William John Cunningham (born June 3, 1943) is an American former professional basketball player and coach, who was nicknamed the Kangaroo Kid at the University of North Carolina for his leaping and record setting rebounding abilities. Cunningham 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 American Basketball Association (ABA). He was an NBA champion both as a player (1967) and as a head coach (1983). He was the sixth man on the 1966–67 76ers team that is considered among the greatest teams in NBA history; and head coach of the 1982–83 76ers team that is likewise considered one of the greatest teams in NBA history.
As a professional, Cunningham 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 was selected first-team All-NBA three consecutive seasons (1968 to 1971) and was voted the ABA's Most Valuable Player in the 1972–73 season; his first year in that league. He averaged a double-double over 11 professional seasons.
Cunningham played college basketball at the University of North Carolina in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). He was first-team All-ACC three consecutive seasons, the ACC Player of the Year in 1965, and received All-American recognition in 1964 and 1965. Cunningham was later named to the ACC 50th Anniversary men's basketball team honoring the fifty best players in Atlantic Coast Conference history. He averaged a double-double in each of his three years at North Carolina.
Cunningham became the 76ers head coach at 34-years old, and coached the 76ers for eight seasons (1977 to 1985). His teams were in the NBA playoffs every season. His 76ers teams reached three NBA finals, winning the 1983 NBA Finals over the Los Angeles Lakers, with a 12–1 record in the playoffs that season. The 1982–83 76ers are considered among the greatest teams in NBA history. Cunningham reached the 200-, 300- and 400-win milestones faster than any coach in NBA history. When he retired in May 1985, his teams had won 454 regular season games and he has the second-best regular-season winning percentage in league history (.698). Cunningham's playoff record as a coach is 66–39 (.629). He is the winningest coach in the 76ers' history. Former 76ers player and coach, Hall of Famer Doug Collins said Cunningham might be the greatest 76er, when looking at his overall impact on the franchise.
One of basketball's all-time greats, Cunningham was elected to the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in 1986 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. He was further honored in 1990 when he was selected as part of the first class to enter the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame; and in 2006 when he was named to the inaugural class of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.
After retiring as a player, Cunningham worked for the CBS broadcasting network as a television color analyst on NBA games. He discontinued working for CBS when he returned to the NBA as a coach in 1977; but once again worked for CBS after retiring from coaching in 1985. Cunningham eventually became CBS' top analyst for NBA games in 1988; but discontinued that work again, after the 1987–88 NBA season. Cunningham was part owner and general manager of the expansion Miami Heat of the NBA, which played their inaugural season in 1988–89. Cunningham returned as a color analyst for CBS briefly during the NBA playoffs in 1990; and was an analyst for the 1991 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. He sold his interest in the Heat in early 1995.
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Early life
Billy Cunningham was born in the Parkville section of Brooklyn on June 3, 1943, the son of a fireman, John Cunningham. John had served in World War II and ultimately became the Assistant Chief of New York City.
Cunningham's fame began while he was playing at the St. Rose of Lima grammar school playground, and later Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn, where he was the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the Brooklyn League in 1961. He led an undefeated Erasmus to the New York City Championship in 1961. That year, he was first-team All-New York City, and a member of the Parade magazine All-America team.
College career
Frank McGuire and Dean Smith
Cunningham attended the University of North Carolina (UNC), where he played basketball for the Tar Heels' varsity from 1962 to 1965 in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Frank McGuire was the coach at North Carolina (1952 to 1961). McGuire's sister lived in the Cunningham family's neighborhood, and Cunningham delivered her newspaper. McGuire had been recruiting New York high schoolers, and Cunningham's parents told him after his junior year in high school that he "'could either go play ball for Uncle Frank or go to a Catholic university'". Cunningham said he "'wanted to at least visit some of the other schools. I knew I’d go to Carolina, but I wanted the big-shot treatment. But my dad said no, that I might be depriving another kid of a scholarship'".
McGuire, however, would never coach Cunningham at North Carolina. Since 1960, McGuire and North Carolina had been under investigation by the NCAA for alleged recruiting violations at North Carolina. McGuire and the school vigorously defended against this allegation, but the school was ultimately put on probation for one year. McGuire was also in conflict with the chair of the ACC in 1960–61.
Separately, two of North Carolina's basketball players had allegedly been connected to a gambling controversy, and the school was intending to deemphasize basketball because of that going into the 1961–62 school year. By April of 1961, McGuire decided it was time to move on from North Carolina. He began pursuing coaching and executive positions in the NBA, and in August 1961 McGuire took a head coaching job with the Philadelphia Warriors of the NBA; North Carolina having agreed to release McGuire from the remainder of his contract with the school.
