I defy anyone to say they took change off the top of the backboard, Chamberlain said. The most frequent flyers? Cunningham was a member of the powerful 1967 Sixers championship team, which also featured Wilt Chamberlain, Hal Greer, Chet Walker, and Luke Jackson. As a rookie in 1965-66, he pulled down 7.5 rpg, scored 14.3 ppg and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team. Kareem came the closest. His departure had a disastrous effect. After Chamberlain left the team in 1968, Cunningham became the 76ers' franchise player. But with a leaper, everybody instantly knows they couldnt do it, that only the tiniest fraction of humans can jump that high.. ." In our museum of hoop flight, there is a special wing for the charter members, the dinosaurs of dunk. He cant quite jump out of the gym, but he has come close to jumping out of a bar or two. In the far-up Land of Leap, the unit of currency is the dunk. Chris Wallace, the college talent scout, said: I dont believe measurements. He reached both the 300 and 400-win milestones faster than any coach in NBA history. 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. All rights reserved. If that's not impressive enough for you, he also played on two NBA championship teams and later coached the Philadelphia 76ers for eight seasons. He was about a foot from the top.. 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. Instant green.
75 Stories | Billy Cunningham - YouTube A lot of young men soar into the NBA but are quickly weighted down by injuries and the 82-game grind, such as Darrell (Dr. Dunkenstein) Griffith of the Utah Jazz.
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame :: Billy Cunningham Griffin has been one of the most electrifying dunkers in the NBA for the past eight years. Jay Norman, an outstanding defensive player, went into his defensive stance at the foul line. Ill give you an example. In the twentieth game of the 19751976 season, Cunningham's career suddenly and inexplicably ended. Find Billy Cunningham 76ers stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. Other notable dunks include his shot on the Sonics seriously ticked off Robert Reid, and another on the Knicks flabbergasted Patrick Ewing. Dont send letters, leapers. He led the Cougars to the best record in the league and was selected to the All-ABA First Team and was named the ABA MVP. A fabulous collegian and pro player Cunningham shot to stardom when he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team in 1966. "Shue Ousted, Cunningham Named; N.B.A. He spent several years as one of the owners of the Miami Heat and the team quickly became a contender. 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. Keith Smart always reported he had a 44. Every time Gus slam-dunked at home, the recorded sound of a rifle shot would whistle through the arena. . 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. And despite the proliferation of dunkers, there is a very elite group of leapers. For three days, Rabbit put on a show like theyve never seen before. 1 in everyones heart and myths is Jumpin Jackie Jackson, also known as Sidecar Jackson. Cunningham could not even crack the starting lineupwhich . Midway through the previous season the club had acquired Wilt Chamberlain from the San Francisco Warriors, and in his first full campaign with the Sixers, he helped them to the Eastern Division title. Very tall players are seldom recognized as great leapers. Free, Darryl Dawkins and Bobby Jones. He was an incredible shot blocker. My mother has a bar here in southern Idaho, and shes got a nail where Joey touched, at 11-9 1/2.. The soaring flight of the great leaper is amazing, even to himself. He once grabbed a record 27 rebounds in a game vs. Clemson on February 16, 1963. Imagine yourself lifting off the blacktop, up and up, until you can reach into the air far above the rim. Averaging 14.3 points per game, Cunningham was named to the league's All-Rookie team. window.__mirage2 = {petok:"ZbxZ3AJWWjyZL0HXDpABwVdW.7p3rtLrWMEsK2FPL0A-86400-0"}; Upload media Wikipedia. Dawkins claimed to have come from the planet Lovetron, he called himself Chocolate Thunder and Zandokan the Mad Dunker, and he named his dunks. No discussion of legendary leapers is complete without heated debate. Buffman and Cunningham decided to team up in the venture, and they brought in Lewis Schaffel and Ted Arison. One boy did dunks of a monster nature, so they named him after the only monster they knew that could fly--Rodan. In warmups, we would always check out the other team and get into little contests with their guys. In his first playoff appearance, he led the Sixers to a 4-game sweep against the Knicks,[12] before bowing down to the Bullets in six games. In the 19691970 season he averaged a career high of 26.1 points, the fourth highest in the league, and was again selected as an All-Star. Another oft-told legend has Jackie on defense. of 6. How tall is Billy Cunningham? Its a feeling of power and freedom Ive never gotten from anything else. Hes sought advice from Tim Duncan on how to be a great leader and win with his team. Then an All-Star. I mean, what next? Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Whats unfortunate is that most people regard the great leapers as being only the short guys who could dunk, said the 7-1 1/16 Chamberlain. Joey was a good player at Banning High in Wilmington and spent two years at the College of Southern Idaho, a junior college. He inherited a team of underachievers led by Julius Erving. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Geraldo Rivera is standing by. In Game 2 of the 1967 NBA Finals, Cunningham scored 28 points during a 126-95 win over the San Francisco Warriors.[3]. Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: Sports Figures. 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.
