Willis Reed, a seven-time NBA All-Star, two-time champion and Basketball Hall of Famer, died Tuesday at the age of 80, the National Basketball Retired Players Association confirmed Tuesday. Reed, a second-round pick out of Grambling State in 1964, spent his entire 10-year NBA career playing for the New York Knicks. He was the NBA’s Most Valuable Player for the 1969-70 season, and won Finals MVP during both of New York’s championships in the 1970s (1970 and 1973).
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20 Comments
Devil has collected
Rest In Power Willis Reed!! Thank u for giving NYC championships!! We hope to win one for you Champ!! 🏆
Prayers
The Captain. An inspiration to all mankind and the ultimate definition of greatness. There should not be a moment of silence at the Garden, there should be an hour of silence.
Rip
Rest in peace ❤
One of great men that made the game what it is he now! he helped set the standard! Willis was drafted by the Knicks even though they didn’t know what to do with him the thinking he was too small to play center… but new gm Eddie Donovan, one of the great basketball men of his time, traded the great Walt Bellamy for Dave debussier allowing Willis to move to center and the rest is history! Rest in peace Willis you deserve it! GoKnicks!!
Rest in peace Reed, one of the greatest NY players ever
The Captain is my guy so today is a sad day! How many realize that Kareem Jabbar was 6 wins and 15 losses against Willis despite the Bucks winning 304 games to the Knicks 266 games from 1969 to 1974?
In the 1970 playoffs before Willis was injured early in game 5 of the finals, he had played 9 games in a row against Lew Alcindor and Wilt and scored 266 points with 120 rebounds shooting 54%.
30 and 14 against Kareem and Wilt in the 1970 playoffs in a 9 games in a row shooting 54%. Then after dealing with continued left knee issues in the 1972/73 season and being maybe 60% of his former self, somehow in games 3 to 5 of the 1973 finals against Wilt he scored 61 points with 33 rebounds and 10 assists shooting 28 for 53 in only 96 minutes!
20.3, 11, and 3.3 in 32 minutes against Wilt shooting 53%.
Note that in the 1973 finals, Wilt in the last 5 games he ever played was in all 240 minutes or 48 minutes a game. Further note that Reed played 96 minutes in games 3 to 5 that prorated over 48 minutes would of been 30.5, 16.5, and 5 shooting 53%!
With his massive Lenox Hill Knee brace on his left knee Willis stepped up in the finals to lead the Knicks to a second NBA Title!
We didn't see the .363% shooting of a Pat Ewing in the 1994 finals as he allowed Hakeem to dominate him. I used to scream at Ewing as he was impotent against an old bald Jabbar shooting 41% as Kareem shot 58% against Ewing. Here we had Reed playing the 30 and 16 stud Lew/Kareem and won 15 of 21 games and then we had to watch a scared Ewing fold against the old, bald 6 rebound Jabbar. It was disgusting and in the 1994 finals to shoot .363% against Hakeem who shot 50% averaging 27 a game was criminal!
Go back and look at all the disgraceful games that Ewing had in the playoffs against guys like Luc Longley, Rik Smits, Bill Cartwright and compare that with Reed and being a 2 time NBA finals MVP!
How about Reed in the 1969 playoffs against Bill Russell?
Reed averaged 24 and 14 shooting 51% as the Knicks lost in 6 games with two of the losses in Boston Garden by ONE POINT. Is there any doubt that maybe the Celtics got a whistle or two?
I cried watching Willis in Boston Garden in the 1974 playoffs dragging his left leg barely able to play. I was 12 and it broke my heart! Reed in the 1974 playoffs tried to play in 11 playoff games and averaged 3.4 points and 2 rebounds in 12 injury filled minutes a game.
MEDICINE is what got Willis Reed as it did Gale Sayers, Bobby Orr, Dick Butkus etc! What a shame but remember that Willis Reed was 15 and 6 against Kareem Jabbar who was the stud 30 and 16 Jabbar holding him to 50% shooting.
Ewing played the old bald 18 and 6 Kareem and yet Jabbar shot 58% against Ewing!
Pat Ewing couldn't carry Willis Reed's jockstrap. He had the best teams in college at Georgetown winning over 120 games and only won one NCAA title and in his one finals when healthy he gagged against Hakeem shooting 36%.
The GREATEST KNICK, CAPTAIN Willis Reed!
RIP Willis!
As a fan of MY KNICKS GO NY GO… Avery is not the man to have that interview with I wish you could have gone with one of our legends ex Patrick Ewing or anyone else that plays in a Knick uniform to have that conversation with. I personally have nothing against Avery… but Willis Reed was ONE of the last Knick that won a chip with us and it is only fitting to keep it in-house and talk to the world through the eyes of a knick… Sorry for how it may sound but as a fan, I am grieving for our loved one… SIP WILLIS REED "THE GREAT"
Great player and even better man 💯
We will never forget you . RIP Champ 🏆
Gone too soon
Can any basketball fans of this era share some old head stories about Willis Reed? 🙏🏾⛹🏾♂️🏆🕊️
No loss, just another black that only knows how to throw a ball in a basket.
all respect to avery, but how could you not have an old knick speaking on willis? RIP captain! appreciation forever!
Rest in peace Captain…
What??? today was not his Birthday
Rlp
who cares?