billy cunningham vertical jump

Thats how much air was between Connaughton and those shiny floorboards at the NBA Combine in 2015. "I can't put my finger on it exactly, but there was just something about the game. They couldnt, of course, because those things are so much harder than they look. One day he received a call from Zev Buffman, who needed a well-known basketball personality to help secure an NBA franchise for Miami. Billy Cunningham found success and stardom during his ABA days. 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. He once grabbed a record 27 rebounds in a game vs. Clemson on February 16, 1963. CUNNINGHAM, William John ("Billy") ( b. 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. 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. His show is on the air from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. What type of shoes did Billy Cunningham wear? 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. 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. It takes a lot more to get people excited now, said Chris Wallace, editor of the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. And some colleges and pro teams were not ready to take chances on what went along with those guys. Cunningham scored 18.9 points per game. Under Cunningham, the team reached the Eastern Conference finals in 1978 and the NBA finals in 1980 and 1982. Biography. The players who fly through this thin air are not simply remembered by hoop fans. [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. The greatest jumper today? That Sixers team has since been hailed as the greatest ever assembled. It was legendary, however, and cemented young Majerle as one of the best white dunkers of all time. 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!) He finished well out of the running--or jumping--when he clanged at least one attempt off the rim. He spent a total of 17 seasons with the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers (nine as player, eight as coach), and two seasons as a player with the Carolina Cougars of the ABA. In 1965 Cunningham graduated from UNC and was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the National Basketball Association (NBA) draft. As a player and then a coach for the Philadelphia 76ers, he was part of two NBA championship teams. I dont know anything he has done that hasnt worked. A lot of great leapers dont bother to perfect those skills, because they are treated with such awe. If thats not impressive enough for you, he also played on two NBA championship teams and later coached the Philadelphia 76ers for eight seasons. People think, mistakenly in most cases, that they could hit a baseball, Costas says. 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. It's like walking on air. In his final season, he was the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year. 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. He was twice named an All-American during his collegiate years. The only other thing in life I couldnt comprehend was looking at the moon and knowing there were men walking on it.. So maybe his African American genes are a little stronger than his Caucasian ones after all? Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list. In warmups, we would always check out the other team and get into little contests with their guys. For his eleven-year career, Cunningham averaged 21.2 points per game. He rises to the highest level of broadcasting. He was a tough, intense, competitive player who used his intelligence as much as his physical talents. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Everybody dunks. Could this be Gods way of telling us its time to raise the hoop? I used to dunk on that basket. Dunk-off of the Network Superstars? In 1974 Cunningham returned to the 76ers. 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. On 6 May 1986 Cunningham was elected into the NBA Hall of Fame, as one of its ten initial inductees. Buffman and Cunningham decided to team up in the venture, and they brought in Lewis Schaffel and Ted Arison. Learn more and register. "Cunningham Quits; Loughery Dropped,", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Billy_Cunningham&oldid=1135516255, 3-year letter winner (in his day, freshmen were ineligible for, His number 32 jersey is retired by the Philadelphia 76ers; however, he allowed it to be worn by, This page was last edited on 25 January 2023, at 03:41. Against Tulane University on 10 December 1964, he set a UNC record by scoring forty-eight points. Herb was not drafted, but was invited to Hawks camp after his senior year and made the 1970-71 team as a point-guard backup and road roommate of another rookie, Pete Maravich. Though he portrayed a large woman in "You have to Walk it like . The Grizzlies say their star guard will be away from the team for 'at least' the next 2 games. Cunningham hit for 18.9 ppg and 7.6 rpg. 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The two teams waged a court battle, each claiming the rights to Cunningham, but the new league won. They annihilated the opposition all season and finished with a 68-13 record. In the exhibition season he was assigned to bring the ball up the court against Bostons K.C. Some of them were pretty damn eccentric. After Chamberlain left the team in 1968, Cunningham became the 76ers' franchise player. I asked Kareem if he ever did, and he could jump a little bit. Now thats something to brag about at Sunday family dinners. Mitch Kupchak witnessed a similar jump-off among 6-4 David Thompson, 6-9 Marvin Barnes and 7-4 Tom Burleson. He was a role player on the 1967 title team in . 