Dick Barnett, Hall of Famer and two-time NBA champion with Knicks, dies at 88
Dick Barnett, Hall of Famer and two-time NBA champion with Knicks, dies at 88
Basketball Hall of Famer Dick Barnett, who played guard in both of the New York Knicks' NBA championship seasons, has died, the team announced Sunday. He was 88.
Barnett died in his sleep overnight at an assisted living facility in Largo, Florida, according to multiple media reports.
He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024 as a player and as a three-time All-America for Tennessee A&I (now Tennessee State) teams that won three consecutive NAIA championships (1957-59) —the first HBCU program to win a national title in basketball.
"Throughout his illustrious career, Dick Barnett embodied everything it meant to be a New York Knick, both on and off the court," the Knicks said in a statement. "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."
The Knicks won NBA crowns in 1970 and 1973 with large contributions from Barnett, a 6-foot-4 all-around player known for his unique "fall back, baby" shooting style. His legs flew backward when the left-hander shot jumpers.
It worked for the native of Gary, Indiana, who was selected by the Syracuse Nationals with the fifth overall pick of the 1959 NBA draft.
ANALYSIS: Knicks-Pistons Game 4 takeaways: Missed call at end mars series, impacts outcome
MORE: Knicks guard shines vs. Pistons after return from locker room
He played for Syracuse for two seasons (1959-61) and one season for the Cleveland Pipers of the American Basketball League (1961-62). He returned to the NBA with the Los Angeles Lakers (1962-65) and finished his 14-year career with the Knicks (1965-74).
An All-Star in the 1967-68 season, Barnett averaged 15.8 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 29.8 minutes in 971 NBA regular-season games. He also averaged 15.1 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 27.3 minutes in 102 playoff games.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
36 minutes ago
- USA Today
Guerschon Yabusele explains what he's looking for in free agency
Guerschon Yabusele explains what he's looking for in free agency The Philadelphia 76ers found themselves a steal in the form of Guerschon Yabusele. Out of the league for five years, Yabusele put on a show in the 2024 Olympics while playing for his native France and put himself on the NBA radar for his next opportunity. The Sixers swooped in and signed him to a 1-year deal worth only $2.1 million. The Dancing Bear then put on an impressive performance as he averaged 11.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists while shooting 38% from deep. Yabusele averaged 27.1 minutes per night playing in 70 games with 43 starts playing both the power forward and the center spots with so many injuries. When it comes to free agency, Yabusele will demand a big market. The Sixers want him to return, but one has to wonder if they will have the cap space to do so. In a sit down interview with HoopsHype, Yabusele discussed what he's looking for in free agency: Now that I've been on the team where I played and a lot of minutes too, I want to be in a situation where I can play too. I'm not asking to play 40 minutes a game. That would be crazy. But just to be in the right situation for me, for the team, having a goal that we can achieve and have a bunch of guys looking to the right direction. And if it's with the 76ers, I'll be more than happy. This has been a great, great season and time for me. the fans have been showing me nothing but love, even the organization. If I have to go back there, I'd be more than happy. And then if you've got to be somewhere else, I'd be happy, too. I just want to be on a team where we compete and we have the same goals. Yabusele is going to be a coveted player when free agency begins on June 30. It will certainly be interesting to see what happens with him and his future, but one has to believe that Philadelphia will find a way to clear some cap space to bring him back. The Sixers have some easily tradeable contracts to clear the way to bring back both Yabusele and Quentin Grimes.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
"The greatest debut of a shoe since Mike" - Jeff Teague says Tyrese Haliburton gave his new Puma shoes an iconic debut
"The greatest debut of a shoe since Mike" - Jeff Teague says Tyrese Haliburton gave his new Puma shoes an iconic debut originally appeared on Basketball Network. In Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals, Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton arrived at the PayCom Center with a pair of his just-revealed Puma signature shoes in hand. He wore the shoe during the contest and placed his game-worn Hali 1's on the table during the postgame interview. Advertisement The Hali 1 is Haliburton's first signature shoe with Puma. The 6'5" playmaker signed with the German brand last October on a deal that included his very own line, and just eight months later, it's a reality. But while the shoe looked dope, what made its on-court debut stunning was its owner's heroics. The two-time All-NBA third-team selectee hit the game-winning shot in last Thursday's Game 1. With his Pacers down 109-110 in the final seconds, Hali hit a jumper with 0.3 seconds left to give Indiana the victory and a 1-0 series lead in the 2025 NBA Finals. Former Atlanta Hawks All-Star guard Jeff Teague said the Hali 1 couldn't have had a better introduction, as he compared it to the most memorable shoe reveal of all time — that of Michael Jordan. Advertisement "That might be the most classic…That might be the greatest debut of a shoe since Mike when Mike did it with the 14s. That is hard. Game 1, Hali 1 dropped. The Hali 1 in Game 1. That's tough. That's a nice bing to it," said Teague. MJ hit "The Last Shot" with the 14s Designed by the legendary Tinker Hatfield, the Air Jordan 14 is perhaps the most memorable silhouette among Michael's shoes. It was the last shoe MJ wore as a member of the Chicago Bulls. It was also the first Jordan shoe released after his second retirement in 1998. According to Nike's website, Hatfield gave Jordan a prototype of the 14s during the 1998 NBA Finals but told the Bulls superstar not to wear it in public because its release date was scheduled for later that year. However, because Mike loved the look and the fit, he