Age: 79
Walt Frazier
Age: 79
Walter "Clyde" Frazier (born March 29, 1945) is an American former basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). As their floor general, he led the New York Knicks to the franchise's only two NBA Championships (1970 and 1973), and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1987. Upon his retirement from basketball, Frazier went into broadcasting; he is currently a color commentator for telecasts of Knicks games on the MSG Network.
High school and college
The eldest of nine children, Frazier attended Atlanta's David Tobias Howard High School. He quarterbacked the football team and played catcher on the baseball team. He learned basketball on a rutted and dirt playground, the only facility available at his all-black school in the racially segregated South of the 1950s. After Howard, Frazier attended Southern Illinois University. Although he was offered other scholarships for his football skills, Frazier accepted a basketball offer from Southern Illinois University.
Frazier became one of the premier collegiate basketball players in the country. He was named a Division II All-American in 1964 and 1965. As a sophomore in 1965, Frazier led SIU to the NCAA Division II Tournament only to lose in the finals to Jerry Sloan and the Evansville Purple Aces 85-82 in overtime. In 1966, he was academically ineligible for basketball.
SIU moved up from Division II to Division I. In 1967, Frazier and SIU won the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), beating Marquette University 71-56 in the final in the last college basketball game played at the old Madison Square Garden in New York. Frazier was named MVP of the 1967 tournament.
Professional career
New York Knicks
Frazier was selected by the New York Knicks with the 5th pick in the 1967 NBA draft. While playing for them, he picked up the nickname "Clyde" due to wearing a similar hat to Warren Beatty, who played Clyde Barrow in the 1967 movie Bonnie and Clyde. He was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team in 1968. He was an NBA All-Star seven times (and was named MVP of the 1975 NBA All-Star Game), was named to the All-NBA First Team four times, the All-NBA Second Team twice, and the All-Defensive First Team seven times. With Frazier, the Knicks captured the NBA championships in 1970 and 1973.
In 1971, the New York Knicks traded for star guard Earl "the Pearl" Monroe to form what was known as the "Rolls Royce Backcourt" with Frazier. While there were initial questions as to whether Frazier and Monroe could coexist as teammates, the duo eventually meshed to become one of the most effective guard combinations of all time, leading the Knicks to the 1973 NBA championship. That pairing is one of few backcourts ever to feature two Hall of Famers and NBA 50th Anniversary Team members.
Frazier held Knicks franchise records for most games (759), minutes played (28,995), field goals attempted (11,669), field goals made (5,736), free throws attempted (4,017), free throws made (3,145), assists (4,791) and points (14,617). Center Patrick Ewing would eventually break most of those records, but Frazier's assists record still stands.
Cleveland Cavaliers
After 10 years in New York, Frazier ended his career as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers. He retired in 1980.
Honors
Won 2 NBA championships (1970, 1973) with the New York Knicks. Walt Frazier's #10 jersey was retired by the New York Knicks on December 15, 1979.
In 1987, Walt Frazier was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame along with Pete Maravich and Rick Barry.
In 1996, he was elected to the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team.
In September of 2012, Frazier was honored by the Ride of Fame and a double decker tour bus in New York City was dedicated to him.
Career statistics
Career highs
Top assist games
Occurred in playoff competition |
Assists | Opponent | Home/Away | Date | Minutes played |
Points | Rebounds |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
19 | Los Angeles Lakers | Home | 000000001970-05-08-0000May 8, 1970 | 44 | 36 | 7 |
17 | Baltimore Bullets | Away | 000000001969-03-30-0000March 30, 1969 | 44 | 26 | 7 |
16 | Philadelphia 76ers | Away | 000000001969-01-22-0000January 22, 1969 | 22 | ||
16 | Los Angeles Lakers | Home | 000000001969-02-18-0000February 18, 1969 | 30 | ||
16 | Philadelphia 76ers | Away | 000000001969-03-09-0000March 9, 1969 | 18 | ||
16 | San Francisco Warriors | Home | 000000001969-10-23-0000October 23, 1969 | 18 | ||
16 | Phoenix Suns | Away | 000000001969-12-28-0000December 28, 1969 | 42 | 12 | 1 |
40 point games
Frazier scored 40 or more points five times in the regular season.
Points | Opponent | Home/Away | Date | Minutes played |
FGM | FGA | FTM | FTA | Rebounds | Assists |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
44 | Los Angeles Lakers | Away | 000000001973-11-02-0000November 2, 1973 | 46 | 20 | 28 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 5 |
43 | San Diego Rockets | Home | 000000001969-10-30-0000October 30, 1969 | 14 | 22 | 15 | 19 | |||
43 | Phoenix Suns | Away | 000000001975-01-11-0000January 11, 1975 | 48 | 17 | 24 | 9 | 10 | 3 | 5 |
41 | Cincinnati Royals | Home | 000000001972-01-01-0000January 1, 1972 | 45 | 17 | 24 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 3 |
41 | Indiana Pacers | Away | 000000001977-03-31-0000March 31, 1977 | 45 | 12 | 20 | 17 | 20 | 7 | 11 |
Regular season
Stat | High | Opponent | Date |
---|---|---|---|
Points | 44 | at Los Angeles Lakers | 000000001973-11-02-0000November 2, 1973 |
Points, half | 29 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | 000000001972-01-01-0000January 1, 1972 |
Field goal percentage | 18—22 (.818) | at Buffalo Braves | 000000001971-12-17-0000December 17, 1971 |
Field goals made | 20 | at Los Angeles Lakers | 000000001973-11-02-0000November 2, 1973 |
Field goal attempts | 28 | at Los Angeles Lakers | 000000001973-11-02-0000November 2, 1973 |
Free throws made | 17 | at Indiana Pacers | 000000001977-03-31-0000March 31, 1977 |
Free throw attempts | 20 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | 000000001969-12-02-0000December 2, 1969 |
Free throw attempts | 20 | at Indiana Pacers | 000000001977-03-31-0000March 31, 1977 |
Rebounds | 16 | ||
Steals | 6 | at Indiana Pacers | 000000001977-03-31-0000March 31, 1977 |
Blocked shots |
Playoffs
Stat | High | Opponent | Date |
---|---|---|---|
Points | 38 | vs. Capital Bullets | 000000001974-04-07-0000April 7, 1974 |
Points | 38 | at Boston Celtics | 000000001974-04-19-0000April 19, 1974 |
Field goal percentage | |||
Field goals made | 16 | vs. Capital Bullets | 000000001974-04-07-0000April 7, 1974 |
Field goal attempts | 31 | ||
Free throws made, none missed | 12—12 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | 000000001970-05-08-0000May 8, 1970 |
Free throws made | 12 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | 000000001970-05-08-0000May 8, 1970 |
Free throw attempts | 15 | at Boston Celtics | 000000001972-04-23-0000April 23, 1972 |
Rebounds | 16 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | 000000001970-04-02-0000April 2, 1970 |
Assists | 19 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | 000000001970-05-08-0000May 8, 1970 |
Steals | |||
Blocked shots |