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And there was a dog. The following season Philadelphia won sixty-two games and the Eastern Division title but lost to the Celtics in the playoffs. 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. Refer to each styles convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates. Cade Cunningham Vertical Jump Height. He recorded 14 triple doubles in the NBA and 5 in the ABA, good for 43rd all-time in the NBA and 5th in the ABA. During his eight seasons as the coach of the 76ers, Philadelphia won 454 regular season games and lost 196. With the exception of Chamberlain, Dr. J was the first superleaper who was also a superstar NBA player, and the first big-time player to exploit the dunk as an art form at the pro level. Dunk is cheap. After that season, Cunningham jumped from the NBA to the ABA with the Carolina Cougars. Ginoblili is 39 years old and recently won a jump ball against the 22-year-old Nerlens Noel, who has a good five inches on the Argentinian-Italian. He was in the gym in Mesa one afternoon, in street clothes and basketball shoes. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 4:50AM. All the teams did that. A commitment to the basic fundamentals of any game lead to progress, growth, and success. That Feb. 8, the ABA trotted out its five best slammers. The soaring flight of the great leaper is amazing, even to himself. Note, this is done in an automated way, so we apologize for any errors, & please. 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. He was a tough, intense, competitive player who used his intelligence as much as his physical talents. He was called the Kangaroo Kid for his prodigious leaping ability. After playing for Philadelphia from 1965 to 1972, he signed a free agent contract with the ABA's . 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. . Oh my God, Smith recalled thinking. High School and became known as the Kangaroo Kid for his impressive jumping ability. 1964 UNC at Duke, tip-off.jpg 1,454 1,750; 377 KB. Keith Smart always reported he had a 44. We should be glad he doesnt demand his own useum. Find out more. A lot of them, you have to understand, werent able to get into college, Chamberlain said. Even so, Erving was the NBAs most dazzling aerial star until he retired in 1987 and passed the title to Michael Jordan. Stand underneath a basketball hoop, a regulation 10-footer. Ive never felt another feeling like it, being able to go up in the air, over someone much bigger, and stay up there. One day he received a call from Zev Buffman, who needed a well-known basketball personality to help secure an NBA franchise for Miami. As Cunningham was adjusting to the professional game, the 76ers were becoming a powerhouse. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Why not simply whip out a tape measure and measure the leapers leaps, take the guesswork out of whos the greatest? The Memphis forward sustained the injury Friday night during the 1st quarter of the Grizzlies 113-97 loss to the Nuggets. Small Forward and Power Forward His teams won sixty-six play-off games and lost twenty-nine. When Joey was a high school senior, Clarke took his Watts Magicians to Mesa, Ariz., for a prep tournament. Until recently, nobody ever tried to keep track of dunks on any league-wide scale. 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. He didnt just score, he scored OVER people, including all 68 of Plastic Man Stacey Augmon. The ONLY white man. Thats how much air was between Connaughton and those shiny floorboards at the NBA Combine in 2015. The Cougars had finished last the previous season, but with Brown and Cunningham inspiring the team, the Cougars finished first. The next season, the consistent Cunningham scored 23.3 points per game and was selected as an All-Star for the fourth time. But the winning wasnt over. And he played it constantly. Look up. 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Cunningham returned to Philadelphia in 1977 to become the coach of the 76ers, replacing Gene Shue. [6] 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 which occurred almost simultaneous to the Sixers' introduction of Roy Rubin as its new head coach.[7]. 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 told me, Sonny, no. . Thats about half the height of Michael Jordan. Michael Jordan has stopped just short of holding the ball in his mouth, uncoiling his tongue in mid-flight and inventing the Anteater Slam. These are professional men: Dr. J, Dr. Dunkenstein, Dr. Jam. David Robinson, future NBA Hall-of-Famer and leader of the San Antonio Spurs, was born in Key We, Chamberlain, Wilt Pitchin Paul is credited as being one of the first basketball players to ever use the jump shot. Encyclopedia.com gives you the ability to cite reference entries and articles according to common styles from the Modern Language Association (MLA), The Chicago Manual of Style, and the American Psychological Association (APA). Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: Sports Figures. No. Cunningham could not even crack the starting lineupwhich included Wilt Chamberlain, Chet Walker, Lucious Jackson, Hal Greer, and Wally Jonesbut he averaged 18.5 points and 7.3 rebounds per game coming off the bench. Unlike Thompson, a huge star at North Carolina State, Dr. J kind of sneaked up on the basketball world. Athletic Club, has worked with most of the great L.A. prep stars of the last two decades. Think about Steve Nash and the beautiful game he played: flawless passes, sinking 90.4% of his free throws, point guard skills on point every time. Chess Robot Grabs And Breaks Finger Of Seven-Year . 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. If you give bonus points for obscurity and mystery, it would be Joey Johnson, younger brother of Celtic guard Dennis. Theres not room for both of us. The next day Red let Rabbit go. Date of birth: 3 June 1943 . Cunningham reached 200, 300, and 400 wins faster than any previous coach in NBA history. > Archive 75: Billy Cunningham| 75 Stories: Billy Cunningham. [1] His first regular show on the station was at night, generally from 9:00 p.m. until midnight. During one game he went THROUGH and OVER the 77 Manute Bol of the Golden State Warriors to ALMOST score. Professional basketball player In 1961, his senior year, Cunningham led his team to the city championship and was a high school All-American. Sure, Casper and friends tend to dominate less vertically challenging sports like golf, hockey, and tennis, but they have also held their own on the floorboards. He prevailed in the end! 1 in everyones heart and myths is Jumpin Jackie Jackson, also known as Sidecar Jackson. The college boys are no doubt wide eyed and gape-mouthed when they meet this coach for the first time. Herb was not drafted, but was invited to Hawks camp after his senior year and made the 1970-71 team as a point-guard backup and road roommate of another rookie, Pete Maravich. Cunningham was part of a group that helped to secure an NBA franchise for Miami in the late 1980s. Top 15 NBA Players Who Prove That White Men CAN Jump, The sun even shines on a dog's a** some days. I mean, what next? These guys will never forget the blur of that mullet-ed head flying past them. June 12, 2022 . He was a competitor, said Lewis Schaffel, one of Cunninghams partners in the Miami Heat who grew up with him in Brooklyn. Back when he played for the Phillies, they had him dribbling alongside Wilt The Stilt Chamberlain for two seasons, and when Chamberlain left in 69, the 76ers had a Kangaroo as their star. Joey? "Rubin Quits L. I. U. to Pilot 76ers,", Goldaper, Sam. One of the more recent players on this list, Chris Birdman Anderson is known for his celebratory arm flapping and his intriguing tattoos. It sure did make me feel good inside.. Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. Still, the Sixers finished 34-48, only the second losing season of Cunninghams career. In his first ABA season, Cunningham averaged 24.1 points per game, 12.0 rebounds per game, and led the league in total steals. Though he portrayed a large woman in "You have to Walk it like . 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. Dont try a big leap. When you think about Billys life, it is amazing, former Philadelphia 76er executive and then-Orlando Magic senior executive vice president Pat Williams told New Miami magazine in 1992. ." Still, the thrill is not all gone. The difference between the two marks, in inches, is the players sergeant jump, as in, Joe Smith has a 29-inch sergeant.. He was discovered. 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 fabulous collegian and pro player Cunningham shot to stardom when he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team in 1966. Instant green. During his playing career, he was a 4-time All-Star and 3-time All-NBA First Team selection. Philadelphia fans showed surprisingly little bitterness toward Cunningham, who rewarded them with 19.5 ppg in 1974-75. "I can't put my finger on it exactly, but there was just something about the game. Do you have a sports website? It was the Human Highlight Film vs. a Selected Short. Billy Cunningham was drafted by Philadelphia 76ers, 1st round (7th pick, 7th overall), 1965 NBA Draft. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network, *Translations are limited to select pages, NBA Legends: Profiling the league's greats, Brooks suspended after receiving 16th technical foul, Grizzlies' Clarke (torn achilles) out indefinitely, Ja will be away from team for 'at least' 2 games, Ex-NBA player Morrow facing assault charges, Durant passes 'Big O' for 13th in career points, NBA Fantasy: Under-the-radar additions for playoffs. Dont send letters, leapers. Known as 'The Kangaroo Kid,' Billy Cunningham was a high-flying scorer who won an NBA title as a player and coach with the 76ers. At Carolina, he was reunited with the coach Larry Brown, who had been a UNC teammate. I saw him come down the floor once, in the Eastern League, on a fast break. In 1969-70, Cunningham averaged a career-best 26.1 points, fourth-highest in the league behind Jerry West, Lew Alcindor (later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) and Elvin Hayes. He had wide shoulders--he was built like Orlando (Woolridge), 6-7 or 6-8. I loved it instantly.. As a professional he 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. Billy Cunningham was born on June 3, 1943. