play the game, you know how high that is. The following season, the Sixers finished behind Boston in the standings and were upset by the New Jersey Nets in the first round. 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). Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: Sports Figures. I cant put my finger on it exactly, but there was just something about the game. Or write about sports? These are professional men: Dr. J, Dr. Dunkenstein, Dr. Jam. Its even been called hellicious.. Jump to: Overview (3) | Mini Bio (1) | Family (1) Overview (3) Born: June 3, 1943 in New York, USA: Birth Name: William John Cunningham: Height: 6' 7" (2.01 m) Mini Bio (1) William John "Billy" Cunningham was born on June 3, 1943. Wilt meets me at mid-court and says, Na, na, na, not this time.. Dont send letters, leapers. Its a remarkable life.. Athletic Club, has worked with most of the great L.A. prep stars of the last two decades. After this historic 2015 event, Twitter lit up with the hashtag #WhiteMenCanJump (the up in lit up is so well placed, right?). He coached eight years with 76ers, never finishing lower than second place in the Atlantic and posted a career record of 454-196 (.698). . [10] In October 2021, he was also named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.[11]. Many of the great leapers of that era inhabited the fringes of reality as we know it. 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. Imagine yourself lifting off the blacktop, up and up, until you can reach into the air far above the rim. And the man has pulled out some pretty crazy surprise dunks. "Shue Ousted, Cunningham Named; N.B.A. His playing days ended on one play in the 1975-76 season. He would toss the ball off the backboard and then slam it home. Joe Vanilla Sky Alexander has restless, jumpy feet that propel him way up to block shots and confound his opponents. 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. . Injuries limited Cunningham to only 32 games in 1973-74, but he still averaged 20.5 ppg. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. Pitchin Paul is credited as being one of the first basketball players to ever use the jump shot. 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. 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. The next year he exploded for 24.8 points per game and 12.8 rebounds and he was named a first-team All-Star. For his eleven-year career, Cunningham averaged 21.2 points per game. Joey, standing about eight feet from the shooter, leaped and slapped the shot away. Thunder Dan has more than made friends with the rim and earned his name! Robinson, David 1965 Keith Smart always reported he had a 44. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. And some colleges and pro teams were not ready to take chances on what went along with those guys. Not a great deal is known about Jackie, which is good, because nothing dims a legend faster than facts. The rim was two inches low. At six feet, seven inches tall and 220 pounds, Cunningham was a consistent scorer and fierce rebounder. Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. According to a warrant for Morrow's arrest, he's facing charges of assault by strangulation, second-degree kidnapping and communicating threats. We present them here for purely educational purposes. His masterpiece was a backboard shattering dunk over Kansas City forward Bill Robinzine. 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. To that end, heres this writers all-time all-leap team: Dr. J, the Big Dipper, Air Jordan, David Skywalker and Joey Johnson. Still, the Sixers finished 34-48, only the second losing season of Cunninghams career. During his eight seasons as the coach of the 76ers, Philadelphia won 454 regular season games and lost 196. If youre looking for scale, thats taller than most baby elephants. Lift up an arm and hop once or twice to get a feel for how far away the rim is. They drove a new nail in for Joey, measured it at 11-7 1/2. 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. I used to dunk on that basket. Chamberlain remembers other playground legends: Boy named Helicopter (real name: Herman Knowings) had incredible wingspan. Bobby Jones could swoop and soar. Jack Gardner, a former college coach, did our testing, Nissalke said. Billy Cunningham found success and stardom during his ABA days. He was a high school superstar. Not only could he walk, but he was also an All-ACC selection three times and a two-time All-American. Then we ask him to jump and we mark the highest point he touched. Most of these leapers are black, and in the late 50s and early 60s, the NBA still had unofficial quotas, and only eight or nine teams. He walked into the gym one morning and there was a TV crew set up. The white guys listed below are heroes of the basketball world. 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.