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. If youre looking for scale, thats taller than most baby elephants. us, High School: In his second season with Carolina, Cunningham was hampered by injuries, but he still managed a 20.5 average in 32 games. Browse 1,052 billy cunningham stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. Many of the legendary leapers of that era didnt play NBA ball because all they could do was leap. I get a rebound and Im driving up the floor, ready to go coast to coast. I dont believe anyone has ever done it. It looked like the half-court line was around a mile and a half away, Cunningham said. [CDATA[ Before the game, English and I went back and forth. With a dad who played basketball center for Northwestern Oklahoma University, and a childhood that included playing baseball, football, AND hoops, Blake Griffin was destined for greatness. 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. Philadelphia won 62 games the next season, but the Celtics upset the 76ers in the playoffs. When they were not taking everything off, the dancing was more alluring. Kareem came the closest. Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. During his eight seasons as the coach of the 76ers, Philadelphia won 454 regular season games and lost 196. Every time Gus slam-dunked at home, the recorded sound of a rifle shot would whistle through the arena. Billy Cunningham (Billy; The Kangaroo Kid) Position: Forward 6-6 , 210lb (198cm, 95kg) School: North Carolina (Men) Draft: Philadelphia 76ers, 1st round (7th pick, 7th overall), 1965 NBA draft SUMMARY Career G 69 PTS 24.8 TRB 15.4 AST - FG% 47.3 FT% 62.8 Cunningham Overview More Cunningham Pages More Cunningham pages at Sports Reference The college boys are no doubt wide eyed and gape-mouthed when they meet this coach for the first time. 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. Bobby Jones could swoop and soar. Cunningham, though, tore up the ABA. Destined to become one of the first of basketball's most talented big men, as a young man George Mikan, Sprewell, Latrell 1970 Cunningham attended Erasmus Hall Okay, so LaVine is technically not 100% Caucasian. No. 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. Claims of sergeants in the mid- and high 40s are common. Billy Cunningham, Actor: You've Got to Walk It Like You Talk It or You'll Lose That Beat. 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 season, the consistent Cunningham scored 23.3 points per game and was selected as an All-Star for the fourth time. His jersey number "32" was later retired by Philadelphia. Jones, a noted defensive terror. The following season, the Sixers finished behind Boston in the standings and were upset by the New Jersey Nets in the first round. Billy Cunningham was born in the Parkville section of Brooklyn, New York. 44 is only four inches less than the NBAs all-time record by His Airness, Michael Jordan, and also by Darrell Griffith. 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. [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]. Anybodv can win the lottery.. . A fabulous collegian and pro player Cunningham shot to stardom when he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team in 1966. He prevailed in the end! This guy wasnt a leaper, but it will show you what I mean. As a freshman he went out for the track team, worked out a total of 10 hours, then high-jumped 7-3 7/8. In 1987, Cunningham replaced Tom Heinsohn as the lead color commentator (alongside play-by-play man Dick Stockton) for CBS' NBA telecasts. I see kids in the eighth grade, kids 5-11, dunking behind their heads, said Rod Thorn, former National Basketball Assn. He was named Most Valuable Player in the ABA. 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. He said he was afraid he would cut himself. 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. 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 called the Kangaroo Kid for his prodigious leaping ability. In 1997 Cunningham became the expert commentator for the CBS television network's coverage of NBA games. Professional basketball player, sports administrator Why isnt this guy in the hall of fame yet? This story is not that important. Since joining the NBA in the 2002-03 season, this guy has achieved dozens of honours and awards, including three MVP award shares and a spot playing in two All-Star games. 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. Joey walked up to the wall, one foot planted, no rocking, jumped up and missed the nail. 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. There have been--and are--very good white jumpers. Do you have a blog? Artis (A-Train) Gilmore, George (Ice) Gervin and Larry (Big Cat) Kenon all dunked admirably. Chris Wallace, the college talent scout, said: I dont believe measurements. and inspired headlines everywhere to scream White Men CAN Jump! Seriously, though. Top 15 NBA Players Who Prove That White Men CAN Jump, The sun even shines on a dog's a** some days. 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. window.__mirage2 = {petok:"ZbxZ3AJWWjyZL0HXDpABwVdW.7p3rtLrWMEsK2FPL0A-86400-0"}; "In a way the injury made things easy for me," he said later. