I mean, what next? The NBA had no such contest at the time, considering such frivolity to be beneath the senior leagues dignity. Dunk-off of the Network Superstars? 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. 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. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Not too shabby at all, right? Joey? 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. 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. Last season, there were 5,757 NBA dunks by 246 players. (2000). The greatest leaper I ever saw was Jackie. 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. He prevailed in the end! Somebody done gotcha. But man, that was sweet music. He was called the Kangaroo Kid for his prodigious leaping ability. My sergeant was higher than Jordans. Instead he went to Georgia as a white player and was a so-so power forward. 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. In 1987, Cunningham replaced Tom Heinsohn as the lead color commentator (alongside play-by-play man Dick Stockton) for CBS' NBA telecasts. He would find a way to beat you., Billy Cunningham discovered the game after receiving a basketball for his fifth birthday. During his playing career, he was a 4-time All-Star and 3-time All-NBA First Team selection. There is no full-length biography of Cunningham, but he is mentioned in most authoritative histories of basketball and in several magazine and online profiles. Technicalities, you know. Chess Robot Grabs And Breaks Finger Of Seven-Year . Here's a number: 44 inches. Cunningham reached 200, 300, and 400 wins faster than any previous coach in NBA history. Its a feeling of power and freedom Ive never gotten from anything else. "In a way the injury made things easy for me," he said later. I asked Kareem if he ever did, and he could jump a little bit. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. I said to him, Yes, yes, yes! Wilt said, Im gonna kill you. . As a freshman he went out for the track team, worked out a total of 10 hours, then high-jumped 7-3 7/8. 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. Billy Cunningham was a standout scorer for the Philadelphia 76ers. They were a winning team the next two seasons but could not repeat as champions, and Cunningham retired after the 19841985 season. He came up with four: Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, Spud Webb and Clyde (the Glide) Drexler. Encyclopedia.com. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame :: Billy Cunningham And the man has pulled out some pretty crazy surprise dunks. In 1966-67, the 76ers dominated the NBA. Against Tulane University on 10 December 1964, he set a UNC record by scoring forty-eight points. Cunningham became a playground regular, a gym rat, and a high school star, leading Erasmus Hall to the New York City Championship in 1961. 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. Billy Cunningham was born on June 3, 1943. Philadelphia went 47-35, second in the newly formed Atlantic Division, but was ousted again in the first round of the playoffs. Patterson, who recently resigned as Arizona States coach, said that Johnson is really an impact player, but not consistently good and solid. The Grizzlies say their star guard will be away from the team for 'at least' the next 2 games. Yes, 44. A fairly average 65 Sura fit in among the other players on the court, but he set himself apart with his gorgeous dunking abilities. He was an NBA champion both as a player (1967) and as a coach (1983). 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. Hed shoot it short and Joe and I would leap up and shake hands over the basket.. 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. Chamberlain remembers other playground legends: Boy named Helicopter (real name: Herman Knowings) had incredible wingspan. [9] In 1996, Cunningham was voted as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History as part of the NBA's 50th Anniversary. Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: Sports Figures. Look up. They are enshrined in a mythical Museum of Leap. The next season, the consistent Cunningham scored 23.3 points per game and was selected as an All-Star for the fourth time. He was twice named an All-American during his collegiate years. To that end, heres this writers all-time all-leap team: Dr. J, the Big Dipper, Air Jordan, David Skywalker and Joey Johnson. Robinson, David 1965 I could. He scored 16,310 points and pulled down nearly 8,000 rebounds. . Then they took out Boston in the Eastern Division finals San Francisco in the NBA Finals. The new generation of jumpers, ushered in by Julius Erving, has pushed the dunk to new artistic heights. Find out more. No. (b. I was a good free throw shooter in college.. married Sondra; they had two daughters. Cunningham again led the team in scoring in 1970-71, ranking ninth in the NBA with 23.0 ppg. "We just helped knock on doors and pull people out of their homes last night. Joe Clarke, founder and president of the South-Central L.A. So goes the popular assumption. Joey didnt even have his shoes laced, Clarke said. 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. No question, the mystique of the superleaper remains. The two teams waged a court battle, each claiming the rights to Cunningham, but the new league won. Athletics are in this guys genes; daddy Rick Barry produced a total of four bball loving sons. Professional basketball player What time is Billy Cunningham's Sunday night show on? Joey made the trip but was nursing a hip pointer, so he couldnt suit up. And he made it to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame with a career that reads like a how-to book for legends. 