Walter "Clyde" Frazier Jr. (born March 29, 1945) is an American former professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

player of the

National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball sports league, league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues i ...

(NBA). As their floor general and top perimeter defender, he led the

New York Knicks The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Associat ...

to the franchise's only two championships (1970 and 1973), and was inducted into the

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts. It serves as basketball's most complete library, in addition to promoting and pres ...

in 1987. Upon his retirement from basketball, Frazier went into

broadcasting Broadcasting is the distribution of audio or video content to a dispersed audience via any electronic mass communications medium, but typically one using the electromagnetic spectrum (radio waves), in a one-to-many model. Broadcasting began wi ...

; he is currently a

color commentator A color commentator or expert commentator is a sports commentator who assists the main ( play-by-play) commentator, typically by filling in when play is not in progress. The phrase "colour commentator" is primarily used in Canadian English and ...

for telecasts of Knicks games on the

MSG Network The MSG Network (MSG) is an American regional cable and satellite television network, and radio service owned by MSG Entertainment, Inc.—a spin-off of the main Madison Square Garden Company operation (itself a spin-off of local cable prov ...

. In 1996, Frazier was honored as one of the league's greatest players of all time by being named to the

NBA 50th Anniversary Team The 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, also referred to as NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, were chosen in 1996 to honor the 50th anniversary of the founding of the National Basketball Association (NBA). It was the third anniversary team ...

. In October 2021, Frazier was again honored as one of the league's greatest players of all time by being named to the

NBA 75th Anniversary Team The NBA 75th Anniversary Team, also referred to as the NBA 75, was chosen in 2021 to honor the 75th anniversary of the founding of the National Basketball Association (NBA). It was the fourth and most recent anniversary team in the league. S ...

High school and college

The eldest of nine children, Frazier attended Atlanta's David Tobias Howard High School. He quarterbacked the football team, and played catcher on the baseball team. He learned basketball on a rutted and dirt playground, the only facility available at his all-black school in the racially segregated South of the 1950s. Although he was offered other scholarships for his football skills, Frazier accepted a basketball offer from

Southern Illinois University Southern Illinois University is a system of public universities in the southern region of the U.S. state of Illinois. Its headquarters is in Carbondale, Illinois. Board of trustees The university is governed by the nine member SIU Board of Tr ...

, saying that "there were no black quarterbacks, so I played basketball." Southern_Illinois_1967_NIT

Frazier became one of the premier collegiate basketball players in the country. He was named a Division II

All-America The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...

n in 1964 and 1965. As a sophomore in 1965, Frazier led SIU to the

NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges ...

Division II Tournament, only to lose in the finals to Jerry Sloan and the Evansville Purple Aces 85–82 in overtime. In 1966, he was academically ineligible for basketball. SIU moved up from Division II to Division I in 1967, and Frazier and SIU won the

National Invitation Tournament The National Invitational Tournament (NIT) is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Played at regional sites and traditionally at Madison Square Garden (Final Four) in New York Cit ...

, defeating

Marquette University Marquette University () is a private Jesuit research university in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Established by the Society of Jesus as Marquette College on August 28, 1881, it was founded by John Martin Henni, the first Bishop of the diocese of ...

71–56 in the final, in the last college basketball game played at the old

Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylv ...

in New York. Frazier was named Most Valuable Player of the 1967 tournament.

Professional career

New York Knicks (1967–1977)

Frazier was drafted fifth overall by the

, going on to average 9.0 points per game and be named to the

NBA All-Rookie Team The NBA All-Rookie Team is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) honor given since the 1962–63 NBA season to the top rookies during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the NBA head coaches who are not allowed to vote for player ...

during the 1967–68 season. During his rookie season with the Knicks, he picked up the nickname "Clyde" because he wore a

fedora A fedora () is a hat with a soft brim and indented crown.Kilgour, Ruth Edwards (1958). ''A Pageant of Hats Ancient and Modern''. R. M. McBride Company. It is typically creased lengthwise down the crown and "pinched" near the front on both side ...

similar to that of Warren Beatty, who played Clyde Barrow in the 1967 film ''

Bonnie and Clyde Bonnie Elizabeth Parker (October 1, 1910May 23, 1934) and Clyde Chestnut (Champion) Barrow (March 24, 1909May 23, 1934) were an American criminal couple who traveled the Central United States with their gang during the Great Depression. The c ...

''. As a sophomore, Frazier's 17.5 points, 7.9 assists, and 6.2 rebounds per game averages made him one of the most improved players in the league. Walt Frazier and Lucius Allen

On October 30, 1969, Frazier recorded 43 points to go along with 9 rebounds and 5 assists in a 123–110 win over the Houston Rockets. Frazier was chosen as an NBA All-Star during the 1969–70 season, the first of seven selections during his 10-year stint with the Knicks. The Knicks made it to the 1970 NBA Finals thanks to the great play of both Frazier and star teammate

Willis Reed Willis Reed Jr. (born June 25, 1942) is an American retired basketball player, coach and general manager. He spent his entire professional playing career (1964–1974) with the New York Knicks. In 1982, Reed was inducted into the Naismith Me ...