Billy Cunningham - Popular Bio Home Depot Is Selling A Giant 89-Pound Crab Statue For $1,500. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Join our linker program. The single-game high was eight, by Drexler, against the Lakers. I said to him, Yes, yes, yes! Wilt said, Im gonna kill you. . In The Finals, however, Abdul-Jabbar, Earvin Magic Johnson, Jamaal Wilkes and the Lakers were too much. Current Grand Canyon Antelopes coach and the Phoenix Suns favourite former shooting guard/small forward is an NBA All Star, an Olympian, and World Team member. 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.
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. A fairly average 65 Sura fit in among the other players on the court, but he set himself apart with his gorgeous dunking abilities. He said he was afraid he would cut himself. Some nights, when your legs were really there and you had total command, you felt nobody was going to get any higher than you were. 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. Realizing they needed a dominant big man to contain Abdul-Jabbar, Philadelphia acquired the two-time MVP (1979 and 82) Moses Malone from the Houston Rockets (Malone would win a third MVP as a Sixer in that first season in Philadelphia) before the 1982-83 season. 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. In the Division Finals, the Cougars lost a tight seven-game series to the Kentucky Colonels, 4 games to 3. Shoots: Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Airy, Maryland. Ive got the videotape to prove it., Karl Kleinkopf, who coached the Southern Idaho track team for nine years, said: Theres absolutely no doubt Joey could be an eight-foot high jumper by 1992. Skywalker, Helicopter, Elevator, Clyde the Glide, Air Jordan, the Hawk, Rodan, Pogo Joe, Honeycomb, Sidecar, the Big Dipper, the Human Highlight Film, Sky King, Kangaroo Kid. He played circles around a guy named Robert Cousy. During his playing career, he was a 4-time All-Star and 3-time All-NBA First Team selection. Someone would put a quarter up and Id snatch it down. You dont play with a red, white and blue ball if youre into dignity. But the final came down to David Thompson vs. Julius Erving--the Skywalker vs. the Doctor. When Cunningham got off the bus in Chapel Hill in the fall of 1961, he was all skin and bones, a freckle-faced redhead with a clumsy, pigeon-toed gait. Can the old Elevator still ascend? A person who is a poor leaper is said to have white mans disease. White guys use the expression, black guys use it, mostly in a spirit of good fun. Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. When they were not taking everything off, the dancing was more alluring. The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. Stanford's 6-4 Todd Lichti is a big-time leaper, regardless of race, creed or color. I dont want anyone ripping rib-cage muscles or wrenching spinal disks. The University of North Carolina (UNC) coach Frank McGuire convinced Cunningham to enroll there. Professional basketball player, sports administrator He was a five-time All Star, 1972-73 MVP, and received recognition for numerous goals, throws, rebounds, and assist plays. Cunningham was part of a group that helped to secure an NBA franchise for Miami in the late 1980s. William John Cunningham (born June 3, 1943) is an American former professional basketball player and coach, who was nicknamed the Kangaroo Kid for his leaping and record-setting rebounding abilities. Joey walked up to the wall, one foot planted, no rocking, jumped up and missed the nail. Draft: Philadelphia 76ers, 1st round (7th pick, 7th overall), 1965 NBA draft, More Cunningham pages at Sports Reference, Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 6:03AM. Dennis never was much of a leaper. amc gremlin for sale washington state billy cunningham vertical jump. After playing for Philadelphia from 1965 to 1972, he signed a free agent contract with the ABA's .