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. One of the more recent players on this list, Chris Birdman Anderson is known for his celebratory arm flapping and his intriguing tattoos. Cunningham led the league in steals with 216 and was fourth in scoring with a 24.1 points-per-game average. Cunningham became a top analyst for CBSs broadcasts of NBA games. Cade Cunningham has a vertical jump of 41 inches. home/away, monthly, etc More Billy Cunningham Basketball Reference pages, Compare Billy Cunningham to other players. That Feb. 8, the ABA trotted out its five best slammers. At Southern Idaho, the legend grew. Averaging 14.3 points per game, Cunningham was named to the league's All-Rookie team. In those days, didnt nobody dunk but Wilt Chamberlain, so Sonny was an absolute marvel.. "I lived there that summer," he later recalled. During his playing career, he was a 4-time All-Star and 3-time All-NBA First Team selection. He also became an NBA broadcaster on national television and later a part-owner of the Miami Heat. 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. Billy Cunningham was born on June 3, 1943. Billy Cunningham found success as a coach in the NBA after his playing days were through. Do you have a sports website? Now imagine yourself crouching a bit, like Superman, and springing high into the air. His departure had a disastrous effect on the 76ers, who posted a 9-73 record in 1972-73, the worst mark in NBA history. Part of Dr. Js legend is the same as the mystique of a gunfighter coming into town, Costas said. He was finished as a player. I said to myself, Ive got to try. I angled to the right. We sure are glad he picked basketball! //]]>. Hes set records for leading the NBA in dunks during his very first year playing pro. And the man has pulled out some pretty crazy surprise dunks. Never got off the bench, but in warmups he could dunk better than anyone Ive ever seen.. It didnt happen, though, and Fernandez remains playing with Real Madrid, where he feels he is a better player.This, however, is debatable. Ill give you an example. It doesnt take a detective to see these were obviously a foreshadowing of plays to come. He may be the greatest leaper of all time. All rights reserved. He would perform a reverse dunk-dunk with two balls. 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. Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: Sports Figures. Billy Cunningham found success and stardom during his ABA days. Youre entering another world up there. "Rubin Quits L. I. U. to Pilot 76ers,", Goldaper, Sam. It was an effort, but I could do it., There is no documented proof of a man ever taking off from behind the free-throw line, 15 feet from the backboard, and dunking. Many of the great leapers of that era inhabited the fringes of reality as we know it. Nobody ever played the game could rise any better than Jackie. That said, you can see his leaping ability when he takes off. During both is college and NBA career, this guy leapt like nobodys business. "The beauty part of playing basketball," he once said, "is that your mind is occupied with playing basketball and nothing else, and you're having fun.". The 6-2 product of the Harlem slums could dunk, catch the ball with his opposite hand and dunk it again, all in the same leap. He was six or eight inches away. His show was not heard during the summer months, when WLW broadcasts Cincinnati Reds baseball games. Thats about half the height of Michael Jordan. In the six years of the NBAs slam dunk contest, only one white player has been invited to compete, 6-10 Tom Chambers in 1986. Data Provided By 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. At the 1991 Slam Dunk Competition he came in third. . Youd go up, arch your back, and go up even higher. (February 22, 2023). But the winning wasnt over. Thats about the height of the average 4-year-old. His list of accolades from his time at the University of North Carolina is probably as long as his legs (hes 67, in case youre wondering), which is not surprising since anybody with the nickname Kangaroo Kid must have worked pretty hard and jumped pretty high to earn it. They were like jazz musicians in sneakers. Uh oh! Then he transferred to Arizona State, clashed with then-coach Steve Patterson and wound up quitting the team. Right now Johnson is red-shirting at ASU. He also had a famously difficult childhood and came from very humble beginnings; it was his hometown of French Lick, Indiana, that inspired the nickname The Hick from French Lick. He was determined not to let his tiny hometown or his troubled family life hold him back though, and instead remained hardworking and classy until the end of his career. Not a great deal is known about Jackie, which is good, because nothing dims a legend faster than facts. He was about a foot from the top.. Patterson, who recently resigned as Arizona States coach, said that Johnson is really an impact player, but not consistently good and solid. 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. Retrieved February 22, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/cunningham-william-john-billy. Or write about sports? His jump was absolutely awesome. But with a leaper, everybody instantly knows they couldnt do it, that only the tiniest fraction of humans can jump that high.. The greatest leaper I ever saw was Jackie. 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. Joey made the trip but was nursing a hip pointer, so he couldnt suit up. In fact, his hockey-head-ish hair might even be as famous as his dunk. The new generation of jumpers, ushered in by Julius Erving, has pushed the dunk to new artistic heights. Chamberlain couldnt remember the players name, but Rod Thorn did. Showing all 5 items. Cunningham became a playground regular, a gym rat, and a high school star, leading Erasmus Hall to the New York City Championship in 1961. Shoots: Joey, standing about eight feet from the shooter, leaped and slapped the shot away. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. 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. 