Walt Frazier

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Frazier was born on March 29, 1945, in Atlanta, Georgia. The eldest of nine children, he attended Atlanta's David Tobias Howard High School, where he quarterbacked the football team and played catcher on the baseball team. He learned basketball on a rutted and dirt playground. He accepted a basketball scholarship from Southern Illinois University, saying 'there were no black quarterbacks, so I played basketball.' He became a premier collegiate player, leading SIU to the 1967 NIT championship and being named MVP of that tournament. Drafted fifth overall by the New York Knicks in 1967, he earned the nickname 'Clyde' for wearing a fedora similar to Warren Beatty's in Bonnie and Clyde. He was a 7-time NBA All-Star (1970–1976) and was named to 4 All-NBA First Teams (1970, 1972, 1974, 1975) and 2 All-NBA Second Teams (1971, 1973), as well as 7 NBA All-Defensive First Teams (1969–1975). He won NBA championships with the Knicks in 1970 and 1973. He was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1977 and retired midway through the 1979–80 season.

In Their Own Story

The defining moment of Frazier's career occurred on May 8, 1970, during Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. With star teammate Willis Reed limping off the court after a leg injury in Game 5 and facing slim chances for victory, Reed returned to play the first two minutes of Game 7, scoring the Knicks' first four points before leaving again. Stepping up in Reed's absence, Frazier delivered one of the greatest performances in playoff history. He tallied 36 points, seven rebounds, 19 assists, and six steals, leading New York to a championship win that ESPN refers to as one of the best Game Sevens ever played. Later, during the 1972–73 season, Frazier led the Knicks back to the Finals, where his elite defense on Jerry West was a major factor in toppling the Lakers in five games to secure their second title. Even when traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1977 for Jim Cleamons—a move he described as being 'traded to Siberia'—his legacy remained untarnished by injuries and limited play before his retirement.

Reader's Guide

Frazier's no. 10 jersey was retired by the New York Knicks on December 15, 1979. His no. 52 jersey was retired by Southern Illinois University. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1987. He was named to the NBA 50th Anniversary Team in 1996 and the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021. In September 2022, he was honored with the Curt Gowdy Award by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Did You Know?

• Frazier recorded 36 points, 7 rebounds, 19 assists, and 6 steals in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals, one of the greatest playoff performances in NBA history.
• He 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 poin
• Frazier was named MVP of the 1975 NBA All-Star Game.
• He was drafted in the first round by the Denver Rockets of the American Basketball Association as well as by the Knicks.