modeled the prototype during the NBA Finals. Advertisement MJ wore three different Jordan silhouettes during the 1998 NBA Finals. But the 14s stand out because they were the shoes he wore in Game 6, where he hit the shot that clinched the Bulls' sixth NBA championship in eight years. That iconic piece of footwear was released worldwide in October 1998. Related: Shaquille O'Neal reveals which two dunks in his NBA career are his favorite: "He was all over me, and I was like, 'Get the fu** off me'" Must be the shoes Haliburton was mostly underwhelming in Game 1, finishing with just 14 points on 6-of-13 shooting, including 2-of-7 from deep and an uncharacteristic three turnovers. But when it mattered most, he flipped the switch — channeling his inner "Black Cat" impersonation to bury the game-winner with just 0.3 seconds remaining. Advertisement During the postgame interview, Haliburton shouted out his shoe, saying it was his "secret sauce" for Game 1. Later, he tweeted, "It's gotta be the shoooeeesss," which was an ode to arguably the most popular slogan for the Air Jordan commercials. No matter what the future holds for the Hali 1s, their place in sneaker history is already cemented thanks to an all-time origin story. Sure, some will point to the Jordan 14s — but MJ had already worn those twice before hitting "The Last Shot." Haliburton laced up his Hali 1s for the very first time last Thursday and instantly made history. Overrate that! Related: "I always go back to the UNLV Rebels of the early 90s" - Dan Patrick thinks that the Thunder have been so dominant that they don't know how to play one-possession games This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
'We are too old for this right now' - Magic Johnson pleads with Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas to talk out their beef
'We are too old for this right now' - Magic Johnson pleads with Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas to talk out their beef originally appeared on Basketball Network. Many old rivalries don't die with time, and one of the most enduring has been the long-standing tension between Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas. Both are legends, both Hall of Famers and both unshakable pillars in the history of the NBA. Their friction has been brewing for over three decades. Advertisement At this point, their feud feels like part of NBA tradition, a chapter that keeps reopening with each new generation of fans and each documentary revisit. And now, one of the few men who knows both sides personally is calling for peace. Jordan vs. Isiah Hall of Famer Magic Johnson is a friend of the two legends. And like many others, he wants this decades-old rift to end. "I hope that both of them can bury this hatchet and move on, because we are too old for this right now," Johnson said. "If they both sat down and just aired this thing out, both guys will be able to move on with their lives and they would say, 'Hey, let us be friends, because life is too short.'" The beef began, and then it was built slowly, over years of playoff collisions and cultural dominance. Advertisement In the late '80s and early '90s, no team was more symbolic of bruising, physical, win-at-all-costs basketball than Thomas' Detroit Pistons. The Bad Boys redefined defense, and when it came to Jordan, they created a strategy just for him. The Jordan Rules were designed to batter him every time he touched the ball. They worked — at least for a while. From 1988 to 1990, the Pistons ousted the Bulls from the playoffs for three straight years. Detroit's defense, especially its relentless targeting of Jordan in the lane, became legendary. But 1991 marked a shift in power. The Bulls finally broke through, sweeping the Pistons in the Eastern Conference finals. As the final seconds ticked away, Thomas and several teammates walked off the court without shaking hands, a move that seared a permanent scar into NBA memory and, by many accounts, into Jordan's. It symbolized a bitter respect, or perhaps a lack thereof, between two players who had battled on the court for years. Related: "I know Dennis will not throw a punch. No way" - Phil Jackson was confident Dennis Rodman will never start a fight Call for peace The cold war between Jordan and Thomas intensified in 1992 when the Dream Team was assembled for the Barcelona Olympics. Advertisement It was the greatest basketball roster ever created, but it lacked one glaring name: Thomas. Though the point guard was at the tail end of his prime, his accolades were undeniable — two NBA championships, 12 NBA All-Star appearances and an All-NBA First Team selection in 1986. Rumors swirled that Jordan, who wielded immense influence at that point, had quietly made it clear he wouldn't play if Thomas was selected. That sentiment lingers to this day. Whether it was the walk-off in '91 or the Dream Team snub, Jordan and Thomas never publicly reconciled. Even their interviews decades later still sound like transcripts from a conflict frozen in time. "I hope those two guys get together because they are Hall of Famers and they're good people," Johnson said. Johnson stands uniquely between the two. He was close with both men during their careers, won championships and shared the same competitive blood. Both Jordan and Thomas are over 60. Their careers have long ended, but their stories still orbit the present day. In the spirit of reunions and bridges being rebuilt, Johnson's call is a hopeful wish and a reminder that even the greatest need room to heal. Advertisement Statistically, both men sit on the upper crust of basketball history. Jordan averaged 30.1 points per game over his career — tied for the highest in league history — and won six NBA championships. Thomas, while never as statistically dominant, orchestrated the Pistons with surgical precision and brought the city two titles in 1989 and 1990. They were leaders of contrasting styles, Jordan through sheer individual brilliance, Thomas through heart and grit. Perhaps that contrast added to the tension. But as the Los Angeles Lakers legend suggests, the scoreboard has long since stopped counting. The real victory now lies in the resolution. Related: "The greatest debut of a shoe since Mike" - Jeff Teague says Tyrese Haliburton gave his new Puma shoes an iconic debut This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
