Ervings early obscurity helped make him famous. During both is college and NBA career, this guy leapt like nobodys business. ." Player stats broken down into various categories; i.e. "It's a remarkable life.". "I lived there that summer," he later recalled. Although he had never coached, he was popular in Philadelphia, and his competitiveness, toughness and intelligence seemed right for the job. Even so, Erving was the NBAs most dazzling aerial star until he retired in 1987 and passed the title to Michael Jordan. 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. Free, Darryl Dawkins and Bobby Jones. Cunningham reached 200, 300, and 400 wins faster than any previous coach in NBA history. 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 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. I won the unofficial NBA slam dunk title that season, said White, who now sells heavy equipment in Georgia. Jack Gardner, a former college coach, did our testing, Nissalke said. When they were not taking everything off, the dancing was more alluring. married Sondra; they had two daughters. The single-game high was eight, by Drexler, against the Lakers. 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. In Madison Square Garden, he got a standing ovation for his warmup dunks. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Gus once said, When I dunked that ball and heard that shot for the first time, I said to myself, Oh, oh, Gus. Learn more and register, College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com Blog and Articles. He was six or eight inches away. window.__mirage2 = {petok:"ZbxZ3AJWWjyZL0HXDpABwVdW.7p3rtLrWMEsK2FPL0A-86400-0"}; I get a rebound and Im driving up the floor, ready to go coast to coast. If you give bonus points for obscurity and mystery, it would be Joey Johnson, younger brother of Celtic guard Dennis. American basketball player It was so much air that it tied young Pat for the spot of second-highest vertical leap recorded up to that point. Trenkle had heard of the Gus Johnson nail, so when the Southern Idaho team was passing through Moscow on a trip, he ordered the bus driver to stop outside the Corner Club, and he took Joey inside. I went back a few hours later with a tape measure. We ask the player to stand next to a wall, flat-footed, one arm stretched to its maximum, and mark the apex of his fingers. The ABA wasnt about dignity, it was about style. Then an All-Star. College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com, Scores from any date in BAA/NBA or ABA history, Frequently Asked Questions about the NBA, WNBA and Basketball, Basketball-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREE. The Doc won it with a long run, a leap from two inches inside the free throw line and a dramatic, powerful windmill slam. Joey is 6-3, with average-length arms and legs, and incredibly unaverage spring. In his basketball uniform and shoes, with a short, unmeasured run-up, he soared over seven feet. The players who fly through this thin air are not simply remembered by hoop fans. Dunk-off of the Network Superstars? In the NBA, where everyone can dunk--you wouldnt even want to rule out David Stern--there are really only a few top guns. I was a good free throw shooter in college.. 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. Though he portrayed a large woman in "You have to Walk it like you talk it or You'll Lose that Beat" (1971), he is best known as an American former professional basketball player and coach. He ran to the nearest school, three blocks away, and started shooting baskets. Uh oh! "I can't put my finger on it exactly, but there was just something about the game. To think that we can thank a bunch of sweaty dancers for this fundamental basketball maneuver. [8] During his tenure, the team featured Bobby Jones, Maurice Cheeks, Andrew Toney, Moses Malone, and Julius Erving. Billy Cunningham of the Philadelphia 76ers shoots a jump shot against the Boston Celtics during a game played in 1968 at the Boston Garden in Boston,. 3 June 1943 in Brooklyn, New York), professional basketball player known for his vertical leap who was a top scorer and rebounder in the 1960s and 1970s, and who later became a winning coach, television commentator, and team owner. Encyclopedia.com. Philadelphia fans showed surprisingly little bitterness toward Cunningham, who rewarded them with 19.5 ppg in 1974-75. It was the Human Highlight Film vs. a Selected Short. In 1967, he teamed with fellow Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain and Hal Greer to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to the NBA title. Not a great deal is known about Jackie, which is good, because nothing dims a legend faster than facts. He was about a foot from the top.. His jersey number "32" was later retired by Philadelphia. The Smooth Criminal, as he was called when he played for Spain, didnt stick with the NBA for too long, but sure made an impact. The Cougars had finished last the previous season, but with Brown and Cunningham inspiring the team, the Cougars finished first. They couldnt, of course, because those things are so much harder than they look. In the twentieth game of the 19751976 season, Cunningham's career suddenly and inexplicably ended. His masterpiece was a backboard shattering dunk over Kansas City forward Bill Robinzine. 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). During his eight seasons as the coach of the 76ers, Philadelphia won 454 regular season games and lost 196. The NBA had no such contest at the time, considering such frivolity to be beneath the senior leagues dignity. 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. Why isnt this guy in the hall of fame yet? White, also known as the Elevator from Decatur, made the NBA all-time all-warmup team that one season. These guys more than held their own in a sport where they were absolutely a minority. 