by jameavelh MULEN
April 29, 2025
The former shooting guard played a key role in leading the New York Knicks to two championships.
Dick Barnett, former New York Knicks player and Hall of Famer, has died; he was 88. The two-time NBA championship winner was living in an assisted living facility in Largo, Florida, reports say. The Gary, Indiana native began his basketball career at Tennessee A&I College (now Tennessee State University), where he helped the team earn consecutive NAIA national championships from 1957 to 1959, making them the first HBCU team to win a national title in basketball. Barnett was named MVP of the NAIA Tournament both in 1958 and 1959.
The Syracuse Nationals selected Barnett in the 1959 NBA Draft, launching a professional career that spanned 14 seasons, during which he also played for the Los Angeles Lakers. He joined the New York Knicks in 1965, where he spent most of his career. The Hall of Famer helped the team win championships in 1970 and 1973. In 1968, he was selected to play in the NBA All-Star game.
The championship player gained fame for his signature left-hand “fall back-baby” shooting style, where his legs went backward during his jump shots.
After retiring from basketball, Barnett earned a master’s degree from New York University, followed by a doctorate in education from Fordham University. Dr. Barnett has written over 20 books across various genres, including sports, business, and personal development. The former New York Knicks star also served as a professor at St. John’s University.
In 1990, the New York Knicks honored the Hall of Famer by retiring his No. 12 jersey. In 2024, Barnett was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) April 27, 2025
“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,” The New York Knicks said in a statement posted on X.
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