. However, in game five, Reed suffered a painful leg injury. With Reed out, chances of the Knicks winning the championship were slim. However, Reed returned to the series, playing the first two minutes of game seven and scoring its first two points before limping off. With Reed out, Frazier went on to post one of the greatest performances in NBA playoff history, tallying 36 points, seven rebounds, 19 assists, and six steals in leading New York to victory in what is referred to by ESPN as one of the best game sevens ever played. Walt Frazier 1977

The Knicks were unable to repeat as champions in 1971, falling to the Baltimore Bullets and their star shooting guard

Earl Monroe Vernon Earl Monroe (born November 21, 1944) is an American former professional basketball player. He played for two teams, the Baltimore Bullets and the New York Knicks, during his career in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Both teams ...

in the second round of the playoffs despite Frazier's 20.4 points per game average during the second series. During the off-season, in May 1971, Frazier scored 26 points and was named MVP of an exhibition game played between NBA and ABA All-Stars in Houston's Astrodome. Following the 1970–71 season, the Knicks traded for Monroe, who was always difficult for Frazier to guard. Not many people thought the two players’ styles would mesh, but Monroe and Frazier soon became one of the best backcourts in the league, even earning the nickname the "Rolls-Royce" backcourt. The Knicks returned to the NBA Finals in 1972, but fell to the

Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...

, who completed a record-setting season with an NBA championship. Frazier led the Knicks to a second NBA championship in 1973, topping the

Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play thei ...

in a five-game series. His defense on Jerry West played a major role in defeating the star-filled team. In 1976, Frazier was selected for his seventh and final NBA All-Star Game. Frazier 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 points (14,617). Patrick Ewing eventually broke most of those records, but Frazier's assists record still stands.

Cleveland Cavaliers (1977–1979)

Frazier was traded to the

Cleveland Cavaliers The Cleveland Cavaliers (often referred to as the Cavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central ...

after the 1976–77 season for the younger Jim Cleamons. The trade left the NBA world stunned, as many people were furious that New York was willing to let go of arguably the greatest player in franchise history. Frazier played only 66 games over the course of three seasons with the Cavaliers. He retired midway through the 1979–80 season, when he only played 3 games and averaged career-lows of 3.3 points and 2.7 assists before being waived.

Honors

* Won 2 NBA championships (, ) with the New York Knicks. * 7× NBA All-Star (1970–1976) * NBA All-Star Game MVP (1975) * Frazier's no. 10 jersey was retired by the

on December 15, 1979. * Inducted into the

in 1987 * Named one of the

50 Greatest Players in NBA History The 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, also referred to as NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, were chosen in 1996 to honor the 50th anniversary of the founding of the National Basketball Association (NBA). It was the third anniversary team ...

in 1996. * In September 2012, Frazier was honored by the

Ride of Fame The Ride of Fame is a continuing series of mobile monuments in New York City honoring public figures for being exemplary “New Yorkers” and representing the city in a positive light over the course of their lives. Ride of Fame alumni have also ...

and a double-decker tour bus in New York City was dedicated to him. * Elected to the

in 2021. * In September 2022, Frazier was honored with the Curt Gowdy Award, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame's annual tribute given to outstanding broadcasters and journalists.

NBA career statistics

Regular season

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, 80 , , , , 36.9 , , .505 , , , , .746 , , 6.2 , , 7.9 , , , , , , 17.5 , - , style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;", † , style="text-align:left;",

, 77 , , , , 39.5 , , .518 , , , , .748 , , 6.0 , , 8.2 , , , , , , 20.9 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 80 , , , , 43.2 , , .494 , , , , .779 , , 6.8 , , 6.7 , , , , , , 21.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 77 , , , , 40.6 , , .512 , , , , .808 , , 6.7 , , 5.8 , , , , , , 23.2 , - , style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;", † , style="text-align:left;",

, 78 , , , , 40.8 , , .490 , , , , .817 , , 7.3 , , 5.9 , , , , , , 21.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 80 , , , , 41.7 , , .472 , , , , .838 , , 6.7 , , 6.9 , , 2.0 , , .2 , , 20.5 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 78 , , , , 41.1 , , .483 , , , , .828 , , 6.0 , , 6.1 , , 2.4 , , .2 , , 21.5 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 59 , , , , 41.1 , , .485 , , , , .823 , , 6.8 , , 5.9 , , 1.8 , , .2 , , 19.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 76 , , , , 35.4 , , .489 , , , , .771 , , 3.9 , , 5.3 , , 1.7 , , .1 , , 17.4 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

Cleveland Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the United States, U.S. U.S. state, state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along ...

