- Todd MacCulloch played with Allen Iverson when the Philadelphia 76ers reached the 2001 NBA Finals
- MacCulloch reached the NBA Finals in 2002 as well when he was a member of the New Jersey Nets
- Since retiring from the NBA, MacCulloch has found success in pinball, becoming a professional
Allen Iverson had a memorable 2000-01 season for the Philadelphia 76ers, winning the MVP. What isn’t memorable about the 76ers that year is backup center Todd MacCulloch.
MacCulloch’s name might not be well known in the basketball world, but it is in the pinball scene. Yes, MacCulloch plays pinball, and not just for fun, as he’s a professional.
MacCulloch has played in the PAPA World Pinball Championships since 2005, where he has qualified in the B Division several times. In 2007, MacCulloch played in the European pinball championship in Stockholm, Sweden.
MacCulloch didn’t win the European pinball championship, but he did win the 2011 Pinball Expo in Chicago. This win by McCullough was his first major pinball tournament win, and it netted him $3,000.
“Pinball was something that really captivated my imagination,” MacCulloch said. “You’re at one with the machine at times and at times, it feels like the machine is against you. But the tactile feel of a pinball machine is not something you can replicate in a video game.”
On a personal level, McCullough has over 60 pinball machines in his home, and he plans on expanding that collection. The love McCullough has for pinball began when he was a kid, hanging out in a 7-Eleven convenience store.
“I grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba, smack dab in the middle of Canada. It’s very isolated and very cold for a good chunk of the year, but for some reason, the 7-Eleven Slurpee is a cultural icon beverage there,” MacCulloch said.
“Ever since 7-Eleven has kept records, Winnipeg has won the Slurpee Cup for per capita sales of any metro city in the world, and we’re very proud of that.
“So I would go to 7-Eleven for my Slurpee, and most of them would have a pinball machine, and I would play pinball while drinking my Slurpee.”
As of 2023, McCullough is ranked 2958th in the world by the International Flipper Pinball Association or IFPA. He’s ranked 151st in the North American Champion Series for Washington state.
It’s safe to say McCullough has had a successful pinball career. But what occurred in his forgotten NBA career?
Todd McCullough Reached Back-To-Back NBA Finals
Todd McCullough’s NBA career was short-lived. He only played four seasons in the NBA, and he only appeared in 223 games.
In those games, McCullough averaged 6.1 points and 4.0 rebounds in 15.4 minutes per game. McCullough did not win any type of award during his NBA career, but he did reach two NBA Finals, which is more than a lot of players can say.
McCullough was a teammate of Allen Iverson on the 2001 Philadelphia 76ers that reached the NBA Finals. Unfortunately, the 76ers met the Los Angeles Lakers, who had Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.
The 76ers would lose the series 4-1, but McCullough did see playing time in all five games. In those Finals games, McCullough averaged 2.6 points and 1.4 rebounds in 6.2 minutes per game.
After the 2000-01 season, McCullough signed as a free agent with the New Jersey Nets, who reached the 2002 NBA Finals. Once again, McCullough was in the Finals, and once again, he played the Lakers.
This time, McCullough’s team would be swept, but he did see playing time in each game, this time as a starter. McCullough averaged 7.5 points and 5.0 rebounds in 18.3 minutes per game.
McCullough would be out of the NBA after the 2002-03 season, but the fact he has found success in pinball is incredible. Not many people can name a professional pinball player, but after reading this article, you can name Todd MacCulloch.
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