When Cunningham started his varsity career at North Carolina for the 1962–63 season, Dean Smith, who had been McGuire's assistant coach, was the Tar Heels' head coach. Smith would go on to coach North Carolina for 36 years and win 879 games and two NCAA championships; but after taking over as head coach he was not allowed to recruit outside of North Carolina. Smith had some success, but not to the extent McGuire had with earlier Tar Heel teams. In early January 1965 the team was not consistently playing a high level. After a difficult loss to Wake Forest, some North Carolina students hanged a dummy of Smith in effigy. It has been stated that when the team arrived back after the loss, Cunningham, who was Smith's first true star player, got off the team bus and tore down the dummy.
Playing career
Cunningham excelled as a player at North Carolina, where he was known as the "Kangaroo Kid" for his leaping ability. In addition to the height he attained, Cunningham was described as being able to stay suspended in air longer than other players. This ability was combined with Cunningham's unique movement and shot making skill as an offensive player, the ability to score inside and outside on offense, high-level rebounding ability, and being a prolific shot blocker on defense.
As a sophomore (1962–63), Cunningham averaged 22.7 points and 16.1 rebounds per game; leading the Tar Heels in both categories. He led the ACC in rebounding and was second in scoring. As a junior (1963–64), Cunningham averaged 26 points and 15.8 rebounds per game; leading the ACC in both categories. As a senior, Cunningham was team captain. He again led the ACC in scoring and rebounding averages, with 25.4 points per game and 14.3 rebounds per game. Over his three-year Tar Heel career, Cunningham averaged 24.8 points and 15.4 rebounds per game.
During the 1963–64 season, Clemson Tigers coach Bobby Roberts said "'Anybody who things they can get away with a normal defense against Cunningham is crazy . . . You try everything you can think of and you never really stop him, but at least you're trying'". Cunningham set a single-game North Carolina record with 48 points against Tulane on December 10, 1964. He also had 25 rebounds in that game. He had 27 rebounds in a game vs. Clemson on February 16, 1963; setting a school record at the time. In his UNC career, Cunningham scored 1,709 points and had 1,062 rebounds.
From 1962 to 1964, Cunningham set a North Carolina record with double-doubles in 40 consecutive games. From 1962 to 1965, he had 60 games with double-doubles; a school record until broken by Armando Bacot in 2023. Cunningham's 60 double-doubles came in 69 games over three years; while Bacot broke the record during his fourth season, having already played 100 games in his first three seasons.
Cunningham's 15.4 rebounds per game career average is the highest in Tar Heel history, and third all-time in ACC history. His 24.8 points per game scoring average is second all-time at North Carolina and ninth all-time in the ACC. Upon graduation, Cunningham's 1,062 rebounds were the best in North Carolina history, and is now fourth highest. After Howard Deasy's 17.3 rebounds per game average in 1950–51, Cunningham has the next three highest rebounding averages per season in Tar Heel history.
Professional career
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers selected Cunningham with the seventh overall pick in the 1965 NBA draft. He was drafted sight unseen on the recommendation of Frank McGuire. In 1965, Cunningham joined the Philadelphia 76ers and settled into the role of sixth-man in his rookie year. He played 80 games, primarily as a sixth man, while averaging 14.3 points and 7.5 rebounds a game. At the conclusion of the season he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team, along with fellow future Hall of Famer Rick Barry, Fred Hetzel, Tom Van Arsdale and Dick Van Arsdale.
The following season (1966–67), under future Hall of Fame head coach Alex Hannum, the 76ers had a 68–13 record and won the 1967 NBA championship. Along with Cunningham, the 76ers also featured future Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain, Hal Greer, and Chet Walker, as well as Wali Jones and Luke Jackson. Cunningham, Chamberlain, and Greer were later named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team as among the greatest 76 players in NBA history. The 1966–67 Philadelphia 76ers are considered one of the greatest teams in NBA history.
Again playing as the sixth man, Cunningham averaged 26.8 minutes, 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game during the regular season. The 76ers defeated the Boston Celtics in five games to win the 1967 Eastern Division finals. Cunningham averaged 20.4 minutes, 12.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, and two assists per game in that series. The 76ers won the NBA finals in six games over the San Francisco Warriors. Cunningham averaged 25.7 minutes, 19.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and three assists per game in the series. In Game 2 of the 1967 NBA Finals, Cunningham scored 28 points during a 126–95 win over the Warriors.
The 76ers were 62–20 during the 1967–68 regular season, the best record in the NBA that season. Cunningham played in 74 games, averaging 28.1 minutes, 18.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game. The 76ers defeated the New York Knicks in six games in the 1968 Eastern Division semifinals. However, on the first play in overtime during Game 3 of that series, Cunningham suffered an injury that left him with a broken arm in three places, and he was unable to play for the rest of the 1968 playoffs. In the three games he had played against the Knicks, Cunningham played nearly 29 minutes per game; and averaged 20.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game. Playing without Cunningham, the 76ers lost in seven games to the Celtics in the Eastern Division finals. That series opened on Friday, April 5, 1968, and was overshadowed by Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination that occurred a day earlier.