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. Under Cunningham, the team reached the Eastern Conference finals in 1978 and the NBA finals in 1980 and 1982. Rosters Cut,", "1978 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals - New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers", Goldaper, Sam. There was a guard from Harlem named Rabbit. Athletic Club, has worked with most of the great L.A. prep stars of the last two decades. His departure had a disastrous effect. To that end, heres this writers all-time all-leap team: Dr. J, the Big Dipper, Air Jordan, David Skywalker and Joey Johnson. Its a feeling of power and freedom Ive never gotten from anything else. Therefore, its best to use Encyclopedia.com citations as a starting point before checking the style against your school or publications requirements and the most-recent information available at these sites: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html. Professional basketball player, sports administrator I cant put my finger on it exactly, but there was just something about the game. 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. As a freshman he went out for the track team, worked out a total of 10 hours, then high-jumped 7-3 7/8. Find out more. It doesnt take a detective to see these were obviously a foreshadowing of plays to come. 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. Its a remarkable life.. William John Cunningham (The Kangaroo Kid, Kang, Billy C) Position: Small Forward and Power Forward Shoots: Left 6-6, 210lb (198cm, 95kg) . Ill give you an example. As the NBA celebrates it's 75th Anniversary Season, get to know dozens of star players who helped make the NBA what it is today. Cunningham had just snared a defensive rebound and was dribbling to the Sixers free-throw line when, as he later recounted, his knee just exploded. No one had touched him, although Alfred Butch Beard was given a foul on the play. Clutch West, with his awe-inspiring 60-foot shot in the 1970 NBA Final. And the problem these days is inflation. 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. I lived there that summer, he later recalled. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Billy Cunningham of the Philadelphia 76ers shoots a jump shot against the Boston Celtics during a game played in 1968 at the Boston Garden in Boston,. These guys will never forget the blur of that mullet-ed head flying past them. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. His colourful tattoos and hairstyles are about as famous as his skills too, with hairdos including mohawks, spikes, and shoulder-length shag. Joe Clarke, founder and president of the South-Central L.A. It didnt happen, though, and Fernandez remains playing with Real Madrid, where he feels he is a better player.This, however, is debatable. In his rookie season of 19651966 Cunningham was at first assigned to be a guard, then switched positions, becoming a small forward. They were trying to touch the top of the board, Nissalke said. Those Sixers advanced to the East finals before losing in five games to the Celtics. Born: June 3, 1943 in Brooklyn, New York us College: UNC High School: Erasmus Hall in Brooklyn, New York Draft: Philadelphia 76ers, 1st round (7th pick, 7th overall), 1965 NBA Draft He had tested thousands of Navy pilots during the war, and he said Griffiths was the highest he ever measured.. He holds the second-best regular-season winning percentage in league history of .698 (only Phil Jackson is ahead of him). Lift up an arm and hop once or twice to get a feel for how far away the rim is. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. Youre entering another world up there. Billy Cunningham wasnt nicknamed the Kangaroo Kid because he had a pouch. Theyll all be going through and over their mountainous opponents in no time! In the Museum of Leap, Wilt (the Big Dipper) Chamberlain has his own wing. Join our linker program. There was a Philadelphia boy, Sonny Hill, about 5-10 (actually 5-9), he was the first guy that size I ever saw dunk. So much has been written and said about Julius Erving over the years that i, Allen, Marcus 1960 This guy couldshoot AND dunk. For his eleven-year career, Cunningham averaged 21.2 points per game. The future never came, but Dawkins broke new ground in power dunking, backboard shattering and dunknaming. Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: Sports Figures. Hey, a sportswriter dunks. There are celebrity dunk-offs. Thats about half the height of Michael Jordan. Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. Its even been called hellicious.. I used to dunk on that basket. He finally got a pro tryout with the Utah Stars of the ABA at 25, but by then his fabulous springs were sprung. Every time Gus slam-dunked at home, the recorded sound of a rifle shot would whistle through the arena. Joe Vanilla Sky Alexander has restless, jumpy feet that propel him way up to block shots and confound his opponents. [8] For his career, he scored 16,310 points, grabbed 7,981 rebounds, and recorded 3,305 assists in both the NBA and the ABA. Billy Cunningham averaged 21.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game. 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. He was called the Kangaroo Kid for his prodigious leaping ability. He was discovered. 1 in everyones heart and myths is Jumpin Jackie Jackson, also known as Sidecar Jackson. And he made it to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame with a career that reads like a how-to book for legends. "Cunningham, William John ("Billy") Brooks will serve his 1-game suspension Sunday when the Grizzlies visit the Clippers. They swept the Knicks in the conference semis and topped the Bucks in five games to reach another Finals, where they swept longtime nemesis L.A. for the championship. No discussion of legendary leapers is complete without heated debate. I see kids in the eighth grade, kids 5-11, dunking behind their heads, said Rod Thorn, former National Basketball Assn. A lot of great leapers dont bother to perfect those skills, because they are treated with such awe. 