No question, the mystique of the superleaper remains. 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. Theyve run like the wind, ducked like a water fowl, flown like jet planes, and scored more points than Cassanova in a disco. I dont believe anyone has ever done it. 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. Joey is 6-3, with average-length arms and legs, and incredibly unaverage spring. After that season, he earned the first of what would be three straight All-NBA First Team selections. Top 15 NBA Players Who Prove That White Men CAN Jump, The sun even shines on a dog's a** some days. Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: Sports Figures. The legendary player and coach was named the ABA MVP for the 1972-73 season. Jones, a noted defensive terror. One boy did dunks of a monster nature, so they named him after the only monster they knew that could fly--Rodan. Hawkins is now vice president of communications for the Dodgers. 22 Feb. 2023 . Chess Robot Grabs And Breaks Finger Of Seven-Year . Thats a mouthful. Cunningham grew up in Brooklyn and on his fifth birthday he received a basketball. 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. In 1965 Cunningham graduated from UNC and was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the National Basketball Association (NBA) draft. To that end, heres this writers all-time all-leap team: Dr. J, the Big Dipper, Air Jordan, David Skywalker and Joey Johnson. The Globies listed him at 6-5, but Sonny Hill swears Jackie was 6-3, tops. 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. Gus was a colorful thunder dunker and a breaker of backboards. . 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. When I went to Kansas, they had a 12-foot basket in the gym, because Dr. Phog Allen was advocating the 12-foot basket. Uh oh! Joey? Billy Cunningham tells broadcaster John Andariese about his early success with the 76ers. Sura strutted and slammed his stuff in both the 1997 Slam Dunk Competition and the All Star Weekend, and his jumps were recorded to be about 39 inches. It doesnt take a detective to see these were obviously a foreshadowing of plays to come. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Before his senior year, White happened to work out with some Atlanta Hawks players and they went to coach Richie Guerin with tales of this amazing leaper. Cunningham has been on 50,000-watt radio station 700 WLW for over 30 years, beginning in 1983. At the 1991 Slam Dunk Competition he came in third. 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. When I went to Kansas, they had a 12-foot basket in the gym, because Dr. Phog Allen was advocating the 12-foot basket. Pretty darn safe. star and now the leagues vice president of operations. In his basketball uniform and shoes, with a short, unmeasured run-up, he soared over seven feet. 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. Its even been called hellicious.. Still, the thrill is not all gone. White, also known as the Elevator from Decatur, made the NBA all-time all-warmup team that one season. In 1966-67, the 76ers dominated the NBA. Yes, 44. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Learn more and register, College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com Blog and Articles. 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. Also, his dunk on Dwight Howard during the 2008 Olympic finals was unreal. The schools former coach, Frank McGuire, was the one who had recruited Cunningham, which left Smith with a prize recruit he had never seen. During one game he went THROUGH and OVER the 77 Manute Bol of the Golden State Warriors to ALMOST score. 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. They are enshrined in a mythical Museum of Leap. Instant green. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. 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. Herb White was moved to write a poem about an eagle that had lost its ability to soar. Billy Cunningham was drafted by Philadelphia 76ers, 1st round (7th pick, 7th overall), 1965 NBA Draft. A fairly average 65 Sura fit in among the other players on the court, but he set himself apart with his gorgeous dunking abilities. His man takes him into the key, gives a head fake and sends Jackie skyward. He was never even charged with wrongdoing, but the NBA ban stuck until Connies lawyers broke it down in 1969, when the Hawk was 27 and well past his swooping prime. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 4:50AM. Dolph Schayes is an icon in Philadelphia 76ers lore and was one of the NBA's first stars as well. The soaring flight of the great leaper is amazing, even to himself. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Some nights Id scare myself.. As a player, he was fiery yet consistent, pulling down rebounds and scoring points. He was a tough, intense, competitive player who used his intelligence as much as his physical talents. Joey walked up to the wall, one foot planted, no rocking, jumped up and missed the nail. Athletic Club, has worked with most of the great L.A. prep stars of the last two decades. Thunder Dan has more than made friends with the rim and earned his name! Current Grand Canyon Antelopes coach and the Phoenix Suns favourite former shooting guard/small forward is an NBA All Star, an Olympian, and World Team member. 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. A lot of them, you have to understand, werent able to get into college, Chamberlain said. That Sixers team has since been hailed as the greatest ever assembled. In the Museum of Leap, Wilt (the Big Dipper) Chamberlain has his own wing. Wed been on the bus eight hours by then, Trenkle said. My mother has a bar here in southern Idaho, and shes got a nail where Joey touched, at 11-9 1/2.. Yes, he married a former judge. He also had stellar 3-pointer abilities, but after that 1996 air show, most of his other accomplishments were left in the dust. Terrell Owens Gets Into Fight Outside CVS. Select from premium Billy Cunningham 76ers of the highest quality. As a high school senior, he received a scholarship offer from a Midwestern college, asking him to become the schools first black player. We should be glad he doesnt demand his own useum. Or write about sports? Knowing he was inexperienced, Cunningham assembled a group of veteran ex-coaches as assistants, including Chuck Daly, who later to become head coach of the Detroit Pistons. In his final season, he was the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year. Hes sought advice from Tim Duncan on how to be a great leader and win with his team. Clutch West, with his awe-inspiring 60-foot shot in the 1970 NBA Final. 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. So maybe his African American genes are a little stronger than his Caucasian ones after all? Cunningham guided the 76ers for eight years, reaching the 200- and 300-victory levels faster than any coach before him. Draft: Philadelphia 76ers, 1st round (7th pick, 7th overall), 1965 NBA draft, More Cunningham pages at Sports Reference, Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 6:03AM. Cunningham was part of a group that helped to secure an NBA franchise for Miami in the late 1980s. In 1966 Cunningham 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.. In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. . He was finished as a player. Chamberlain couldnt remember the players name, but Rod Thorn did. They think they could track down what the announcer calls a routine fly ball. Its like walking on air. Manigault, for instance, developed an addiction to heroin, stole to get it, did time in two prisons. Legends abound of the truly great leapers who could touch the top of the board. We Have Fusion Energy! Do you have a sports website? Until recently, nobody ever tried to keep track of dunks on any league-wide scale. Last season, there were 5,757 NBA dunks by 246 players. A lot of great leapers dont bother to perfect those skills, because they are treated with such awe. He was about a foot from the top.. After Chamberlain left the team in 1968, Cunningham became the 76ers' franchise player. Browse 310 billy_cunningham stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. Hey, a sportswriter dunks. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. Cunningham would never play again. Stand underneath a basketball hoop, a regulation 10-footer. 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. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. He came up with four: Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, Spud Webb and Clyde (the Glide) Drexler. 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. Cunningham played with visible enthusiasm. After that season, Cunningham jumped from the NBA to the ABA with the Carolina Cougars. Dunk is cheap. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. Effortless, absolutely effortless.. He holds the second-best regular-season winning percentage in league history of .698 (only Phil Jackson is ahead of him). Upon his retirement on May 28, 1985,[13] his 454 wins as a head coach were the 12th best in NBA history. In the twentieth game of the 19751976 season, Cunningham's career suddenly and inexplicably ended. 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. Some are best at soaring up for a three-pointer, some rock at the jump shots, some can perform slam dunks like nobodys business, and they all work their butts off to prove that they belong in this black mans sport. 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.
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