RIP Willis Reed

[uconngb]

Never a Knick fan…..but it’s Willis Reed

 

[Waquoit]

He gave Tate the bag!

 

[ConnEd]

I met him briefly once. He was kind enough to talk to me for a minute. His son was confirmed (the sacrament) with me. This was in about 1977. He stood out in the church in Bantam, CT and not just because he filmed it on a massive video camera.

 

[Kathy]

Growing up in NY as a Knicks fan he was always a favorite. RIP Willis - you will not be forgotten. Thank you for all the enjoyment you gave us.

 

[August_West]

Growing up in NY as a Knicks fan he was always a favorite. RIP Willis - you will not be forgotten. Thank you for all the enjoyment you gave us.

Mine too. and Clyde and Pearl.

 

[storrsroars]

I still hear sports commentators use, "This is like Willis Reed at the Garden", referring to his entering the 7th game vs Lakers during the Knicks 1970 championship run, and I wonder, "Does anyone under 60 even understand this reference?".

I do. And it was fantastic. RIP big man.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Sad. He was a good man and (until injury shortened his career) a tremendous basketball player.

May he rest in peace

 

[storrsroars]

Mine too. and Clyde and Pearl.

I thought you were like 10 years younger than me. And I was 13 when the Knicks won it all in '70.

Anyway, Knicks were my team before Dr. J came along. And while he was always the most underappreciated guy on that team, I used to try to imitate Dick Barnett's jump shot because it was the weirdest thing I'd ever seen.

 

[businesslawyer]

I lived in Westchester and was 9 or 10 and a huge fan when they won their first championship. The Willis Reed game (which in reality was Walt Frazier's game) 7 we installed a roof antenna on top of our house so we could get Channel 8 from New Haven and avoid the blackout.

Reed was a throwback. Didn't need publicity, didn't need attention, just kept his head down and stoically played hard every day he was out there. It's sad news.

 

[August_West]

I lived in Westchester and was 9 or 10 and a huge fan when they won their first championship. The Willis Reed game (which in reality was Walt Frazier's game) 7 we installed a roof antenna on top of our house so we could get Channel 8 from New Haven and avoid the blackout.

Reed was a throwback. Didn't need publicity, didn't need attention, just kept his head down and stoically played hard every day he was out there. It's sad news.

I was 3. Lived in Tenafly. My Dad and Mom maintain that my Dad took me to that game (in fact he just texted me when he saw the news today), but I don't remember it. But he was a season ticket holder through late 60's to mid 70's and was definitely there. So I probably was. The stubs are on the wall of his rec room. It's quite an impressive wall, as he had season tickets or shared season tickets to knicks, rangers and jets and saved them all. I remember the 73 run like yesterday though. Loved that team in my formative years. Loved the Jets even more. Joe Willie.

 

[uchusky32]

That game played on one leg.

 

[Omaha-Jays]

Reed coached at Creighton in the early 80s. He landed Benoit Benjamin who was widely regarded as the top recruit. He didn't have much success in Omaha but always found that such a fascinating part of the program's history.

RIP to a Basketball legend.

 

[ucp990411]

Can somebody post a video of Willis in game 7? It was incredible.

 

[businesslawyer]

Reed coached at Creighton in the early 80s. He landed Benoit Benjamin who was widely regarded as the top recruit. He didn't have much success in Omaha but always found that such a fascinating part of the program's history.

RIP to a Basketball legend.

He "landed" Benoit Benjamin? Benjamin was his nephew IIRC.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

He was a full grown man strong and athletic. A Slightly taller version of Emeka.
I never liked the Knicks but He was a heck of a ball player who I admired
I once worked with a lady the was also Grambling grad and a friend of his as she worked in the athletic office as a student . She also was married to a college teammate of his I met her husband was also big guy 6’9” but slender . he was playing professionally in a minor league . Trying to make the NBA but never got there .
Her Southern manners were a lot different than us crass Yankees She called anyone older than her Sir or Ma’am and instead of putting things down she placed them down
It’s amazing the things you remember.
. They still were in contact with Willis and would go out occasionally but I never got to meet him.

 

[HuskyinWRNY]

He personified what a Knick should be. RIP

 

[dvegas]

Clyde & Bill Bradley are still kicking. Bradley reveling in Princeton sweet sixteen. I remember watching 1970 vs Lakers on tape delay on a black and white TV. My father a lifelong Knick fan, NYU '56 grad, told me he used to go to tripleheaders at the Garden, UConn was a big time team. But he was a Knick guy. Has a Willis Reed signed basketball from his days as Nets GM. I've got to snag it before my brother in law does. RIP Willis. Can't wait to hear Walts eulogy

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

I used to try to imitate Dick Barnett's jump shot because it was the weirdest thing I'd ever seen.

I can see the shot in my mind's eye. To try try imitate it would be something from anybody.

Reed coached at Creighton in the early 80s. He landed Benoit Benjamin who was widely regarded as the top recruit. He didn't have much success in Omaha but always found that such a fascinating part of the program's history.

RIP to a Basketball legend.

Post/handle

Never a Knick fan…..but it’s Willis Reed

RIP, Willis.

Grew up a Celtics fan, but very much remember that era Knicks fondly, because, so many college friends were fans, and so many great players: college stars like Cazzie, Stallworth, Bradley, Meminger. Two-sport guy DeBuschere. Phil Jackson who the New Yorkers loved to dump on. And Riordan, out of Providence. And Clyde & Pearl out of mid-majors.

 

[gsmooth]

I still hear sports commentators use, "This is like Willis Reed at the Garden", referring to his entering the 7th game vs Lakers during the Knicks 1970 championship run, and I wonder, "Does anyone under 60 even understand this reference?".

I do. And it was fantastic. RIP big man.

I am well under 60 and I understand the reference. How? Probably because the video has been played so much whether since the 80s on ESPN Classic or other sports documentaries or whatever. ABC announcers made reference to this when Paul Pierce returned in game 1 of the NBA Finals.

 

[huskymedic]

Can somebody post a video of Willis in game 7? It was incredible.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[Waquoit]

I still get irked how Clyde always instigated the contact but never was called for the foul. It was always and 1.

 

[rbny1]

One of all-time favorite players in any sport. He not only played basketball with great passion, but also was an individual of great dignity who carried himself well on and off the court. RIP, Willis.

 

[husky8273]

i was 12 living in Queens in 1970 and think I can still name the entire Knick roster. The memory of him limping onto the court and hitting the first 2 shots remains vivid to this day. RIP Captain.

 

[Ewekon]

Never a Knick fan…..but it’s Willis Reed

Oh no!! Every 50 years we get one.
RIP WR>