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. 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 Wed been on the bus eight hours by then, Trenkle said. The college boys are no doubt wide eyed and gape-mouthed when they meet this coach for the first time. These men have their own ancient orders, such as Phi Slama Jama, the mythical fraternity created during the 1982-83 college season by Houston scribe Thomas Bonk, now a Times writer, to honor the dunk-happy University of Houston Cougars. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. 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. He led Philadelphia to the playoffs in every year as coach, and advanced to the NBA Finals 3 times, in the 197980, 198182 and 198283 seasons. But with a leaper, everybody instantly knows they couldnt do it, that only the tiniest fraction of humans can jump that high.. Hawkins is now vice president of communications for the Dodgers. Cunningham would never play again. Top 15 NBA Players Who Prove That White Men CAN Jump, The sun even shines on a dog's a** some days. Said Trenkle: He can take the ball with his right hand, go up, put it between his legs and dunk it behind his head with his left hand. Seniors Are Getting Freaking And A New Loofah Code Lets Everyone Know. Can you do that? If they play the game far above the rim, it is because they are tall. He played nine seasons for the Baltimore Bullets, beginning in 63, and he died last year. Then we ask him to jump and we mark the highest point he touched. Thunder Dan has more than made friends with the rim and earned his name! Knowing he was inexperienced, Cunningham assembled a group of veteran ex-coaches as assistants, including Chuck Daly, who later to become head coach of the Detroit Pistons. (2000). 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. Billy Cunningham was born on June 3, 1943. After Chamberlain left the team in 1968, Cunningham became the 76ers' franchise player. In 1965 Cunningham graduated from UNC and was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the National Basketball Association (NBA) draft. He would perform a reverse dunk-dunk with two balls. Cunningham became a top analyst for CBSs broadcasts of NBA games. Chamberlain was asked, werent there any great leapers of the white persuasion? He would toss the ball off the backboard and then slam it home. VIDEO: Giant Space Slingshot In Action. How in the world can this kid play ball? Cunningham began his second basketball career on Nov. 4, 1977, when he was hired to replace Gene Shue at the Sixers helm. The Philadelphia 76ers selected Cunningham in the first round of the 1965 NBA Draft, figuring the 6-foot-6 bony and mobile player would be a guard. "We just helped knock on doors and pull people out of their homes last night. 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. Blonde hair. As a player and then a coach for the Philadelphia 76ers, he was part of two NBA championship teams. The following season, the Sixers finished behind Boston in the standings and were upset by the New Jersey Nets in the first round. 1964 UNC at Duke, tip-off.jpg 1,454 1,750; 377 KB. 22 Feb. 2023 . 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. 1924- Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list. His teams won sixty-six play-off games and lost twenty-nine. 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. [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]. Very easily.. Thompson, as a consolation prize, won the MVP award in the All-Star game itself. Yes, he married a former judge. Learn more and register. Somebody done gotcha. But man, that was sweet music. The new generation of jumpers, ushered in by Julius Erving, has pushed the dunk to new artistic heights. CUNNINGHAM, William John ("Billy") ( b. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. He told me, Sonny, no. . Send us your videotape. 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. June 3, It looked like the half-court line was around a mile and a half away, Cunningham said. He would find a way to beat you., Billy Cunningham discovered the game after receiving a basketball for his fifth birthday. Cunningham grew up in Brooklyn and on his fifth birthday he received a basketball. . In warmups, we would always check out the other team and get into little contests with their guys. [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. The Philadelphia 76ers star was a consistent scorer throughout his heyday in the 1960s and '70s. "I don't know anything he has done that hasn't worked," said the Orlando, Florida, executive Pat Williams. American basketball player In todays semifinals, folks, well see Gary (Up in the Airy) Coleman vs. Bea (the Flea) Arthur, and Jumpin Johnny Carson vs. Pogo Stick Peter Jennings. 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. 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. Bobby Jones could swoop and soar. "Rubin Quits L. I. U. to Pilot 76ers,", Goldaper, Sam. Wilt mentioned a few names, then said, You know, there was a white boy who played for Atlanta around 1970. . So goes the popular assumption. In The Finals, however, Abdul-Jabbar, Earvin Magic Johnson, Jamaal Wilkes and the Lakers were too much. Still, the Sixers finished 34-48, only the second losing season of Cunninghams career. People swear he cleared it by a foot, said Fred Trenkle, Southern Idahos basketball coach. It was an effort, but I could do it., There is no documented proof of a man ever taking off from behind the free-throw line, 15 feet from the backboard, and dunking. Cunningham was a member of the powerful 1967 Sixers championship team, which also featured Wilt Chamberlain, Hal Greer, Chet Walker, and Luke Jackson. These are professional men: Dr. J, Dr. Dunkenstein, Dr. Jam. Athletics are in this guys genes; daddy Rick Barry produced a total of four bball loving sons. Averaging 14.3 points per game, Cunningham was named to the league's All-Rookie team. 