Larry Cannon

Lawrence T. Cannon (April 12, 1947 – May 29, 2024) was an American basketball player. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Cannon was selected in the first round of the 1969 NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls with the fifth overall pick, but he instead elected to go with the American Basketball Association (ABA) where he was selected in the first round of the ABA draft by the Miami Floridians. In his second ABA season he was selected All-ABA second-team, averaging 26.6 points per game. Over his shortened career he averaged 16.6 points per game in his ABA/NBA career after his All-American career at La Salle University. Cannon was forced to retire from basketball due to a chronic medical condition, phlebitis in his legs.

Early life Cannon was born on April 12, 1947, in Philadelphia to William and Teresa Cannon. He had four brothers. He learned to play basketball beginning at eight-years old from his five-year older brother Billy, who later attended La Salle College (now La Salle University).

In the summer of 1964, he participated in an exhibition game between New York and Philadelphia area players at the 1964 New York World's Fair. Cannon was the most valuable player in the high school players' game. He was scouted and recruited by representatives of the University of Nebraska and University of Michigan at the World's Fair.

Cannon led Lincoln to its first Philadelphia Public League championship in 1965, a 74–71 win over Benjamin Franklin High School. Cannon scored 31 points in the title game. He averaged 35.1 points per game that season (1964–65), second only to Wilt Chamberlain's Public League season averages in 1954 (37.8 points per game) and 1955 (47.2 points per game).

In the 1965 Public League quarterfinal playoffs, Cannon shot 21-for-47 to score 49 points, 34 in the second half; setting a Public League and city-leagues postseason record as Lincoln defeated Roxborough High School, 84–78 (surpassing Chamberlain's 48 point high). His 493 total points that season were second only to Chamberlain's 566 points (1955) in the history of Philadelphia Public League play. Cannon was honorable mention on UPI's All-State team the preceding season (1964). He was invited to play in the Dapper Dan Roundball Classic. Chamberlain's three-year varsity career total of 2,206 points was surpassed in 2002 by Maureece Rice, who was in his fourth year of varsity play. Rice also played in the era of the three-point shot. Chamberlain's 2,206 has since been surpassed by two others and Cannon is no longer in the top 25 all-time Philadelphia high school career point leaders.

College career Cannon attended La Salle University (then La Salle College) in Philadelphia, after being recruited by La Salle basketball head coach Bob Walters in 1965. Walters resigned due to ulcers and Cannon never played for him. It had also impressed him that a Villanova University recruiter told Cannon that even if he did not attend Villanova, he should go to a Big 5 school. As a sophomore in 1966–1967, Cannon averaged 18.7 points, 10.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists as LaSalle finished 14–12 under head coach Joseph Heyer. Cannon led the team in rebounding and was second in scoring.

LaSalle finished 20–8 under head coach Jim Harding in 1967–1968, as Cannon averaged 19.5 points, 9.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists in his junior year. He led the Explorers in scoring and assists, and was second in rebounding. He led the MAC in total points and was fourth in points per game. Cannon was eighth in total rebounds and 10th in rebounds per game in the MAC. La Salle won the 1968 MAC championship and played in the 1968 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. Harding left after one year to coach in professional basketball. Cannon helped lead La Salle to a 23–1 record. This La Salle team has been regarded as the best in Philadelphia Big 5 basketball history. In addition to Cannon, the team included future NBA and ABA players Ken Durrett, Bernie Williams and Roland "Fatty" Taylor.

In early February 1969, seventh ranked La Salle defeated eighth ranked Villanova University (led by Howard Porter), 74–67 in one of the most anticipated games in Big 5 history. Gola's moving Cannon to defend Villanova forward Johnny Jones was a key to the victory. This was a significant move as there had been tension between Gola and Cannon during the season, including over Cannon's defense. Cannon's best game at La Salle was on February 21, 1969, against Spencer Haywood and Detroit Mercy. La Salle won 98–96, and Cannon had 32 points, with 18 rebounds.

The AP ranked La Salle No. 2 in college basketball at the end of the season, behind only national champion UCLA. However, La Salle was not permitted to participate in the 1969 NCAA tournament because of rules violations that had occurred under coach Harding. The Associated Press named him to its first-team All-Pennsylvania College Basketball Team. Over his final two seasons La Salle was 43–9, with a 15–0 record in the Middle Atlantic Conference. His 1,430 points ranked fourth in school history at the time of Cannon's graduation. This was during a period when there was no shot clock in college basketball and not three-point shot. and by the Miami Floridians in the first round of the American Basketball Association (ABA) April 1969 ABA draft. Cannon chose to play in the ABA, after being offered a four-year contract and the opportunity to play in a new league and in Miami. This was important for the ABA as the NBA was signing more top draft picks in the leagues' battle for talented players at the time. He was the only college player selected that season in the first round of both the NBA and ABA drafts to sign with the ABA.