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. Theyll all be going through and over their mountainous opponents in no time! For three days, Rabbit put on a show like theyve never seen before. Very easily.. 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. His colourful tattoos and hairstyles are about as famous as his skills too, with hairdos including mohawks, spikes, and shoulder-length shag. Herb White was moved to write a poem about an eagle that had lost its ability to soar. He said he was afraid he would cut himself. He had tested thousands of Navy pilots during the war, and he said Griffiths was the highest he ever measured.. Averaging 14.3 points per game, Cunningham was named to the league's All-Rookie team. He played 80 games, primarily as a sixth man, while averaging 14.3 points and 7.5 rebounds a game. Born: June 3, 1943 in Brooklyn, New York us College: UNC High School: Erasmus Hall in Brooklyn, New York Draft: Philadelphia 76ers, 1st round (7th pick, 7th overall), 1965 NBA Draft Granted, the majority of the NBAs highest flying players have been African Americans, but some of the white guys get their share of air time. 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. 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. On December 20, 1970, Cunningham scored 31 points and grabbed a career-high 27 rebounds en route to a 134132 road win over the Portland Trail Blazers. His departure had a disastrous effect. He inherited a team of underachievers led by Julius Erving. No discussion of legendary leapers is complete without heated debate. Cunningham began his second basketball career on Nov. 4, 1977, when he was hired to replace Gene Shue at the Sixers helm. According to a warrant for Morrow's arrest, he's facing charges of assault by strangulation, second-degree kidnapping and communicating threats. Legends profile: Billy Cunningham | NBA.com Very tall players are seldom recognized as great leapers. 1936-1999 Dunk is cheap. No man, I dont believe, has been up that far., With Chamberlain over 50--years of age, not points per game--Nissalke feels safe in saying, That would be the ultimate challenge: Bet any amount of money, and you wouldnt find anyone who could come close to the top of the board.. As a high school senior, he received a scholarship offer from a Midwestern college, asking him to become the schools first black player. Shoots: Yes, he married a former judge. Billy Cunningham played fiercely, coached intensely, and won frequently. I loved it instantly.. After Chamberlain left the team in 1968, Cunningham became the 76ers' franchise player. Wilt mentioned a few names, then said, You know, there was a white boy who played for Atlanta around 1970. Its a remarkable life.. Though he portrayed a large woman in "You have to Walk it like you talk it or You'll Lose that Beat" (1971), he is best known as an American former professional basketball player and coach. His jump was absolutely awesome. In 1966 Cunningham He ran out of his house and to the hoop at St. Rose of Lima grammar school, three blocks away. After playing for Philadelphia from 1965 to 1972, he signed a free agent contract with the ABA's . He was discovered. Cunningham could not even crack the starting lineupwhich . Clutch West, with his awe-inspiring 60-foot shot in the 1970 NBA Final. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? The color barrier and the sex barrier of slam-dunk have fallen: Many white guys and a few women can dunk. Billy Cunningham was drafted by Philadelphia 76ers, 1st round (7th pick, 7th overall), 1965 NBA Draft. 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 don't know anything he has done that hasn't worked," said the Orlando, Florida, executive Pat Williams. We present them here for purely educational purposes. June 12, 2022 . He averaged 24.1 ppg (fourth best in the league) and 6.3 apg (fifth best), leading the Cougars to a 57-27 record, tops in the ABAs Eastern Division. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. You cant accomplish that feat unless youve got some serious springs in your heels! The Globies listed him at 6-5, but Sonny Hill swears Jackie was 6-3, tops. Some nights Id scare myself.. Hawkins is now vice president of communications for the Dodgers. 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. The mystery leaper was--and is--Herb White, 6-foot-2, eyes of blue, from Decatur, Ga. As with most leaping legends, Herbs aerial reputation often preceded him. The Cougars' attempt to file an injunction against him was denied in United States District Court on September 24, 1971. And he played it constantly. He was all but unknown at the University of Massachusetts, then played five seasons in the semi-secret ABA. Billy Cunningham Wiki, Biography, Age, Career, Relationship, Net Worth Bill Cunningham | Premiere Networks Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. In Madison Square Garden, he got a standing ovation for his warmup dunks. [2] At the conclusion of the season he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team. Buffman and Cunningham decided to team up in the venture, and they brought in Lewis Schaffel and Ted Arison. 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. Kareem came the closest. Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. Hey, a sportswriter dunks. 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. Joey was a good player at Banning High in Wilmington and spent two years at the College of Southern Idaho, a junior college. In 1996 he was voted one of the top fifty players at the NBA's fiftieth anniversary. About a year ago, I was in a playground game with some black guys. 