How does Zion "only" have a vertical jump of 40.5 inches when - reddit High School and became known as the Kangaroo Kid for his impressive jumping ability. can arthur get a girlfriend rdr2; cook county jail roster; zip code validation rule in salesforce; first coast security ehub; billy cunningham vertical jump. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Some are best at soaring up for a three-pointer, some rock at the jump shots, some can perform slam dunks like nobodys business, and they all work their butts off to prove that they belong in this black mans sport. Upon his retirement on May 28, 1985,[13] his 454 wins as a head coach were the 12th best in NBA history. Yes, 44. Not only could he dunk, but he had a serious white boy swagger. Dolph Schayes is an icon in Philadelphia 76ers lore and was one of the NBA's first stars as well. They annihilated the opposition all season and finished with a 68-13 record. See, for example, Jan Hubbard, ed., The Official NBA Basketball Encyclopedia, 3d ed. "I don't know anything he has done that hasn't worked," said the Orlando, Florida, executive Pat Williams. (b. The legendary player and coach was named the ABA MVP for the 1972-73 season.
billy cunningham vertical jump - ingenioemprendedor.com Many have speculated about the reasons behind this phenomenon. Billy Cunningham. Billy Cunningham played fiercely, coached intensely, and won frequently. In 1966 Cunningham
billy cunningham vertical jump - epcorcentre.org As a high school senior, he received a scholarship offer from a Midwestern college, asking him to become the schools first black player. home/away, monthly, etc More Billy Cunningham Basketball Reference pages, Compare Billy Cunningham to other players. His performance in the 2009 Sprite Slam Dunk Contest was nothing less than stellar, and some say he was robbed of the chance to move to the next round. In his rookie season of 19651966 Cunningham was at first assigned to be a guard, then switched positions, becoming a small forward. I went back a few hours later with a tape measure. Could this be Gods way of telling us its time to raise the hoop? Most of these leapers were from the inner city, where they suffered from overexposure to drugs and underexposure to formal education. Everybody dunks. It doesnt take a detective to see these were obviously a foreshadowing of plays to come. Theyve run like the wind, ducked like a water fowl, flown like jet planes, and scored more points than Cassanova in a disco. Throughout his life, Cunningham excelled at all aspects of the game he loved. 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. He didnt just score, he scored OVER people, including all 68 of Plastic Man Stacey Augmon. Most of the players had between 29 and 33, so I dont believe any of that stuff in the 40s.. The 1996 dunk competition boasted great ballers like the 76ers Jerry Stackhouse and the Suns Michael Finley, and nobody really expected the Lakers guard to triumph. 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. At Carolina, he was reunited with the coach Larry Brown, who had been a UNC teammate. It didnt make no difference to him.. I was right there and it wasnt a foot. The schools former coach, Frank McGuire, was the one who had recruited Cunningham, which left Smith with a prize recruit he had never seen. In those eight seasons, the team posted a 454-196 record, reached three NBA Finals and captured a championship in 1983. //Billy Cunningham Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images About a year ago, I was in a playground game with some black guys. They drove a new nail in for Joey, measured it at 11-7 1/2. (AP Photo/Rusty Kennedy) Cunningham, her stepdaughter and her fiance all jumped into action. Cunningham arrived in Chapel Hill just as Dean Smith was taking over as the head basketball coach of the UNC Tar Heels. June 3, I knew he was right there with me. ." Why not simply whip out a tape measure and measure the leapers leaps, take the guesswork out of whos the greatest? Weve all heard the saying: white men cant jump. Ron Shelton even made a (fantastic) movie about it in the 90s! He holds the second-best regular-season winning percentage in league history of .698 (only Phil Jackson is ahead of him). He was so good, Red Auerbach saw him play in a schoolyard game and invited him to camp with the Celtics. Why isnt this guy in the hall of fame yet? Jones, a noted defensive terror. Bones Barry is pretty much Larry Bird, only with a slightly higher jump and significantly longer shorts. Keith had a 32. His show was not heard during the summer months, when WLW broadcasts Cincinnati Reds baseball games. For his college career he averaged 24.8 points per game and set a school record with 1,062 rebounds. The players who fly through this thin air are not simply remembered by hoop fans. He was a competitor, said Lewis Schaffel, one of Cunninghams partners in the Miami Heat who grew up with him in Brooklyn. His entire head and neck were above the rim. After the 197374 season, Cunningham returned to the 76ers, where he played until torn knee cartilage and ligaments ended his career as an active player early in the 197576 season. Media in category "Billy Cunningham" The following 5 files are in this category, out of 5 total. 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. Thats a white head, remember. Its almost like burlesque dancing. As a player, he was fiery yet consistent, pulling down rebounds and scoring points. His colourful tattoos and hairstyles are about as famous as his skills too, with hairdos including mohawks, spikes, and shoulder-length shag. This guy wasnt a leaper, but it will show you what I mean. 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. It was the Human Highlight Film vs. a Selected Short. Encyclopedias almanacs transcripts and maps, Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: Sports Figures. In the 197374 season, Cunningham and the Cougars finished third in the Eastern Division and lost again to the Kentucky Colonels in the Eastern Division semifinals. However, none of the other basketball-playing Barry brothers Scooter, Jon, and Drew - can claim to be the only white man in history to win the Slam Dunk contest, though. After that season, Cunningham jumped from the NBA to the ABA with the Carolina Cougars.