ABA and legal controversy
Cunningham signed a three-year contract on August 5, 1969, to begin play with the American Basketball Association's (ABA) Carolina Cougars in 1971–72. Contending that the Cougars had reneged on paying the remaining $80,000 of a $125,000 signing bonus due on May 15, 1970, he reversed himself and signed a four-year, $950,000 contract extension to stay with the 76ers through 1974–75, on July 15, 1970. The Cougars' attempt to file an injunction against him was denied in United States District Court on September 24, 1971.
The reversal of that judgment in the United States Court of Appeals 6+1⁄2 months later on April 5, 1972, meant that Cunningham was obligated to honor his Cougars' contract until its expiration in October 1974. 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. This occurred almost simultaneous to the Sixers' introduction of Roy Rubin as its new head coach.
Carolina Cougars
In his first ABA season (1972–73), Cunningham averaged 24.1 points per game, 12.0 rebounds per game, and led the league in total steals. He was fourth in the ABA in scoring and seventh in rebounding. Cunningham led the Cougars to the best record in the league (57–27). The Cougars were coached by future Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown, who had been Cunningham's teammate at North Carolina.
Cunningham was selected to play in the All-Star Game, was named to the All-ABA First Team, and was voted the ABA's Most Valuable Player; ahead of Julius Erving and George McGinnis (both of whom he would later coach in Philadelphia). During the post-season, the Cougars defeated the New York Nets in five games in the Eastern Division semifinals. Cunningham averaged 22.4 points, 10 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game in that series. The Cougars lost a tight seven-game series to the Kentucky Colonels in the Eastern Division finals. Cunningham averaged 24.3 points, 13.1 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game in that series.
In the 1973–74 season, Cunningham played in only 32 games for the Cougars. He underwent surgery in mid-December 1973 to remove a kidney blockage; and did not play again in the regular season. He ultimately underwent two surgeries. Cunningham was averaging 20.5 points and 10.3 rebounds per game when his regular season ended on December 12. The Cougars finished third in the Eastern Division.
In early April 1974, Cunningham attempted to play in the first round of the 1974 ABA playoffs against the Kentucky Colonels. He did not play in Game 1 of the Eastern Division Semifinals versus the Colonels. Cunningham was not expected to play in Game 2, except at most for a token appearance; but the team was doing poorly and Brown let Cunningham play for 17 minutes. Cunningham provided some inspiration to his teammates, though he scored only two points. He was described in the press as pale and thin. He played 20 minutes in Game 3, with 10 points, seven rebounds and two assists. In Game 4, Cunningham played 24 minutes with 10 points and seven rebounds. This was the last time Cunningham appeared in a postseason series.
Return to 76ers
In May 1974, the 76ers publicly stated they wanted Cunningham to return to play in Philadelphia. However, Cunningham himself said the matter remained to be decided; and that he would prefer to stay near his home in North Carolina rather than be part of a rebuilding organization in Philadelphia. In mid-August 1974, the Cougars were sold and the team relocated to St. Louis as the Spirits of St. Louis. At the end of September 1974, Cunningham rejoined the 76ers.
Cunningham was welcomed back by 76ers fans. He played in 80 games for the 1974–75 76ers' team, under head coach Gene Shue. Cunningham started 75 games. He averaged 35.7 minutes, 19.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game; but the 76ers had a 34–48 record. Cunningham believed the 76ers would be an improved team going into the 1975–76 season, with the addition of former ABA All-Star George McGinnis; and they were in first place in their division going into the season's 20th game on December 5, against the New York Knicks. Cunningham suffered a serious knee injury during that game, resulting in torn knee cartilage and ligaments, that ended his playing career, after efforts at rehabilitation were unsuccessful.
As Cunningham described it"We were playing the Knicks in the Spectrum, and I got a defensive rebound and went all the way to our free-throw circle and my knee just exploded,” he said. “I remember I went down like I’d been shot. People tell me I screamed, but I don’t remember that. It was like I had blacked out. Nobody had touched me; they called a foul on Butch Beard, who was about 8 feet away, but they figured they had to whistle someone. I’d never had a bit of knee trouble before".For his combined NBA and ABA career, Cunningham scored 16,310 points, grabbed 7,981 rebounds, and recorded 3,305 assists. He recorded 14 triple-doubles in the NBA and seven in the ABA, good for 51st all-time in the NBA and fifth in the ABA. He averaged a double-double for his 11-year career, with 21.2 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. He averaged 20.8 points and 10.1 rebounds per game with the 76ers, even though he began his career there as a sixth man and did not play more than 28.1 minutes per game until his fourth NBA season; and 23.1 points and 11.3 rebounds with the Cougars.
