A high-scoring guard, he played on New York’s two title-winning teams, in the 1970s. He was remembered for his “fall back, baby” shooting style.
Dick Barnett, who helped propel the Knicks to their glory days in the 1970s with his unorthodox jump-shooting style, and who played on the only two N.B.A. championship teams in the Knicks’ history, has died in Largo, Fla. He was 88.
The Knicks announced the death, which had occurred overnight at an assisted living facility, on Sunday. Danielle Naassana, a producer of “The Dream Whisperer,” a PBS documentary about Barnett and his college career that came out last year, said he had become increasingly frail in recent years but did not appear to have a fatal illness.
Barnett was voted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in its men’s veterans category in April 2024.
Playing for 14 seasons in the N.B.A., his last nine with the Knicks, Barnett teamed with Walt Frazier and Earl Monroe at guard, Willis Reed at center and Bill Bradley and Dave DeBusschere at forward under Coach Red Holzman.
The Knicks won N.B.A. championships in 1970 and 1973 with unselfish play and tenacious defense that complemented their scoring power. Barnett displayed all-around court skills but was remembered most for executing jumpers with a form that had not been seen before or since.
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Source: Basketball - nytimes.com