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. [8] For his career, he scored 16,310 points, grabbed 7,981 rebounds, and recorded 3,305 assists in both the NBA and the ABA. He was an incredible shot blocker. But while Cunningham was reaching his peak, the 76ers were beginning to crumble. I got fired up and did a 360 dunk. There are celebrity dunk-offs. Dolph Schayes is an icon in Philadelphia 76ers lore and was one of the NBA's first stars as well. billy cunningham vertical jump - oumi-castle.net Almost always the feat involves money--claims that the player could grab a dollar bill off the top of the board, or could pluck off a quarter and leave two dimes and a nickel change. Youre entering another world up there. His man takes him into the key, gives a head fake and sends Jackie skyward. Injuries limited Cunningham to only 32 games in 1973-74, but he still averaged 20.5 ppg. The next season, Phily finished 47-35, but lost to the Spurs in the conference semis. Now imagine yourself crouching a bit, like Superman, and springing high into the air. As a player and then a coach for the Philadelphia 76ers, he was part of two NBA championship teams. I told him Id read he had a 44. If we were to honor dunkers as we honor actors, Doc would be given a statuette for his body of work. 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. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. 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. It's like walking on air. 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. If youve got a good imagination, imagine yourself wearing a baseball cap, and leaping so high, arms at your side, that you flick your head sideways and dunk your cap. 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. He told me, Sonny, no. . 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. Top 15 NBA Players Who Prove That White Men CAN Jump, The sun even shines on a dog's a** some days. Billy Cunningham - Popular Bio Daughter of NBA Hall of Famer Billy Cunningham jumps into action during He holds the second-best regular-season winning percentage in league history of .698 (only Phil Jackson is ahead of him). When Joey was a high school senior, Clarke took his Watts Magicians to Mesa, Ariz., for a prep tournament. The soaring flight of the great leaper is amazing, even to himself. Bill Cunningham (talk show host) - Wikipedia 75 Stories | Billy Cunningham - YouTube Although he had never coached, he was popular in Philadelphia, and his competitiveness, toughness and intelligence seemed right for the job. Find Billy Cunningham 76ers stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. Moral of this story: dont count the white guys out of this sport just yet. He was elected to the Hall of Fame the following year. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. Can you do that? Hes set records for leading the NBA in dunks during his very first year playing pro. Nope. 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. But with a leaper, everybody instantly knows they couldnt do it, that only the tiniest fraction of humans can jump that high.. Biography. He was a No. There is a tavern called the Corner Club, in Moscow, Ida. //billy cunningham vertical jump - polucon.com Finally he did a 360, one handed. The Cougars had finished last the previous season, but with Brown and Cunningham inspiring the team, the Cougars finished first. Some have called the team the greatest of all time. He was a tough, intense, competitive player who used his intelligence as much as his physical talents. He is six feet seven inches tall. 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. When I went to Kansas, they had a 12-foot basket in the gym, because Dr. Phog Allen was advocating the 12-foot basket. //]]>. I have seen everybody, Hill said. 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. Thats a mouthful. These are not necessarily great basketball players, understand, but their ability to jump has made them objects of something much deeper than profound respect. Wilt meets me at mid-court and says, Na, na, na, not this time.. His show is on the air from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. What type of shoes did Billy Cunningham wear? In the twentieth game of the 19751976 season, Cunningham's career suddenly and inexplicably ended. 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. Then he goes into coaching and, percentage-wise, becomes one of the best ever. Anybodv can win the lottery, 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. In fact, he made so much of an impact that his NBA departure in 2012 made heads spin, and rumours that he might return to the US last year were eagerly believed. Professional basketball player, sports administrator In the far-up Land of Leap, the unit of currency is the dunk. Under Cunningham, the team reached the Eastern Conference finals in 1978 and the NBA finals in 1980 and 1982. It was so much air that it tied young Pat for the spot of second-highest vertical leap recorded up to that point. 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. Despite his Caucasian genetic setbacks, he shot up an unbelievable 41.5 inches at the NBA Draft Combine in 2014. Billy Cunningham - Biography - IMDb In 1974 Cunningham returned to the 76ers. Do you have a sports website? The rim was two inches low. . He is still the winningest coach in Sixers history. 1 in everyones heart and myths is Jumpin Jackie Jackson, also known as Sidecar Jackson. College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com, Scores from any date in BAA/NBA or ABA history, Frequently Asked Questions about the NBA, WNBA and Basketball, Basketball-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREE. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny OFFICIAL TRAILER! The greatest nicknames in basketball are reserved for those who attain the greatest altitude. 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. Boston kept Philadelphia out of The 1981 Finals, but the Sixers roared back to the 1982 before falling to the Lakers again. window.