Legacy and honors
In 1986, Cunningham was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. In 1996, Cunningham was voted as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History as part of the NBA's 50th Anniversary. In October 2021, he was also named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. To commemorate the NBA's 75th Anniversary The Athletic ranked their top 75 players of all time, and named Cunningham as the 66th greatest player in NBA history. Of the players named to the 75th Anniversary team, only Cunningham, Bill Russell, Bill Sharman, and Lenny Wilkens also won NBA championships as head coaches.
In 2006, he was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame's inaugural class. His North Carolina Tar Heel No. 32 jersey is retired and honored at the Dean E. Smith Center. In 2002, Cunningham was named to the ACC 50th Anniversary men's basketball team, honoring the fifty best players in ACC history.
Cunningham's No. 32 jersey is retired by the Philadelphia 76ers. In 1991, 76ers' future Hall of Fame forward Charles Barkley obtained Cunningham's permission to wear jersey No. 32 for the 1991–92 NBA season to honor Magic Johnson who had announced at the start of the season that he was HIV-positive, and had retired from the NBA. The 76ers agreed that Barkley could honor Johnson with this gesture during the 1991–92 season. Barkley had previously worn No. 34. During Cunningham's last season as the 76ers coach (1984–85), Barkley was a rookie on the 76ers.
Among his honors and accomplishments;
Elected to Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame (1986)
Elected to New York City Basketball Hall of Fame (1990)
All-NBA First Team (1969, 1970, 1971)
ABA All Star, First Team (1973)
All-NBA Second Team (1972)
Four-time NBA All-Star
Elected to the ABA's All-Time Team
Coaching career
Cunningham succeeded Gene Shue as head coach of the 2–4 Philadelphia 76ers, on November 4, 1977. His first act was hiring future Hall of Fame coach Chuck Daly as an assistant coach. The 76ers went 53–23 over the remainder of the 1977–78 season under Cunningham, and ended the season in first place in the NBA's Atlantic Division. In his first playoff appearance, Cunningham led the Sixers to a four-game sweep against the New York Knicks, before losing to the Washington Bullets in six games in the Eastern Conference finals.
During Cunningham's eight-season tenure as the 76ers head coach (1977 to 1985), the team featured, among others, Bobby Jones, Maurice Cheeks, Andrew Toney, Moses Malone, and Julius Erving. He reached the 200-, 300- and 400-win milestones faster than any coach in NBA history. He led Philadelphia to the playoffs in every year as coach, and advanced to the NBA Finals three times; in the 1979–80, 1981–82 and 1982–83 seasons. The 76ers lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in 1980 and 1982, but after acquiring Moses Malone before the 1982–83 season, they finally got past the Lakers in 1983, winning the franchise's third (and most recent) NBA Championship as part of a 12–1 playoff run. The 1982–83 76ers are considered to be among the greatest teams in NBA history.
Upon his retirement on May 28, 1985, Cunningham's 454 wins as a head coach were the 12th best in NBA history. Among those who have coached at least 650 games, Cunningham holds the second-best regular-season winning percentage in league history of .698 (only Phil Jackson is ahead of him). He is still the winningest coach in Sixers history. Cunningham's playoff record as a coach is 66–39 (.629). Among those who have coached at least 100 NBA playoff games, he has the third highest winning percentage behind Jackson (.688) and Steve Kerr (.684). Former 76ers player and coach, Hall of Famer Doug Collins said Cunningham might be the greatest 76er, when looking at his overall impact on the franchise.
Broadcasting and ownership
Cunningham joined the NBA television broadcast team for the CBS broadcasting network in the 1976–77 season, often paired with Brent Musburger or Don Criqui, including the 1977 All-Star Game and some playoff games; leaving after the season ended to coach the 76ers. Cunningham would later rejoin the CBS broadcast team starting with the 1985–86 season, again often paired with Musburger; covering both the NBA as well as NCAA men's college basketball for the network. In late 1987, Cunningham replaced Tom Heinsohn as the lead color commentator (alongside play-by-play man Dick Stockton) for CBS' NBA telecasts; in part because Heinsohn was perceived as having a conflict in covering the Boston Celtics, his former team. Cunningham had an ownership interest in the expansion Miami Heat, who had not yet played in the NBA; and a similar conflict could arise for him.
By at least February 1988, Cunningham was general manager as well as part owner of the Heat, prior to the franchise having played its first NBA season. He left CBS Sports in July 1988 to work with the Heat. Cunningham was subsequently replaced as CBS' top basketball analyst by Hubie Brown; but would return to CBS to help fill in briefly during the 1990 NBA playoffs, partnered with Verne Lundquist in covering a game between the Celtics and the New York Knicks. Cunningham then returned to CBS for one last year to cover the 1991 NCAA men's basketball tournament, partnered with Dick Stockton once again. In early 1995, Cunningham sold his ownership interest in the Heat.