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149. Billy Cunningham
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Billy Cunningham, the Kangaroo Kid, is one of only a few players to ever have made the NBA and ABA all-star games and to win a title as a player and a coach with the same team.
After starring at Erasmus Hill High School in Brooklyn Cunningham attended the University of North Carolina where he became one of the most decorated players in the schools history. He scored a than record 48 points against Tulane, and was a three time all-ACC team member and the 1965 ACC player of the year.
After four years at UNC Cunningham entered the NBA draft where he was chosen 5th overall by the Philadelphia 76ers. Cunningham was paired with superstar Wilt Chamberlain and helped make the Sixers an immediate success in Philadelphia. Despite playing on a team loaded with talent with the likes of Chamberlain, Hal Greer and Chet Walker, Cunningham was able to play a major role and earn all rookie honors.
The following season Cunningham’s numbers jumped to nearly 19 a game and the Sixers made a strong push towards the NBA title. In the 1967 eastern division finals the Sixers faced off with the greatest dynasty the sports world had seen; the Boston Celtics. The Celtics had been to the NBA finals a record 10 straight times where they had won 9 of those with their only loss coming to the St Louis Hawks in 1958. |
The Celtics had also eliminated Philadelphia several times from the post season, both the Philadelphia Warriors and now the Sixers. But this year the Sixers would finally overcome their foe and advance to the NBA finals. The Sixers than beat the former Philadelphia team, the San Francisco Warriors four games to two to claim the NBA title.
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Cunningham would continue to improve and in 68-69 made his first all-star team. He would make the all-star team the next four years for the Sixers. In 69-70 he averaged a career high 26 points per game.
After 7 stellar years with the Sixers Cunningham decided to go back to North Carolina and play for the American Basketball Associations Carolina Cougars. In his first season with the Cougars he lead them to the Eastern finals, won MVP and became an all-star. His second year with the Cougars was not as fruitful as injuries marred his season and his production fell.
After just two years with the Cougars Cunningham returned to the Sixers and played the last two years of his career with them. He retired in 1976.
A year after his retirement he became the head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers. He took the reigns of a loaded team with stars such as Maurice Cheeks, Moses Malone, Bobby Jones, Andrew Toney, and Julius Earving. The talent at his hands lead Cunningham to becoming the fastest coach ever to reach the 200, 300, and 400 win marks.
The success Cunningham had culminated with the 1983 NBA title. The title would be the apex of his success with the Sixers as the team started to decline despite adding young talent like Charles Barkley to the team. Cunningham retired from coaching following the 1985 season.
In 1986 he was elected to the basketball hall-of-fame, and in 1988 he became one of the first former players to buy an interest in an NBA team when he bought a minority interest in the expansion Miami Heat. He sold his interest a few years later.
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