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. The color barrier and the sex barrier of slam-dunk have fallen: Many white guys and a few women can dunk. He ran out of his house and to the hoop at St. Rose of Lima grammar school, three blocks away. His daddy was also a professional ball player, which means his skill and confidence are ate least somewhat genetic. Send us your videotape. Position: 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. In the NBA, where everyone can dunk--you wouldnt even want to rule out David Stern--there are really only a few top guns. 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 . He says it came by accident, that in his early days they often played on dance floors, which were often slippery, so he started jumping to avoid sliding and faceplanting. 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. Dolph Schayes is an icon in Philadelphia 76ers lore and was one of the NBA's first stars as well. I saw him come down the floor once, in the Eastern League, on a fast break. Many have speculated about the reasons behind this phenomenon. Find out more. billy cunningham vertical jump. Learn more and register, College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com Blog and Articles. Pretty darn safe. In his first ABA season, Cunningham averaged 24.1 points per game, 12.0 rebounds per game, and led the league in total steals. As a professional he was selected to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, an NBA All-Star, All-NBA First and Second Team, an ABA All-Star, All-ABA First Team, and the ABA Most Valuable Player. He also had stellar 3-pointer abilities, but after that 1996 air show, most of his other accomplishments were left in the dust. Billy Cunningham wasn't nicknamed the Kangaroo Kid because he had a pouch. 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,. 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. Billy Cunningham played fiercely, coached intensely, and won frequently. Still, the Sixers finished 34-48, only the second losing season of Cunninghams career. He was a high school superstar. And he played it constantly. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. He holds the second-best regular-season winning percentage in league history of .698 (only Phil Jackson is ahead of him). Weary of the NBA lifestyle, Cunningham retired. He and Hal Greer were the only key players from the 1967 championship team still playing vital roles. [8] During his tenure, the team featured Bobby Jones, Maurice Cheeks, Andrew Toney, Moses Malone, and Julius Erving. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. 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. Home Depot Is Selling A Giant 89-Pound Crab Statue For $1,500. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.com cannot guarantee each citation it generates. After that season, he earned the first of what would be three straight All-NBA First Team selections. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. They are enshrined in a mythical Museum of Leap. Has Joey Johnson simply outleaped the game of basketball? The legendary player and coach was named the ABA MVP for the 1972-73 season. 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. Joey? Although he had never coached, he was popular in Philadelphia, and his competitiveness, toughness and intelligence seemed right for the job. We played Portland in the last game of the season. 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. We Have Fusion Energy! Another oft-told legend has Jackie on defense. He didnt just score, he scored OVER people, including all 68 of Plastic Man Stacey Augmon. People swear he cleared it by a foot, said Fred Trenkle, Southern Idahos basketball coach. Cunningham again led the team in scoring in 1970-71, ranking ninth in the NBA with 23.0 ppg. The greatest nicknames in basketball are reserved for those who attain the greatest altitude. He cant quite jump out of the gym, but he has come close to jumping out of a bar or two. I was right there and it wasnt a foot. Its unbelievable. Jump to navigation Jump to search Billy Cunningham American basketball player and coach. (2000). Blonde hair. In our museum of hoop flight, there is a special wing for the charter members, the dinosaurs of dunk. The following season Philadelphia won sixty-two games and the Eastern Division title but lost to the Celtics in the playoffs. While he was dribbling down the court, his knee exploded. A fiery coach, Cunningham stalked the sidelines with the best of them. Jackie stays in the air and the ref calls a three-second violation. Then he enters into the [NBA] expansion pursuit and gets it. Throughout his life, Cunningham excelled at all aspects of the game he loved. 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. Dunk is cheap. Join our linker program. How in the world can this kid play ball? "We just helped knock on doors and pull people out of their homes last night. There are two other pure measurements of leap--the dunk and the top of the money exchange. Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. He inherited a team of underachievers led by Julius Erving. 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 with the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers for 17 years . Cade Cunningham Vertical Jump Height. Then he goes into coaching and, percentage-wise, becomes one of the best ever. There. 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. There are celebrity dunk-offs. In the JC championship game, an opponent fired a jump shot at the buzzer. The obvious question is, why didnt more of these guys play in the NBA? 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.