__mirage2 = {petok:"ZbxZ3AJWWjyZL0HXDpABwVdW.7p3rtLrWMEsK2FPL0A-86400-0"}; 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. Sunday Nights with Bill Cunningham can be heard every Sunday on over 300 radio stations across the United States. billy cunningham vertical jump - a portrait of the artist as filipino - a portrait of the artist as filipino - Cunningham returned to Philadelphia in 1977 to become the coach of the 76ers, replacing Gene Shue. He finally got a pro tryout with the Utah Stars of the ABA at 25, but by then his fabulous springs were sprung. There have been--and are--very good white jumpers. Rosters Cut,", "1978 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals - New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers", Goldaper, Sam. Upload media Wikipedia. "Cunningham, William John ("Billy") ." Chamberlain couldnt remember the players name, but Rod Thorn did. [8] During his tenure, the team featured Bobby Jones, Maurice Cheeks, Andrew Toney, Moses Malone, and Julius Erving. And despite the proliferation of dunkers, there is a very elite group of leapers. The college boys are no doubt wide eyed and gape-mouthed when they meet this coach for the first time. Can the old Elevator still ascend? He reached both the 300 and 400-win milestones faster than any coach in NBA history. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list. Billy Cunningham Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Hes also not 100% African American, though, which means he doesnt automatically have insane jumping genes. Its unbelievable. 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. 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. A commitment to the basic fundamentals of any game lead to progress, growth, and success. and inspired headlines everywhere to scream White Men CAN Jump! Seriously, though. Ill give you an example. In his UNC career, he scored 1,709 points (24.8 points per game), and grabbed 1,062 rebounds (15.4 rebounds per game). Billy Cunningham found success and stardom during his ABA days. He finished well out of the running--or jumping--when he clanged at least one attempt off the rim. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Posted by; Date June 12, 2022; Comments . In his basketball uniform and shoes, with a short, unmeasured run-up, he soared over seven feet. Pitchin Paul is credited as being one of the first basketball players to ever use the jump shot. His teams won sixty-six play-off games and lost twenty-nine. Do you have a sports website? Artis (A-Train) Gilmore, George (Ice) Gervin and Larry (Big Cat) Kenon all dunked admirably. Date of birth: 3 June 1943 . I dont believe anyone has ever done it. He was about a foot from the top.. Jackie Jacksons all-around game, by most accounts, was only fair. His jersey number "32" was later retired by Philadelphia. Some of them were pretty damn eccentric. A lot of them, you have to understand, werent able to get into college, Chamberlain said. The only other thing in life I couldnt comprehend was looking at the moon and knowing there were men walking on it.. 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. 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. The greatest jumper today? He ran to the nearest school, three blocks away, and started shooting baskets. His show was not heard during the summer months, when WLW broadcasts Cincinnati Reds baseball games. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Could this be Gods way of telling us its time to raise the hoop? He was named Most Valuable Player in the ABA. During both is college and NBA career, this guy leapt like nobodys business. 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. Billy Cunningham found success and stardom during his ABA days. Billy Cunningham attended Erasmus Hall in Brooklyn, New York and UNC. They annihilated the opposition all season and finished with a 68-13 record. In a way the injury made things easy for me, he added. Cunningham, though, tore up the ABA. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. Mitch Kupchak witnessed a similar jump-off among 6-4 David Thompson, 6-9 Marvin Barnes and 7-4 Tom Burleson. Theyve run like the wind, ducked like a water fowl, flown like jet planes, and scored more points than Cassanova in a disco. billy cunningham vertical jump - quraneducator.com This guy that was also selected for the MLB draft, spent time with the Orioles, and pitched an impressive 96 mph. The white guys listed below are heroes of the basketball world. 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. In the Division Finals, the Cougars lost a tight seven-game series to the Kentucky Colonels, 4 games to 3. A sample: In Your Face Disgrace, Sexophonic Turbo Delight, Hammer of Thor, and Yo Mamma. Ive never felt another feeling like it, being able to go up in the air, over someone much bigger, and stay up there. 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. American basketball player We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Geraldo Rivera is standing by. He got kudos for his smooth-sounding, incisive work with the play-by-play announcer Dick Stockton. He and Hal Greer were the only key players from the 1967 championship team still playing vital roles. 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. 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. He didnt just score, he scored OVER people, including all 68 of Plastic Man Stacey Augmon. Not only could he dunk, but he had a serious white boy swagger. If you play the game, you know how high that is. As an owner and commentator, he also made a favorable impression. Cunningham then went to the University of North Carolina, where he excelled.