The New York Knicks lost a legend over the weekend, as the team announced on Sunday, April 27, 2025, that 2024 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Dick Barnett has passed away at the age of 88. According to the New York Post, Barnett died peacefully in his sleep at a senior living center in Florida, leaving behind a legacy that forever shaped the Knicks’ history. A 14-year NBA veteran, Barnett spent eight of those years with the Knicks after being traded from the Los Angeles Lakers in 1965, becoming a cornerstone of the franchise’s first two championship teams in 1970 and 1973.
Barnett, a 6-foot-4 left-handed shooting guard, was known for his distinctive shooting form that earned him the nickname “Fallback Baby.” He’d pull his heels toward his backside mid-air, almost like a hamstring curl, before releasing the ball with an unusually high arc and falling slightly backward on the follow-through. It was unorthodox but deadly effective. In his first season with the Knicks in 1965-66, Barnett averaged 23.1 points per game, a career-high that showcased his scoring prowess. He earned his lone All-Star nod in 1968 and finished as a top-10 scorer in four different seasons while also ranking as a top-20 assist man twice, highlighting his versatility as a playmaker. Over his Knicks tenure, he averaged 18.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists across 604 games, cementing his role as a reliable two-way guard.
One of the most telling moments of Barnett’s career came during the Knicks’ iconic 1970 NBA Finals run against the Lakers. Game 7 is forever remembered for Willis Reed’s dramatic entrance—limping onto the court with a torn thigh muscle, inspiring the team and the Madison Square Garden crowd. But while Reed’s two early baskets and four total points set the tone, it was Barnett who carried the load. He scored 21 points, dished out five assists, and took on the grueling task of guarding Jerry West, who still managed 36 points but couldn’t stop the Knicks’ 113-99 rout. Barnett’s performance in that series was stellar, averaging 18.6 points, 4.0 assists, and 40 minutes per game over the seven games, proving he was just as crucial to the Knicks’ first championship in franchise history. Three years later, in 1973, Barnett helped the Knicks win their second title, again over the Lakers, averaging 13.4 points in the Finals while playing lockdown defense.
Barnett’s journey to NBA glory wasn’t a straight path. Born on October 2, 1936, in Gary, Indiana, he starred at Tennessee A&I (now Tennessee State), leading the Tigers to three straight NAIA championships from 1957 to 1959—the first historically Black college to win a national title in any sport. Drafted fourth overall by the Syracuse Nationals in 1959, he played two seasons there before a brief stint with the Cleveland Pipers in the ABL, where he won a championship in 1962 under coach John McLendon. After three years with the Lakers, his trade to the Knicks in 1965—alongside Bob Boozer for Bob McCullough, Ray Williams, and cash—marked the turning point of his career. He thrived under coach Red Holzman, forming a dynamic backcourt with Walt “Clyde” Frazier and complementing frontcourt stars like Reed and Dave DeBusschere.
Beyond his on-court contributions, Barnett’s impact resonates through his off-court endeavors. After retiring in 1974, he earned a Ph.D. in education from Fordham University and became an advocate for athletes’ education, founding the Dr. Dick Barnett Foundation to support youth sports and academic programs. His 2024 Hall of Fame induction, celebrated at a ceremony in Springfield on August 9, was a long-overdue recognition of his contributions to basketball, from his pioneering college career to his clutch NBA Finals performances. Knicks president Leon Rose called Barnett “a true embodiment of what it means to be a Knick,” while Frazier, in a statement on X, wrote, “Dick was my brother on the court… his ‘Fallback Baby’ shot was poetry, and his heart was even bigger.”
Barnett’s death comes as the Knicks, now 7-3 in the 2024-25 season after a 121-106 win over the Wizards on April 26, continue to build on their recent success, having reached the Eastern Conference Finals in 2023. His passing is a reminder of the franchise’s storied past and the players who laid the foundation for its modern resurgence. For Knicks fans, Barnett will always be remembered as a champion who delivered when it mattered most—whether he was knocking down a high-arcing jumper or locking down Jerry West in Game 7.
