Knicks Legend Dick Barnett Passes Away

The New York Knicks announced the passing of franchise legend Dick Barnett on Sunday afternoon at the age of 88. The cause of death was not disclosed.

"We are terribly saddened to hear about the passing of Knicks legend Dr. Richard Barnett," the Knicks said in their statement. "Throughout his illustrious career, Dick Barnett embodied everything it meant to be a New York Knick, both on-and-off-the-court. He left a positive impact on everyone he encountered and this organization is incredibly fortunate to have him be such an integral part of its history."

"His jersey will forever hang in the rafters of Madison Square Garden, and his play throughout his career will forever be a part of Knicks fans memories. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and teammates in this difficult time."

The announcement of Barnett's passing comes almost exactly one year after he was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Barnett's entry, made official last fall, was heralded by Knicks teammates Bill Bradley and Earl "The Pearl" Monroe.

Barnett played the last eight seasons (1965-733) of a 14-year professional career with the Knicks and partook in each of their championship runs in 1970 and 1973. He continues to rank ninth in the history of Knicks scoring (9,442) and also appears in the franchise's top 10 in games, minutes, and successful field goals.

Barnett averaged a career-best 23.1 points during his debut campaign with the Knicks and reached his only NBA All-Star Game with the team two years later. The No. 12 he wore as a Knick is one of eight retired by the organization, as he was sixth player to earn the honor in 1990. In addition to the Knicks, Barnett also repped the Syracuse Nationals (who drafted him fourth overall in the 1959 draft), Los Angeles Lakers, and the Cleveland Pipers of the American Basketball League.

Barnett's long-awaited individual Hall-of-Fame case has been widely celebrated by the Knicks franchise as many of his old teammates offered well-wishes in the wake of the joyful news. He had previously reached the Hall of Fame as a member of the Tennessee A&I (now known as Tennessee State) men's basketball team from 1957-59, which won 36 consecutive games and three national championships. For his efforts, Barnett was named a three-time Little College All-American and also won the NAIA Tournament MVP award twice.

It was at Tennessee A&I that Barnett gained fame for his unique jump shot form, where he would advise defenders to "fall back baby," which became his nickname on Chick Hearn's Laker broadcasts. The story of Barnett's college teams, the first to win an integrated national championship competition, was told in the 2022 documentary "The Dream Whisperer."

Following his departure from the Knicks, Barnett remained a New York staple, earning a PhD in education from Fordham University in The Bronx. He later taught sports management classes at St. John's University in Queens.

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