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. Known as "The Kangaroo Kid," he won an NBA Championship with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1967, then coached the team to another championship in 1983. Although he had never coached, he was popular in Philadelphia, and his competitiveness, toughness and intelligence seemed right for the job. 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. He was a high school superstar. William John "Billy" Cunningham was born on June 3, 1943. The white guys listed below are heroes of the basketball world. I was right there and it wasnt a foot. Ervings early obscurity helped make him famous. I told him Id read he had a 44. On a good day, he said. Here's a number: 44 inches. 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. Is Billy Cunningham married? The other measurement of leap is the money exchange at the top of the backboard, which is exactly 13 feet above the floor and three feet above the rim. You dont play with a red, white and blue ball if youre into dignity. 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. They outlawed that, but I wouldnt have done it in a game, anyway. Joey was a good player at Banning High in Wilmington and spent two years at the College of Southern Idaho, a junior college. There are two other pure measurements of leap--the dunk and the top of the money exchange. It didnt make no difference to him.. home/away, monthly, etc More Billy Cunningham Basketball Reference pages, Compare Billy Cunningham to other players. Dunk-off of the Network Superstars? Wed been on the bus eight hours by then, Trenkle said. Theres no greater feeling than going up in a crowd, over guys a foot taller., Tommy (the Hawk) Hawkins said: If you can think about Peter Pan, thats the feeling. 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. If accurate, that would have put him as the 10th-highest max vertical leaper (not standing, but with a short running start) in the NBA Draft, just behind Grayson Allen's number of 40.5 inches. There have been--and are--very good white jumpers. Carolina lost to the Kentucky Colonels in the Eastern Division rinals, but Cunninghams regular-season performance earned him the ABA MVP. They are enshrined in a mythical Museum of Leap. Under Cunningham, the team reached the Eastern Conference finals in 1978 and the NBA finals in 1980 and 1982. Chris Wallace, the college talent scout, said: I dont believe measurements. It was like, Legend has it that 20 men are buried in Boot Hill because of this guy. The Hawks favorite flight story, like many stories of that era, features Chamberlain as a foil. My sergeant was higher than Jordans. Ill give you an example. Joey? 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. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? The color barrier and the sex barrier of slam-dunk have fallen: Many white guys and a few women can dunk. 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. Close to the superleaper class in Kupchaks book, but a shade short, are Charles Barkley, Larry Nance, Orlando Woolridge, Roy Hinson, Tom Chambers and Akeem Olajuwon. His departure had a disastrous effect on the 76ers, who posted a 9-73 record in 1972-73, the worst mark in NBA history. Jay Norman, an outstanding defensive player, went into his defensive stance at the foul line. Terrell Owens Gets Into Fight Outside CVS. [5] The reversal of that judgment in the United States Court of Appeals .mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}6+12 months later on April 5, 1972, meant that Cunningham was obligated to honor his Cougars contract until its expiration in October 1974. 22 Feb. 2023 . There was a Philadelphia boy, Sonny Hill, about 5-10 (actually 5-9), he was the first guy that size I ever saw dunk. 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. Posted by; Date June 12, 2022; Comments . It is. Right now Johnson is red-shirting at ASU. Cunningham hit for 18.9 ppg and 7.6 rpg. Buffman and Cunningham decided to team up in the venture, and they brought in Lewis Schaffel and Ted Arison. Durant, a four-time scoring champion, now sets his sights on Hakeem Olajuwon in 12th place. His list of honors continued in 1986 when he was elected to the Hall of Fame, in 1990 when he was one of the 10 initial inductees to the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame and in 1996, he was named to the NBA 50th Anniversary All-Time Team. Billy Cunningham was born in New York on June 3, 1943. Billy Cunningham averaged 21.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game. Cunningham, though, tore up the ABA. He was All-ACC, the ACC Player of the Year, and an All-American in college, later named to the ACC 50th Anniversary men's basketball team honoring the fifty best players in Atlantic Coast Conference history. I defy anyone to say they took change off the top of the backboard, Chamberlain said. Someone would put a quarter up and Id snatch it down. At six feet, seven inches tall and 220 pounds, Cunningham was a consistent scorer and fierce rebounder. Can the old Elevator still ascend? He spent several years as one of the owners of the Miami Heat and the team quickly became a contender. It was legendary, however, and cemented young Majerle as one of the best white dunkers of all time. Lift up an arm and hop once or twice to get a feel for how far away the rim is. We present them here for purely educational purposes. It was so good that Cunningham, a future Hall of Famer, came off the bench. In 1966 Cunningham But while Cunningham was reaching his peak, the 76ers were beginning to crumble. Then he transferred to Arizona State, clashed with then-coach Steve Patterson and wound up quitting the team. In a way the injury made things easy for me, he added. In 1966-67, the 76ers dominated the NBA. I dont believe anyone has ever done it. He was never even charged with wrongdoing, but the NBA ban stuck until Connies lawyers broke it down in 1969, when the Hawk was 27 and well past his swooping prime. He was a consummate team player, and he used the same unifying concept and enthusiasm to become a successful head coach. 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. The Philadelphia team Cunningham inherited featured Julius Erving, George McGinnis, Doug Collins, Lloyd B. As a player, he was fiery yet consistent, pulling down rebounds and scoring points. The soaring flight of the great leaper is amazing, even to himself. That said, you can see his leaping ability when he takes off. All rights reserved. Instead he went to Georgia as a white player and was a so-so power forward. I got fired up and did a 360 dunk. Joey walked up to the wall, one foot planted, no rocking, jumped up and missed the nail. 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. An American-Israeli boy who was actually born in Taiwan, this dude was THIS CLOSE to entering the Slam Dunk competition in 2009, but was passed over for the Portland Trail Blazers Rudy Fernandez. If you play the game, you know how high that is. Select from premium Billy Cunningham 76ers of the highest quality. Latrell Sprewell, a rising NBA star, would be known more for his off-court antics than his bas, Erving, Julius 1950 I won the unofficial NBA slam dunk title that season, said White, who now sells heavy equipment in Georgia. Its a feeling of power and freedom Ive never gotten from anything else. Thompson, as a consolation prize, won the MVP award in the All-Star game itself. And Dirk Nowitzki who no doubt has walls plastered top to bottom with awards and achievements. I was phoning the Charlotte Hornets to reach David (Skywalker) Thompson, who now works in the teams front office, when a female secretary said: Ive only seen two players who did things that I watched and I didnt believe--David, and Michael Jordan. We Have Fusion Energy! Cunningham became a playground regular, a gym rat, and a high school star, leading Erasmus Hall to the New York City Championship in 1961. Some of the guys started dunking. Erasmus Hall in Brooklyn, New York, Draft: Cunningham left CBS Sports the following season to join the Miami Heat expansion franchise as a minority owner; he ultimately sold his interest of the Heat on August 12, 1994. So maybe his African American genes are a little stronger than his Caucasian ones after all? Do you have a blog? As a rebounder and jump shooter he averaged 18.5 ppg and 7.3 rpg. [14] He then returned for one last year to help cover the 1991 NCAA men's basketball tournament, partnered with Dick Stockton once again. As a child he wa, https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/cunningham-william-john-billy. In fact, he set the record for most blocks and field goal percentage in a season at his high school, Linganore High in Mt. [15], For other people named William Cunningham, see, Learn how and when to remove this template message, ACC 50th Anniversary men's basketball team, List of National Basketball Association single-game playoff scoring leaders, "The Rumble: AN OFF-THE-BALL LOOK AT YOUR FAVORITE SPORTS CELEBRITIES", "Philadelphia 76ers 134 - Portland Trail Blazers 132", Goldaper, Sam. Cunningham became a top analyst for CBSs broadcasts of NBA games. https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/cunningham-william-john-billy, "Cunningham, William John ("Billy") Or write about sports? The players who fly through this thin air are not simply remembered by hoop fans. 