Billy Cunningham

Billy Cunningham was a professional basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers in the National Basketball Association and a player for the Carolina Cougars of the American Basketball Association. Cunningham was born on June 3, 1943, in Brooklyn, New York.

Billy 'The Kangeroo Kid' Cunningham started out as a youngster at Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn, before going on to play at the University of North Carolina.

Cunningham was drafted 5th overall in the first round by the 76ers. He went on to play seven seasons for the 76ers before joining the ABA in 1972. Cunningham would only play two seasons for the Carolina Cougars in the ABA before rejoining the 76ers for the 1974/75 Season.

Cunningham would only go onto play two more seasons for the 76ers before an injury ended his career. Although that was the end of Cunningham's playing career, his coaching career was just as successful.

Cuningham stood at 6-6 and played the Shooting guard/Small forward position. http://www.nba.com/history/players/cunningham_bio.html

Billy Cunningham was a player and coach who knew how to win, and he played as he coached, intense and tenacious. Cunningham was elected into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1986, and was elected as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996.

1965/66-1972/73 Seasons In Cunningham's first seven seasons in the NBA, he would emerge as a top scorer in the NBA. In his first season Cunningham was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team. In the 1966/67 Season, Cunningham was part of the 76ers Championship winning team alongside Wilt Chamberlain, Hal Greer, Chet Walker, and Lucious Jackson. This season Cunningham averaged 18.5 points and 7.3 rebounds in just 26.8 minutes per contest.

In the 1968/69 Season, Chamberlain was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, and Cunningham flourished individually. In the next four seasons, he would go on and average 24.8, 26.1, 23, and 23.3 points per game for the 76ers. The Sixers were regular playoff contenders, but were not considered a championship calibre team without Chamberlain.

1972/73-1973/74 Seasons

In the summer of 1972/73, Cunningham made the switch to the ABA to play for the Carolina Cougars. He would be a huge success in his first season in being named the ABA MVP and making the All-ABA First Team.Cunningham would lead the Cougars to the Playoffs both years, but would lose to the Kentucky Colonels both years. At the end of the 1973/74 Season, he would return to the NBA and the 76ers.

1974/75-1975/76 Seasons Cunningham returned to the NBA and went onto average a team high 19.5 points per game in 1974/75. He could not guide them to the Playoffs though as the Sixers finished with a 34-48 record.

In the 1975/76 Season Cunningham would play his last season. After playing in just 20 games, he suffered a knee injury that would end up to be career ending.

1977-1985 Season Cunningham would begin the second half of his career as coach of the Sixers. He was a popular choice among the city, hoping that his toughness and competitive from his playing days would continue in his coaching career.

The first four years of Cunningham's rein, he would lead the Sixers to the NBA Finals twice, but would lose to the Los Angeles Lakers both years. Cunningham would get his revenge in the summer of 1983. In the 1982/83 season, the Sixers would have a memorable season. Aquiring Moses Malone in the offseason, along with Julius Erving, Doug Collins, George Mcginnis, and Maurice Cheeks.

They would finish the regular season with a 65-17 record and go on and beat the Lakers in four games. Malone would win the regular season MVP and would be the difference. He outrebounded Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 72-30 in the series, to outline his dominance. The following season would be Cunningham's last as coach, as the Sixers were bounced from the Playoffs in the first round by the New Jersey Nets. He would retire from all coaching.

1986-1994

Cunningham was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1986 and in 1987 Cunningham became a lead color commentator for CBS. One year later he would retire to help the Miami Heat become a franchise. He would be a minority owner, until he sold his interest in 1994. http://www.nba.com/history/players/cunningham_bio.html http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/cunnibi01.html