, 51 , , , , 32.6 , , .471 , , , , .850 , , 4.1 , , 4.1 , , 1.5 , , .3 , , 16.2 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 12 , , , , 23.3 , , .443 , , , , .778 , , 1.7 , , 2.7 , , 1.1 , , .2 , , 10.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 3 , , , , 9.0 , , .364 , , .000 , , 1.000 , , 1.0 , , 2.7 , , .7 , , .3 , , 3.3 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 825 , , , , 37.5 , , .490 , , .000 , , .786 , , 5.9 , , 6.1 , , 1.9 , , .2 , , 18.9 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", All-Star , 7 , , 7 , , 26.1 , , .449 , , , , .857 , , 3.9 , , 3.7 , , 1.3 , , .0 , , 12.6

Playoffs

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1968 The year was highlighted by protests and other unrests that occurred worldwide. Events January–February * January 5 – " Prague Spring": Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. * J ...

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, 4 , , , , 29.8 , , .364 , , , , .778 , , 5.5 , , 6.3 , , , , , , 9.5 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1969 This year is notable for Apollo 11's first landing on the moon. Events January * January 4 – The Government of Spain hands over Ifni to Morocco. * January 5 **Ariana Afghan Airlines Flight 701 crashes into a house on its approach to ...

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, 10, , , , 41.5 , , .503 , , , , .596 , , 7.4 , , 9.1 , , , , , , 21.2 , - , style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;", 1970† , style="text-align:left;",

, 19 , , , , 43.9 , , .478 , , , , .764 , , 7.8 , , 8.2 , , , , , , 16.0 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1971 * The year 1971 had three partial solar eclipses ( February 25, July 22 and August 20) and two total lunar eclipses ( February 10, and August 6). The world population increased by 2.1% this year, the highest increase in history. Events J ...

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, 12 , , , , 41.8 , , .529 , , , , .733 , , 5.8 , , 4.5 , , , , , , 22.6 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1972 , style="text-align:left;",

, 16 , , , , 44.0 , , .536 , , , , .736 , , 7.0 , , 6.1 , , , , , , 24.3 , - , style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;", 1973† , style="text-align:left;",

, 17 , , , , 45.0 , , .514 , , , , .777 , , 7.3 , , 6.2 , , , , , , 21.9 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1974 Major events in 1974 include the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis and the resignation of United States President Richard Nixon following the Watergate scandal. In the Middle East, the aftermath of the 1973 Yom Kippur War determined politics; ...

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, 12 , , , , 40.9 , , .502 , , , , .898 , , 7.9 , , 4.0 , , 1.8 , , .3 , , 22.5 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1975 It was also declared the ''International Women's Year'' by the United Nations and the European Architectural Heritage Year by the Council of Europe. Events January * January 1 - Watergate scandal (United States): John N. Mitchell, H. R. ...

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, 3 , , , , 41.3 , , .630 , , , , .813 , , 6.7 , , 7.0 , , 3.7 , , .0 , , 23.7 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 93 , , , , 42.5 , , .511 , , , , .751 , , 7.2 , , 6.4 , , 2.1 , , .3 , , 20.7

Style

Since the late 1960s, Frazier has been known for being a fashion icon, and was one of the first major pro athletes to be acclaimed as such. The website Clyde So Fly catalogs and grades every suit he wears while broadcasting New York Knicks games on the MSG Network. Frazier has a line of Puma sneakers named after him. The first Puma Clyde was released in 1973. Until that time, the Converse Chuck Taylor, launched in 1917, was the only basketball sneaker bearing a player's name. Frazier, then, is the first modern NBA star to have his own line of sneakers. The promotional material references Frazier's "signature colorful style". Frazier's loquacious, rhyming broadcast commentary has become part and parcel of his image. His phrase "posting and toasting" — a description of player moving close to the basket and scoring over a rival — inspired the name of the popular Knicks blog, postingandtoasting.com. And his phrase for playing tough defense, "tenacious D," provided the name for actor Jack Black's humorous musical duo

Tenacious D Tenacious D is an American comedy rock duo formed in Los Angeles, California in 1994. It was founded by actors Jack Black and Kyle Gass, who were members of The Actors' Gang theater company at the time. The duo's name is derived from "ten ...

Personal life

Frazier lives in

Harlem Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and Central Park North on the south. The greater Ha ...

with his long-term girlfriend, Patricia James, and they also have a home in St. Croix. He is the father of a son referred to both as Walt Jr. and, later, Walt III. Frazier is a member of the fraternity

Alpha Phi Alpha Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. () is the oldest intercollegiate historically African American fraternity. It was initially a literary and social studies club organized in the 1905–1906 school year at Cornell University but later evolved in ...

References

External links

* *
Walt Frazier
at the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Frazier, Walt 1945 births Living people African-American basketball players American men's basketball players American people of United States Virgin Islands descent Basketball players from Atlanta Cleveland Cavaliers players National Basketball Association All-Stars National Basketball Association players with retired numbers National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame inductees Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees New York Knicks announcers New York Knicks draft picks New York Knicks players Point guards Southern Illinois Salukis men's basketball players 21st-century African-American people 20th-century African-American sportspeople American television sports announcers