As the daughter of basketball legend Billy Cunningham, I’ve created this collection of NBA memories to share our unique journey together. These Legacy Stories chronicle his remarkable basketball life—from childhood beginnings and high school days at Erasmus Hall to his collegiate career at UNC-Chapel Hill, and throughout his NBA journey as Philadelphia 76ers star player, championship coach, franchise owner, and respected CBS commentator. Through rare photographs, memorabilia, and personal stories, I celebrate both my father’s professional achievements and our cherished family connection that spans generations of basketball history.
Some rules we follow and some rules we break—who knew this longer than anyone? Our Founding Fathers and Pop Jones. He saw 106 Independence Days before he passed away this January at 107 years old. As a boy growing up in West Philadelphia, he had no rights once he left a prescribed area of town.… Continue reading The Timeless Wisdom of Pop Jones: Breaking Rules and Making History
I rewrote this many times, trying to find my heart in all this loss. I wanted to see my uncle one last time before he passed. His cancer-riddled state didn’t matter; I would do anything to talk to him again. Only, I didn’t get that chance. In our anguish over fulfilling others’ final wishes and… Continue reading Uncle Rob’s Legacy: The Untold Chapter of Connection and Loss
What does the inner sanctum of the NBA, the men’s locker room, really hold? I’d often wonder, as a daughter relegated to the Wive’s Lounge. I’m unsure how old I was when I asked Mom, “Why aren’t we allowed to go into the Locker Room?” Mom said, “You don’t want to go in there. What… Continue reading Locker Room Moments In The Car Ride Home With Dad
Copyright © 2025 by Stephanie Ortiz – All Rights Reserved