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. Joey made the trip but was nursing a hip pointer, so he couldnt suit up. "Cunningham, William John ("Billy") No discussion of legendary leapers is complete without heated debate. Theyll all be going through and over their mountainous opponents in no time! 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. billy cunningham vertical jump. In warmups, we would always check out the other team and get into little contests with their guys. People think, mistakenly in most cases, that they could hit a baseball, Costas says. What happens when you put stilts on kangaroo? After acquiring the talented Moses Malone for the 19821983 season, Philadelphia won sixty-five regular season games and then the league championship, losing one of thirteen play-off games. If youre looking for scale, thats taller than most baby elephants. He is six feet seven inches tall. Anybodv can win the lottery, a move in which a player drives past a defender by stepping one way and then quickly taking a big lateral step in the other direction. Now they take everything off and it takes a lot more to get people excited.. Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. I dont know anything he has done that hasnt worked. "Cunningham Quits; Loughery Dropped,", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Billy_Cunningham&oldid=1135516255, 3-year letter winner (in his day, freshmen were ineligible for, His number 32 jersey is retired by the Philadelphia 76ers; however, he allowed it to be worn by, This page was last edited on 25 January 2023, at 03:41. So goes the popular assumption. I get a rebound and Im driving up the floor, ready to go coast to coast. Has Joey Johnson simply outleaped the game of basketball? It's a move in which a player drives past a defender by stepping one way and then quickly taking a big lateral step in the other direction, and its become pretty popular. He came up with four: Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, Spud Webb and Clyde (the Glide) Drexler. White started five games, but was mostly a mop-up guy, then was injured and finished his career in a pro league in Mexico. Could this be Gods way of telling us its time to raise the hoop? The ABA folded after that season, but the slam-off was such a hit with the media that the concept was eventually ripped off by the NBA. Some may say that getting off the ground quickly is more important than how much height you get, but its a safe bet that these same people cant match Alexanders pre-draft 38.5 inch max vertical. There have been--and are--very good white jumpers. The following season, the Sixers finished behind Boston in the standings and were upset by the New Jersey Nets in the first round. The breakthrough occurred when Harvey Pollack, the venerable stat whiz of the Philadelphia 76ers, collected dunk data from every team for the entire 1987-88 NBA season, accounting for every last slammeroo. He would get up in the air and spread those wings, hed be swoopin. An influential figure on the game at large, Julius Erving won a 1983 NBA title in Philadelphia and was the face of the ABA as well. Cunningham arrived in Chapel Hill just as Dean Smith was taking over as the head basketball coach of the UNC Tar Heels. In those eight seasons, the team posted a 454-196 record, reached three NBA Finals and captured a championship in 1983. In the Museum of Leap, Wilt (the Big Dipper) Chamberlain has his own wing. 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. The new generation of jumpers, ushered in by Julius Erving, has pushed the dunk to new artistic heights. Billy Cunningham (Billy; The Kangaroo Kid) Position: Forward 6-6 , 210lb (198cm, 95kg) School: North Carolina (Men) Draft: Philadelphia 76ers, 1st round (7th pick, 7th overall), 1965 NBA draft SUMMARY Career G 69 PTS 24.8 TRB 15.4 AST - FG% 47.3 FT% 62.8 Cunningham Overview More Cunningham Pages More Cunningham pages at Sports Reference After this historic 2015 event, Twitter lit up with the hashtag #WhiteMenCanJump (the up in lit up is so well placed, right?). Upon graduation, his 1,062 rebounds were the best in North Carolina history and he held single-season records for most rebounds (379 in 1964) and rebound average (16.1 in 1963). No question, the mystique of the superleaper remains. We know he was born in New Bern, N.C., grew up (and flew up) in Brooklyn, attended Virginia Union, then played several years for the Harlem Globetrotters and in the old Eastern League. After the 19711972 season, Cunningham left Philadelphia and the NBA for the rival American Basketball Association (ABA), signing on with the (North) Carolina Cougars. William John Cunningham (The Kangaroo Kid, Kang, Billy C) Position: Small Forward and Power Forward Shoots: Left 6-6, 210lb (198cm, 95kg) . He said he was afraid he would cut himself. A sample: In Your Face Disgrace, Sexophonic Turbo Delight, Hammer of Thor, and Yo Mamma. Cunningham could not even crack the starting lineupwhich .