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.
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,"The Rumble" , Paul Schwartz, New York Post, December 31, 2006. Accessed December 13, 2007. "The five Erasmus Hall of Fame legends include Raiders owner Al Davis, Bears quarterback Sid Luckman, Yankee pitching great Waite Hoyt, Billy Cunningham and Knicks founder Ned Irish." 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.
As a senior, he was the ACC's Player of the Year. Cunningham was selected first-team All-ACC from 1963 to 1965. He was named to the first-team 1963 All-ACC Tournament team and 1964 All-ACC Tournament team. As a junior (1964), Cunningham was named to the 10-player U. S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) All-America Team for Look magazine, and was among the last candidates eliminated from inclusion in the 1965 10-player team. In 1965, United Press International (UPI) named Cunningham a second-team All-American, and the Associated Press (AP) named him a third-team All-American.
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.