Players

Deryl Cunningham

Year Inducted: 2003

Category: Players

Schools / Organizations: 
(Westchester) St. Joseph High School
DePaul University/Kansas State University

CBA/Overseas Pro Leagues

Biography: 

Deryl Cunningham is a Bellwood product who earned three letters and helped (Westchester) St. Joseph High School to a 77-12 record during that span. As a sophomore, he was a key reserve on a 28-3 team that took third in the IHSA Class AA state tournament. As a junior he helped the team finish 26-4 with a berth in the supersectional and as a senior he was a vital cog in a 23-5 team. He had career averages of 12 points and 7 rebounds a game and was all-East Suburban Catholic Conference, Suburban Life all-area, all-Pioneer Press and all-Chicago Catholic as a junior.

As a senior, Cunningham was the top player in the ESCC, all-Proviso West Holiday Tournament, Senior Player of the Year for Suburban Life, consensus all-area and all-state and a McDonald’s and Parade All-American. He participated in the City-Suburban All-Star Game, the IBCA All-Star Game, the Capital Classic in Washington, D.C., and the McDonald’s All-American Game.

Cunningham received a scholarship to DePaul University and played there for one season before transferring to Kansas State University. The two-year starter led the Big 8 Conference in offensive rebounds twice and received honorable mention all-conference recognition for an NCAA qualifier in 1993 and a National Invitation Tournament (NIT) semifinalist in 1994. He was the Wildcats’ seventh-leading scorer at the time of his Hall of Fame induction. He played five seasons in the CBA before going overseas to continue his pro career.

Cunningham went into coaching after his playing days ended.  He led teams at Indiana State, South Dakota State, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, St. Joseph and Highland High School. When St. Joseph retired his jersey number in 2004, he was only the third player in program history to receive this honor at the time with Isiah Thomas and Daryl Thomas.