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A RESOLUTION honoring former Kentucky State University basketball star 1
Gerald Cunningham upon the occasion of his recent induction into the Small College 2
Basketball Hall of Fame. 3
WHEREAS, a native of Chattanooga, Tennessee, Gerald Cunningham arrived at 4
Kentucky State University in 1973 after a decorated high school basketball career at 5
Howard High School; and 6
WHEREAS, Gerald Cunningham made an immediate impact for the Thorobreds, 7
when, during his freshman season in 1974, he became the first man to lead the National 8
Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) National Tournament in scoring and 9
rebounding in the same year while leading KSU to a third-place finish; and 10
WHEREAS, under the tutelage of legendary KSU coach Lucias Mitchell, Gerald 11
Cunningham became one of the greatest players in KSU history, ranking as the second 12
all-time leader in both scoring and rebounding, behind fellow Hall of Famers Travis 13
Grant and Elmore Smith, respectively; and 14
WHEREAS, Gerald Cunningham's 2,635 career points, an average of 21.8 points 15
per game, and 1,304 career rebounds, an average of 10.8 rebounds per game, made him 16
only the second player in KSU history, after Travis Grant, to achieve those milestones; 17
and 18
WHEREAS, Gerald Cunningham's accomplishments and honors during his 19
collegiate career include leading the NAIA in field goal percentage in 1975 while 20
shooting 68.1 percent for the season, selection as first-team 1974 NAIA All-Tournament 21
Team, three-time selection as first-team NAIA All-American (1975 to 1977), and two-22
time selection as first-team National Association of Basketball Coaches NCAA Division 23
II All-American (1975 and 1977); and 24
WHEREAS, Gerald Cunningham was drafted by the New York Nets in the fifth 25
round of the 1977 NBA Draft, and played professionally overseas for 15 years; and 26
WHEREAS, in 2012, Gerald Cunningham was honored as member of the NAIA's 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS BR 1767
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75th Anniversary Men's Basketball Team; and 1
WHEREAS, in 2023, Gerald Cunningham was selected as part of the seventh class 2
to be enshrined in the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame; 3
NOW, THEREFORE, 4
Be it resolved by the Senate of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of 5
Kentucky: 6
Section 1. The Members of the Senate join Senator Gerald Neal in welcoming 7
Gerald Cunningham back to Frankfort on his homecoming visit, honoring his many 8
athletic accomplishments for the KSU Thorobreds, and congratulating him upon his 9
recent induction into the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame. 10
Section 2. The Clerk of the Senate shall forward copies of this Resolution to 11
Senator Gerald Neal for presentation to Gerald Cunningham, the Thorobred Stables 12
Association, and the Center of Excellence for the Study of Kentucky African Americans 13
at Kentucky State University. 14