Billy Cunningham

William John Cunningham (born June 3, 1943) is an American former professional basketball player and coach, nicknamed the "Kangaroo Kid" for his leaping and record-setting rebounding. In college he was All-ACC, the ACC Player of the Year, and an All-American, and was later named to the ACC 50th Anniversary men's basketball team honoring the fifty best players in conference history. He spent seventeen seasons with the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers, nine as a player and eight as a coach, and two seasons as a player with the Carolina Cougars of the ABA. As a professional he was selected to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, named an NBA All-Star, and chosen for the All-NBA First and Second Team. In the ABA he was an All-Star, an All-ABA First Team selection, and the league's Most Valuable Player. He won an NBA championship both as a player in 1967 and later as a coach. Cunningham was elected to the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame and honored by selection to both the NBA's 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams, as well as to the ABA All-Time Team. In 1990 he was selected as part of the first class to enter the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame.