By Paul Casey Gotham
****Remember, try this without research. Make like Wally, and release your inner James Joyce. Show us your stream of consciousness as you try to decipher the answer.
The streets of New York City know few marsupials, but that is where I honed my wares. I earned first-team All-New York City while playing at Erasmus High School. My fame as a jumper took me to Chapel Hill. Everyone talks about how Coach Smith is the only person who could hold Michael Jordan under 20 points a game. I guess I caught him early in his career when he was still developing his coaching style. I averaged over 20 points and 15 rebounds a game for the Tar Heels. In the Association, I helped bring two titles to the “City of Brotherly Love” – once as a bench player and then later as a coach. I earned first-team All-NBA and All-ABA honors averaging a double-double for my career. As you might imagine, I earned a spot in Springfield for my efforts.
Who am I?
Boy, I am so much earlier than Wally and to no avail. A NYC boy who goes to UNC in Smith’s earlier years and seemingly has the nickname Kangaroo? I am totally blank. Coached the Sixers to a championship? Billy Cunningham? But was he ever just a bench player? That’s my best guess, but I fear not a very good one.
I think you’ve got it, Pete. Cunningham was a REAL GOOD pro, but he split some time between NBA and ABA, and I think when he came back to the Sixers as a player, he was past his prime. He coached the Sixers title winner with Dr j, Moses Malone, Mo Cheeks, et al. Actually, he was a great pro … a Hall of Famer … but I didn’t know he averaged a double-double. Not bad, eh?
Cunningham was a good pro. I forgot about his venture to ABA and return to Sixers past his prime. I too was impressed that he averaged a double double. He’sa HOF player who is not often remembered, nor is that Sixers championship team. That’s not the Philly champion of Chamberlain and Greer, right.
I’m thinking now that his PLAYER championship was with Greer and The Stilt. Greer was one of my all-time favorite players, along with Cousy and the Big O.
Yes … he won the title as a player with Wilt Chamberlain … and i think along with one of my favorites as a ute: Chet “The Jet” Walker. Walker had a good stint with the Bulls after leaving Philly.
I do remember Walker. wasn’t he like Cliff Hagan; one of the first “tweeners at 6″4″ to show that a guy that size could make it in the NBA. Or was he 6″7”? Still, a pioneer in the small forward business if I am not mistaken.
If I had to guess a height from memory for Chet Walker, I’d say 6’8″. I think for that time period, he woulda been considered a power forward … he was pretty well built.
6″6 per bio
You guys are awesome. That was a great discussion.
Billy the “Kangaroo Kid” Cunningham was the answer. I, too, was a little surprised by his double-double career numbers: https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/cunnibi01.html
By the way, the 82-83 Sixer team might be favorite of all time: Moses Malone, Dr. J., Mo Cheeks (the most underrated point guard of all time), Andrew Toney and Bobby Jones. Loved that team.
Cheeks was indeed underrated. And Bobby Jones, a defensive specialist from UNC if I am not mistaken. I think Cunningham’s PLAYER championship team is considered one of the NBA’s all time great teams; one of the few Chamberlain teams that was actually considered on par with those of his long time rival Bill Russell. I think those were the years when Wilt averaged maybe 15-20 points a game, but racked up countless assists. Hal Greer, who I think is among the 50 greatest players, made that team go, but he had a great cast to work with. Wally mentioned Walker; the team also included Lucious Jackson and Wally Jones, both who were better than average players.
Hey … was George McGinnis still playing and a member of that ’83 Sixer title team? If he was, then probably well past his prime anc coming off the bench. From what I recall, George was a very good player, and his ego was even bigger.
McGinnis played three seasons with Philly: 75-76 – 77-78. He retired in ’82. He was part of the sixer team that lost the ’77 finals to Portland. I vividly recall him air-balling a free throw in that series.
Why surprised by his double-double average? He was a 6’7″ (?) wing and played on the perimeter. I’d imagine every long rebound was his and if he crashed frequently, he held the advantage.