Iconic Willis Reed Knicks Jacket Sells at Auction
One New York Knicks fan wasn't willing to wait until the end of the 2021-22 NBA season to spend big bucks in the name of a championship cause.
Bidding has closed on one of Grey Flannel Auction's most intriguing lots, showcasing the warmup jacket that Knicks legend Willis Reed wore during his iconic entrance to the Madison Square Garden floor at the 1970 NBA Finals. The winning offer cashed out at $371,005 after 31 bids, with the process starting at $10,000.
Reed's jacket is part of one of the most iconic images in the history of both the Knicks and the Finals. The league's MVP was not expected to play in the decisive seventh game of the series against the Los Angeles Lakers after suffering a thigh injury two contests prior. His subsequent step onto the floor for pregame warmups was said to energize a Knicks team seeking its first NBA championship.
Reed would tally the Knicks' first four points and played solid defense on Lakers star Wilt Chamberlain, while Walt "Clyde" Frazier put in 36 points and 19 rebounds in the Knicks' 113-99 victory. For his efforts, Reed was bestowed the Finals MVP Award.
During the presentation, Howard Cosell of ABC Sports told Reed, clad in the jacket, that he "(exemplified) the very best that the human spirit can offer."
The jacket was part of Grey Flannel's "Summer Games Auction," which concluded earlier this week. Other Knicks items available included Carmelo Anthony's game-worn, first-name bearing jersey from the Knicks' 2014 Christmas Day game against Washington, which sold for $7,902.