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. Joey walked up to the wall, one foot planted, no rocking, jumped up and missed the nail. Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: Sports Figures. 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. There is a tavern called the Corner Club, in Moscow, Ida. Before his senior year, White happened to work out with some Atlanta Hawks players and they went to coach Richie Guerin with tales of this amazing leaper. I defy anyone to say they took change off the top of the backboard, Chamberlain said. Is Billy Cunningham married? Tom Nissalke, an assistant coach at Milwaukee when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar came into the league, and later head coach of the Utah Jazz and Houston Rockets, says he always had his players measured, and the best sergeant he ever saw was a 35, by Darrell Griffith as a rookie. 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. William John "Billy" Cunningham was born on June 3, 1943. Shoots: 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. Joey made the trip but was nursing a hip pointer, so he couldnt suit up. Cunningham attended Erasmus Hall Pretty darn safe. 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. Stand underneath a basketball hoop, a regulation 10-footer. In 1997 Cunningham became the expert commentator for the CBS television network's coverage of NBA games. He averaged 24.1 ppg (fourth best in the league) and 6.3 apg (fifth best), leading the Cougars to a 57-27 record, tops in the ABAs Eastern Division. In fact, he set the record for most blocks and field goal percentage in a season at his high school, Linganore High in Mt. Fiery and volatile, he would pace the sidelines, driving his team relentlessly. His departure had a disastrous effect on the 76ers, who posted a 9-73 record in 1972-73, the worst mark in NBA history. In Cunninghams debut year the team went 55-27 and won the Atlantic Division before losing to eventual-champion Washington in the Eastern Conference finals. Posted by; Date June 12, 2022; Comments . for once. The team finished 42-40 and was bounced in the first round of the playoffs by the Milwaukee Bucks. 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. The Kangaroo Kid, Kang, Billy C are nicknames for Billy Cunningham. He was twice named an All-American during his collegiate years. Find Billy Cunningham 76ers stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. Then he went to North Carolina and was an All-American. Everybody dunks. and inspired headlines everywhere to scream White Men CAN Jump! Seriously, though. The difference between the two marks, in inches, is the players sergeant jump, as in, Joe Smith has a 29-inch sergeant.. The soaring flight of the great leaper is amazing, even to himself. His entire head and neck were above the rim. The ONLY white man. Billy Cunningham attended Erasmus Hall in Brooklyn, New York and UNC. In 1987, Cunningham replaced Tom Heinsohn as the lead color commentator (alongside play-by-play man Dick Stockton) for CBS' NBA telecasts. Billy Cunningham is an American former professional basketball player and coach, who was nicknamed the Kangaroo Kid. So maybe his African American genes are a little stronger than his Caucasian ones after all? His jump was absolutely awesome. Data Provided By It's like walking on air. The rim was two inches low. 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. 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. Chess Robot Grabs And Breaks Finger Of Seven-Year . This guy wasnt a leaper, but it will show you what I mean. At Carolina, he was reunited with the coach Larry Brown, who had been a UNC teammate. 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. 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. 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. After three days, Rabbit said to Red, One of us is gonna have to go., Red said, What do you mean? Rabbit said, Either get rid of Bob Cousy or get rid of me. Jay Norman, an outstanding defensive player, went into his defensive stance at the foul line. amc gremlin for sale washington state billy cunningham vertical jump. Do you have a blog? Hes also not 100% African American, though, which means he doesnt automatically have insane jumping genes. Latrell Sprewell, a rising NBA star, would be known more for his off-court antics than his bas, Erving, Julius 1950 I loved it instantly." But listen to Wilt. Michael Jordan has stopped just short of holding the ball in his mouth, uncoiling his tongue in mid-flight and inventing the Anteater Slam. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. He was so good, Red Auerbach saw him play in a schoolyard game and invited him to camp with the Celtics. 3 June 1943 in Brooklyn, New York ), professional basketball player known for his vertical leap who was a top scorer and rebounder in the 1960s and 1970s, and who later became a winning coach, television commentator, and team owner. The Grizzlies say their star guard will be away from the team for 'at least' the next 2 games. Joey? Right now Johnson is red-shirting at ASU. Ridiculous, but it has been done, by a kid youve probably never heard of, unless you started reading this story at the end. Weve all heard the saying: white men cant jump. Ron Shelton even made a (fantastic) movie about it in the 90s!