Bill Cunningham | Premiere Networks In the exhibition season he was assigned to bring the ball up the court against Bostons K.C. 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. In the JC championship game, an opponent fired a jump shot at the buzzer. Cunningham returned to Philadelphia in 1977 to become the coach of the 76ers, replacing Gene Shue. The mystery leaper was--and is--Herb White, 6-foot-2, eyes of blue, from Decatur, Ga. As with most leaping legends, Herbs aerial reputation often preceded him. Many of the great leapers of that era inhabited the fringes of reality as we know it. His teams won sixty-six play-off games and lost twenty-nine. //]]>. Not too shabby at all, right? Jump to navigation Jump to search Billy Cunningham American basketball player and coach. Billy Cunningham is an American former professional basketball player and coach, who was nicknamed the Kangaroo Kid. Watch even half of any of his highlight reels and youll understand why he made this list. The greatest leaper I ever saw was Jackie. Jackie stays in the air and the ref calls a three-second violation. Billy Cunningham wasnt nicknamed the Kangaroo Kid because he had a pouch. Not a great deal is known about Jackie, which is good, because nothing dims a legend faster than facts. Athletic Club, has worked with most of the great L.A. prep stars of the last two decades.
Billy Cunningham College Stats | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com Jump to: Overview (3) | Mini Bio (1) | Family (1) Overview (3) Born: June 3, 1943 in New York, USA: Birth Name: William John Cunningham: Height: 6' 7" (2.01 m) Mini Bio (1) William John "Billy" Cunningham was born on June 3, 1943. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Thats the outer space were dealing with today, the sky above the hoop, the rare air inhabited by only a select group of humans, the legendary leapers. [CDATA[
billy cunningham vertical jump Destined to become one of the first of basketball's most talented big men, as a young man George Mikan, Sprewell, Latrell 1970 Cunningham became a playground regular, a gym rat, and a high school star, leading Erasmus Hall to the New York City Championship in 1961. When I went to Kansas, they had a 12-foot basket in the gym, because Dr. Phog Allen was advocating the 12-foot basket. Billy Cunningham was born on June 3, 1943. Do you have a blog? CUNNINGHAM, William John ("Billy") ( b. It is. It was those antsy feet that made him unstoppable, resulting in his inclusion on 10 All-Star Games, achieving the 1952 All-Star Game MVP, and nabbing 5 MVP Award shares. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. His standing vertical was 37.5 inches. During the post-season, the Cougars defeated the New York Nets in five games in the Eastern Division Semifinals to advance to the Eastern Division Finals. Joey didnt even have his shoes laced, Clarke said. In the Museum of Leap, Wilt (the Big Dipper) Chamberlain has his own wing. 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. A sample: In Your Face Disgrace, Sexophonic Turbo Delight, Hammer of Thor, and Yo Mamma. In a 14-year professional career studded with superla-tives, Wilt Chamberlain established the, Mikan, George With Malone in the middle, and Erving, Bobby Jones, Cheeks and Andrew Toney all playing key roles, the 76ers went 65-17 and blew through the Atlantic Division. In the 19661967 season the 76ers were a powerhouse, winning sixty-eight against only thirteen losses and beating the Boston Celtics and San Francisco in the playoffs to win the championship. Billy Cunningham was a standout scorer for the Philadelphia 76ers. I made a left turn at the baseline, flew under the basket to the other side, put it through his arms, and dunked it with two hands over my head. The next year he exploded for 24.8 points per game and 12.8 rebounds and he was named a first-team All-Star. In his basketball uniform and shoes, with a short, unmeasured run-up, he soared over seven feet. As if this wasnt impressive enough, it was during a practice with the LA Lakers about a month after the Combine that he flew up 46 inches, creating a new pre-draft record. us, High School: Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. Hes also not 100% African American, though, which means he doesnt automatically have insane jumping genes. In 1965, Cunningham joined the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association. So much has been written and said about Julius Erving over the years that i, Allen, Marcus 1960 Part of Dr. Js legend is the same as the mystique of a gunfighter coming into town, Costas said. A few of the big-time leapers did make it--Jumpin Johnny Green, Pogo Joe Caldwell and Tommy (the Hawk) Hawkins, who was a Laker rookie when the team moved to Los Angeles in 1960. Some nights Id scare myself.. Also, his dunk on Dwight Howard during the 2008 Olympic finals was unreal. 