William "Billy" Cunningham Inducted in 1990
Billy Cunningham
William "Billy" Cunningham was a star from the start, he began his basketball career at St. Rose of Lima and later at Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn, where he was named MVP in the Brooklyn League in 1961. He was also named First-Team All-New York City and Parade Magazine All-American Team.
Cunningham then went to the University of North Carolina, where he excelled. He was All-Atlantic Coast Conference (1963–65), ACC Player of the Year (1965), All-ACC Tournament Team (1963–64), ACC Academic All-Conference (1965), A USBWA All-America (1964–65), Helms Foundation All-America (1965), Sporting News All-America 2nd team (1965), Team Captain (1965), Played in the East-West Game in 1965, Played at the World University Games in 1965, and Named to the ACC 50th Anniversary men's basketball team, honoring the fifty best players in ACC history (2002).
As a professional, he played for the Philadelphia 76ers 1965-1972, Carolina Cougars 1972-1974, and Philadelphia 76ers 1974-1976. Cunningham was an NBA champion (1967), 4× NBA All-Star (1969–1972), 3× All-NBA First Team (1969–1971), All-NBA Second Team (1972), NBA All-Rookie First Tell-ABam (1966), ABA MVP (1973), ABA First Team (1973), ABA All-Star (1973), NBA anniversary team (50th, 75th), ABA All-Time Team, No. 32 retired by Philadelphia 76ers, First-team All-American – USBWA (1964), Second-team All-American – NABC, UPI (1965), ACC Player of the Year (1965), and 3× First-team All-ACC (1963–1965).
As a coach, he won an NBA champion (1983), and 4× NBA All-Star Game head coach (1978, 1980, 1981, 1983)
Cunningham then went to the University of North Carolina, where he excelled. He was All-Atlantic Coast Conference (1963–65), ACC Player of the Year (1965), All-ACC Tournament Team (1963–64), ACC Academic All-Conference (1965), A USBWA All-America (1964–65), Helms Foundation All-America (1965), Sporting News All-America 2nd team (1965), Team Captain (1965), Played in the East-West Game in 1965, Played at the World University Games in 1965, and Named to the ACC 50th Anniversary men's basketball team, honoring the fifty best players in ACC history (2002).
As a professional, he played for the Philadelphia 76ers 1965-1972, Carolina Cougars 1972-1974, and Philadelphia 76ers 1974-1976. Cunningham was an NBA champion (1967), 4× NBA All-Star (1969–1972), 3× All-NBA First Team (1969–1971), All-NBA Second Team (1972), NBA All-Rookie First Tell-ABam (1966), ABA MVP (1973), ABA First Team (1973), ABA All-Star (1973), NBA anniversary team (50th, 75th), ABA All-Time Team, No. 32 retired by Philadelphia 76ers, First-team All-American – USBWA (1964), Second-team All-American – NABC, UPI (1965), ACC Player of the Year (1965), and 3× First-team All-ACC (1963–1965).
As a coach, he won an NBA champion (1983), and 4× NBA All-Star Game head coach (1978, 1980, 1981, 1983)