Chamberlain was asked, werent there any great leapers of the white persuasion? When I was a freshman, I fooled around with shooting free throws this way: For some reason, I thought you had to stay within the top half of that free-throw circle, so I would step back to just inside the top of the circle, take off from behind the line and dunk. These are professional men: Dr. J, Dr. Dunkenstein, Dr. Jam. The difference between the two marks, in inches, is the players sergeant jump, as in, Joe Smith has a 29-inch sergeant.. At the 1991 Slam Dunk Competition he came in third. 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. Ridiculous, but it has been done, by a kid youve probably never heard of, unless you started reading this story at the end. Youre entering another world up there. 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. In the far-up Land of Leap, the unit of currency is the dunk. They drove a new nail in for Joey, measured it at 11-7 1/2. In a 14-year professional career studded with superla-tives, Wilt Chamberlain established the, Mikan, George For three days, Rabbit put on a show like theyve never seen before. William John Cunningham (The Kangaroo Kid, Kang, Billy C) Position: Small Forward and Power Forward Shoots: Left 6-6, 210lb (198cm, 95kg) . Position: Cunningham, William John ("Billy") | Encyclopedia.com 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. But the final came down to David Thompson vs. Julius Erving--the Skywalker vs. the Doctor. Boston kept Philadelphia out of The 1981 Finals, but the Sixers roared back to the 1982 before falling to the Lakers again. In fact, he set the record for most blocks and field goal percentage in a season at his high school, Linganore High in Mt. (AP Photo/Rusty Kennedy) Cunningham, her stepdaughter and her fiance all jumped into action. Some of the guys started dunking. He walked into the gym one morning and there was a TV crew set up. Legends abound of the truly great leapers who could touch the top of the board. 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. If accurate, that would have put him as the 10th-highest max vertical leaper (not standing, but with a short running start) in the NBA Draft, just behind Grayson Allen's number of 40.5 inches. For his college career he averaged 24.8 points per game and set a school record with 1,062 rebounds. . Cunningham joined the broadcast team for CBS in the 197677 season, often paired with Brent Musburger, leaving after the season ended to coach the 76ers. He was named Most Valuable Player in the ABA. The obvious question is, why didnt more of these guys play in the NBA? But who has seen him? . In 1976-77, the season before Cunningham took the helm, the Sixers reached The Finals, only to fall to the Portland Trail Blazers. Legends profile: Billy Cunningham | NBA.com Jack Gardner, a former college coach, did our testing, Nissalke said. The rim was two inches low. 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. His daddy was also a professional ball player, which means his skill and confidence are ate least somewhat genetic. (February 22, 2023). All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. His departure had a disastrous effect on the 76ers, who posted a 9-73 record in 1972-73, the worst mark in NBA history. 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. In Game 2 of the 1967 NBA Finals, Cunningham scored 28 points during a 126-95 win over the San Francisco Warriors.[3]. He would get up in the air and spread those wings, hed be swoopin. Chris Wallace, the college talent scout, said: I dont believe measurements. American basketball player Biography. Billy Cunningham was born in the Parkville section of Brooklyn, New York. I never had to agonize over that decision all athletes face.. June 12, 2022 . Though he portrayed a large woman in "You have to Walk it like . We should be glad he doesnt demand his own useum. David came the closest, Kupchak said. Moral of this story: dont count the white guys out of this sport just yet. 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. Billy can jump up to 29-31 inches (vertical leap). 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. Cunningham again led the team in scoring in 1970-71, ranking ninth in the NBA with 23.0 ppg. In his first playoff appearance, he led the Sixers to a 4-game sweep against the Knicks,[12] before bowing down to the Bullets in six games. There have been--and are--very good white jumpers. He was finished as a player. How does Zion "only" have a vertical jump of 40.5 inches when - reddit There have been--and are--very good white jumpers. This guy that was also selected for the MLB draft, spent time with the Orioles, and pitched an impressive 96 mph. He would toss the ball off the backboard and then slam it home. He may be the greatest leaper of all time. After that season, Cunningham jumped from the NBA to the ABA with the Carolina Cougars. 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. Billy Cunningham was inducted to the Hall of Fame as a Player in 1986 (Full List) In the twentieth game of the 19751976 season, Cunningham's career suddenly and inexplicably ended. Chamberlain played for the Globetrotters in the 58-59 season and said: Jumpin Joe Buckhalter and I would line up on opposite sides of the free throw lane when Meadowlark Lemon was shooting a free throw. These are not necessarily great basketball players, understand, but their ability to jump has made them objects of something much deeper than profound respect. Gus once said, When I dunked that ball and heard that shot for the first time, I said to myself, Oh, oh, Gus. Youre just up there and nobody else can get up there., David (Skywalker) Thompson said: Sometimes Id surprise myself. Note that this is not the official NBA measurement. Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: Sports Figures. Dawkins named it, Chocolate Thunder Flying, Robinzine Crying, Teeth Shaking, Glass Breaking, Rump Roasting, Bun Toasting, Wham, Bam, Glass Breaker, I Am Jam.. 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. Here's a number: 44 inches. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. 