As a rookie in 1969–1970, Cannon averaged 11.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists with the Floridians, who finished 23–61 under coaches Jim Pollard (5–15) and Harold Blitman (18–46). Cannon played in 57 games, averaging 26.4 minutes per game. Reportedly, during an early November game he became upset and left the arena because he did not believe he was being given a proper amount of playing time. After his rookie season, one Miami writer (Jim Huber) called Cannon a bust who could not make the starting lineup.

In June 1970, the Floridians traded Cannon and Don Sidle to the Denver Rockets (later the Denver Nuggets) for Larry Jones, Greg Wittman and a 1971 No. 2 draft pick. Cannon flourished with Denver as a starting shooting guard. In 1970–71, he played nearly 39 minutes per game for the Rockets under head coaches Joe Belmont (3–10) and Stan Albeck (27–44). Cannon played in 80 games, averaging 26.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game. He was sixth in the ABA in scoring.

In 1970–71, Cannon was named to the All-ABA second team. The first team included: Rick Barry, Roger Brown, Mack Calvin, Mel Daniels and Charlie Scott. The second team included Cannon, Zelmo Beaty, John Brisker, Joe Caldwell, Donnie Freeman and Dan Issel. He was the only ABA player in the league's history to make it to an All-ABA Team without also playing or participating in an ABA All-Star Game as well. It was the only full and healthy season of Cannon's professional career, whose future professional career was limited and then ended by recurrent blood clots. He never played more than 54 games in a season again, and never more than 26.7 minutes per game. Less than two weeks later, Dolph accepted Cannon's and the Pros' position and upheld the contract between Cannon and Memphis. Dolph also required Memphis to send a 1972 number one draft pick to Denver, and to pay a fine. In the same period a parallel series of events occurred between Memphis and the Utah Stars over the disputed free agency of Jimmy Jones, with Utah receiving Jones but losing a draft pick and paying a fine. In finding both free agency and punishing Memphis and Utah for signing a free agent, Utah general manager Vince Boryla said "Dolph isn't qualified to run a kindergarten class".

Cannon played in 26 games for Memphis in 1971, averaging 16.8 points in 26.7 minutes per game. In mid-December, wanting to give rookie guard Johnny Neumann more playing time, the Pros traded Cannon to the Indiana Pacers for Don Sidle (the second time he had been involved in a trade with Sidle). He played in 28 games for the Pacers. Cannon averaged 6.6 points, 2.6 assists and 1.7 rebounds, in 17.1 minutes per game. The Pacers defeated the New York Nets with Rick Barry 4–2 in the ABA finals to capture the ABA championship. However, Cannon did not play in any of the Pacers' three playoff rounds.

Cannon's time with the Pacers had already been limited by illness and injuries, when he was diagnosed in late March 1972 with blood clots in his lungs; discovered after he complained about shortness of breath. He was hospitalized and missed the end of the season with blood clots in both his legs and chest. It was reported that the blood clots originated with a blow to the chest taken during a March 12, 1972 game, while defending Larry Jones of the Floridians.

Cannon missed the entire 1972–1973 season because of blood clots. He later played summer basketball in Philadelphia's Baker League and felt alright. The Pacers reactivated Cannon in January 1974, but he played in only three games for them and was released. After providing a promise of future considerations to the Chicago Bulls who had drafted Cannon in 1969, the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers signed the 26-year old Cannon in February 1974.

In mid-October 1974, the 76ers announced that they would not sign Cannon to play for them in the 1974–75 season based on the advice of their team doctors (including Dr. Stanley Lorber).

He was invited to the Boston Celtics rookie-free agent camp in September 1975, and played the best of all guards in that camp. He was among the last three players that the Celtics waived in mid-October, shortly before the season started.

Overall, in his ABA/NBA career, Cannon averaged 16.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 213 career games.

Honors Cannon was elected to the Middle Atlantic Conference Hall of Fame in 2018. Cannon was a three-time All-Big 5 selection. Cannon was inducted into the La Salle Hall of Athletes in 1977. In 2010, Cannon was recognized as an Atlantic 10 Conference Legend. In 2019, La Salle's 1968–69 basketball team was inducted into the La Salle Hall of Athletes. In December 1977, he was hired to coach the Georgia Titans of the short-lived All-American Basketball Alliance. He later coached the CBA's Baltimore Metros / Mohawk Valley Thunderbirds during the 1978–79 season. Cannon accumulated a 40–20 record as a head coach in the EBA/CBA. One of the other assistant coaches on that staff was Fran Dunphy. Cannon also coached in the Puerto Rican Superior League, the Sonny Hill College League and the Baker League.

Career statistics

ABA/NBA Source

Regular season