1936-1999 Chess Robot Grabs And Breaks Finger Of Seven-Year . Jack Gardner, a former college coach, did our testing, Nissalke said. For his eleven-year career, Cunningham averaged 21.2 points per game. People think, mistakenly in most cases, that they could hit a baseball, Costas says. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. I used to dunk on that basket. [4], Cunningham signed a threeyear contract on August 5, 1969 to begin play with the American Basketball Association's Carolina Cougars in 197172. Pitchin Paul is credited as being one of the first basketball players to ever use the jump shot. > Archive 75: Billy Cunningham| 75 Stories: Billy Cunningham. Cunningham was subsequently replaced on CBS by Hubie Brown, but would return to CBS to help fill in during the 1990 NBA Playoffs, partnered with Verne Lundquist. He would get up in the air and spread those wings, hed be swoopin. A fiery coach, Cunningham stalked the sidelines with the best of them. He succeeded Gene Shue as head coach of the 24 76ers on November 4, 1977. He also had stellar 3-pointer abilities, but after that 1996 air show, most of his other accomplishments were left in the dust. The Memphis forward sustained the injury Friday night during the 1st quarter of the Grizzlies 113-97 loss to the Nuggets. It was so good that Cunningham, a future Hall of Famer, came off the bench. Almost always the feat involves money--claims that the player could grab a dollar bill off the top of the board, or could pluck off a quarter and leave two dimes and a nickel change. Artis (A-Train) Gilmore, George (Ice) Gervin and Larry (Big Cat) Kenon all dunked admirably. Curtis Bunn, a 6-1 reporter for Newsday, has a very decent repertoire of slams. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. Can you do that? I asked Kareem if he ever did, and he could jump a little bit. The man waits and waits for Jackie to start coming down, but waits too long. Chamberlain remembers other playground legends: Boy named Helicopter (real name: Herman Knowings) had incredible wingspan. Chamberlain couldnt remember the players name, but Rod Thorn did. 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. Cunningham achieved a career trifecta in law, business, and government. Technicalities, you know. why did michael jackson wrote heal the world; lionel richie las vegas 2022 I saw him come down the floor once, in the Eastern League, on a fast break. The Cougars' attempt to file an injunction against him was denied in United States District Court on September 24, 1971. Wilt meets me at mid-court and says, Na, na, na, not this time.. There are celebrity dunk-offs. When Dominique (the Human Highlight Film) Wilkins was in college, a 5-9 laundry man named Leroy Nowells would saunter into the Georgia gym and match slams with Wilkins. I dont know anything he has done that hasnt worked. Biography. 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.
Basketball Player Billy Cunningham's Net Worth, Wife, and Bio 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. The 76ers lost to the Lakers in 1980 and 1982, but after acquiring Moses Malone, they finally got past the Lakers in 1983, winning the franchise's third (and most recent) NBA Championship as part of a 121 playoff run. His man takes him into the key, gives a head fake and sends Jackie skyward. One expert, Mitch Kupchak, the Lakers assistant general manager, was asked to name the games bona fide super leapers. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. inBrooklyn,New York Claims of sergeants in the mid- and high 40s are common. Philadelphia went 47-35, second in the newly formed Atlantic Division, but was ousted again in the first round of the playoffs. Yes, he married a former judge. Granted, the majority of the NBAs highest flying players have been African Americans, but some of the white guys get their share of air time. Left, Born: He is still the winningest coach in Sixers history. Lets add Billy Hoyle as an honourary #16 to this list, shall we? A commitment to the basic fundamentals of any game lead to progress, growth, and success. Ive heard stories about Jackie Jackson doing it, but Ive never seen anyone (but himself) come close., Sonny Hill, a Philadelphia leaping legend of the 60s, backs Wilt, saying, The only man thats been to the top, thats Wilt. The new generation of jumpers, ushered in by Julius Erving, has pushed the dunk to new artistic heights.