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. I told him Id read he had a 44. Cunningham led the league in steals with 216 and was fourth in scoring with a 24.1 points-per-game average. 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. Hes said to be the greatest white dunker in all of basketball history. Jackie stays in the air and the ref calls a three-second violation. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Until recently, nobody ever tried to keep track of dunks on any league-wide scale. I loved it instantly." As a player, he was fiery yet consistent, pulling down rebounds and scoring points. [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 would perform a reverse dunk-dunk with two balls. "I can't put my finger on it exactly, but there was just something about the game. Joey averaged 19.5 points at Southern Idaho and led the team to a national junior college title. Then he enters into the [NBA] expansion pursuit and gets it. Dunk is cheap. After that season, he earned the first of what would be three straight All-NBA First Team selections. The Grizzlies say their star guard will be away from the team for 'at least' the next 2 games. Player stats broken down into various categories; i.e. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? This guy wasnt a leaper, but it will show you what I mean. As a player and then a coach for the Philadelphia 76ers, he was part of two NBA championship teams. billy cunningham vertical jump - quraneducator.com As a high school senior, he received a scholarship offer from a Midwestern college, asking him to become the schools first black player. Thompson, as a consolation prize, won the MVP award in the All-Star game itself. Stanford's 6-4 Todd Lichti is a big-time leaper, regardless of race, creed or color. Chamberlain couldnt remember the players name, but Rod Thorn did. Curtis Bunn, a 6-1 reporter for Newsday, has a very decent repertoire of slams. Joey didnt even have his shoes laced, Clarke said. 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. That said, you can see his leaping ability when he takes off. He succeeded Gene Shue as head coach of the 24 76ers on November 4, 1977. Soon Greer would be alone. Billy Cunningham - Wikipedia 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. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny OFFICIAL TRAILER! 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. He was all but unknown at the University of Massachusetts, then played five seasons in the semi-secret ABA. CREATIVE. The legendary player and coach was named the ABA MVP for the 1972-73 season. 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. Billy Cunningham weighed 210 lbs (95 kg) when playing. It takes a lot more to get people excited now, said Chris Wallace, editor of the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook. 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. Billy Cunningham - Basketball-Reference.com And despite the proliferation of dunkers, there is a very elite group of leapers. 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. In the Museum of Leap, Wilt (the Big Dipper) Chamberlain has his own wing. If thats not impressive enough for you, he also played on two NBA championship teams and later coached the Philadelphia 76ers for eight seasons. Instead he went to Georgia as a white player and was a so-so power forward. Why isnt this guy in the hall of fame yet? He got kudos for his smooth-sounding, incisive work with the play-by-play announcer Dick Stockton. He was a consummate team player, and he used the same unifying concept and enthusiasm to become a successful head coach. One of basketball's all-time greats, Cunningham was elected to the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame and honored by selection to both the NBA's 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams as one of its legendary players, as well as to the ABA All-Time Team. Billy Cunningham 76ers Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images 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. He said he was afraid he would cut himself. Its almost like burlesque dancing. I dont believe anyone has ever done it. Daughter of NBA Hall of Famer Billy Cunningham jumps into action during Thunder Dan has more than made friends with the rim and earned his name! Encyclopedia.com gives you the ability to cite reference entries and articles according to common styles from the Modern Language Association (MLA), The Chicago Manual of Style, and the American Psychological Association (APA). 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. billy cunningham vertical jump. The schools former coach, Frank McGuire, was the one who had recruited Cunningham, which left Smith with a prize recruit he had never seen. All rights reserved. The white guys listed below are heroes of the basketball world. 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. After playing for Philadelphia from 1965 to 1972, he signed a free agent contract with the ABA's . billy cunningham vertical jump. Even so, Erving was the NBAs most dazzling aerial star until he retired in 1987 and passed the title to Michael Jordan. ! 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. Cunningham played with visible enthusiasm. If you play the game, you know how high that is. Never got off the bench, but in warmups he could dunk better than anyone Ive ever seen.. Michael Jordan has stopped just short of holding the ball in his mouth, uncoiling his tongue in mid-flight and inventing the Anteater Slam. Cunningham grew up in Brooklyn and on his fifth birthday he received a basketball. If youre looking for scale, thats taller than most baby elephants. Basketball Player Billy Cunningham's Net Worth, Wife, and Bio The ABA wasnt about dignity, it was about style. Cunningham, though, tore up the ABA. 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. Wilt Chamberlain claims that his sergeant, during his prime, was 46 to 48 inches, easy. Of course, Wilt also claims he once averaged 50 points for an entire NBA season, so his credibility is suspect.
Homes For Rent Stephenson County, Il,
How Many Hands Was Secretariat,
Articles B