Walt Frazier

Walt Frazier

Walt Frazier working as Knicks announcer during a game
Personal information
Born	(1945-03-29) March 29, 1945 Atlanta, Georgia
Nationality	American
Listed height	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight	200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
High school	David T. Howard (Atlanta, Georgia)
College	Southern Illinois (1963–1967)
NBA draft	1967 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5th overall
Selected by the New York Knicks
Playing career	1967–1980
Position	Point guard
Number	10, 11
Career history
1967–1977	New York Knicks
1977–1980	Cleveland Cavaliers
Career highlights and awards
2× NBA champion (1970, 1973) 7× NBA All-Star (1970–1976) NBA All-Star Game MVP (1975) NBA-ABA All-Star Game MVP (1971) 4× All-NBA First Team (1970, 1972, 1974–1975) 2× All-NBA Second Team (1971, 1973) 7× NBA All-Defensive First Team (1969–1975) First NBA player to have a shoe named after him ("CLYDE" by PUMA). NBA All-Rookie First Team (1968) NBA 50th Anniversary All-Time Team No. 10 retired by New York Knicks No. 52 retired by Southern Illinois NIT tournament MVP (1967) NIT champion with SIU (1967)
Career statistics
Points	15,581 (18.9 ppg)
Rebounds	4,830 (5.9 rpg)
Assists	5,040 (6.1 apg)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Basketball Hall of Fame as player
College Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 2006

Walter "Clyde" Frazier (born March 29, 1945) is an American former basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). As their floor general, he led the New York Knicks to the franchise's only two NBA Championships (1970 and 1973), and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1987. Upon his retirement from basketball, Frazier went into broadcasting; he is currently a color commentator for telecasts of Knicks games on the MSG Network.

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. After Howard, Frazier attended Southern Illinois University. Although he was offered other scholarships for his football skills, Frazier accepted a basketball offer from Southern Illinois University.

Frazier became one of the premier collegiate basketball players in the country. He was named a Division II All-American in 1964 and 1965. As a sophomore in 1965, Frazier led SIU to the NCAA 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.

In 1967, Frazier and SIU won the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), beating Marquette University 71-56 in the final at Madison Square Garden in New York. Frazier was named MVP of the 1967 tournament.

Professional career

New York Knicks

Frazier (left) and Lucius Allen (right)

Frazier was selected by the New York Knicks with the 5th pick in the 1967 NBA draft. While playing for them, he picked up the nickname "Clyde" due to wearing a similar hat to Warren Beatty, who played Clyde Barrow in the 1967 movie Bonnie and Clyde. He was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team in 1968. He was an NBA All-Star seven times (and was named MVP of the 1975 NBA All-Star Game), was named to the All-NBA First Team four times, the All-NBA Second Team twice, and the All-Defensive First Team seven times. With Frazier, the Knicks captured the NBA championships in 1970 and 1973.

In 1971, the New York Knicks traded for star guard Earl "the Pearl" Monroe to form what was known as the "Rolls Royce Backcourt" with Frazier. While there were initial questions as to whether Frazier and Monroe could coexist as teammates, the duo eventually meshed to become one of the most effective guard combinations of all time, leading the Knicks to the 1973 NBA championship. That pairing is one of few backcourts ever to feature two Hall of Famers and NBA 50th Anniversary Team members.

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). Center Patrick Ewing would eventually break most of those records, but Frazier's assists record still stands.

Cleveland Cavaliers

After 10 years in New York, Frazier ended his career as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers. He retired in 1980.

Honors

Won 2 NBA championships (1970, 1973) with the New York Knicks. Walt Frazier's #10 jersey was retired by the New York Knicks on December 15, 1979.

In 1987, Walt Frazier was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame along with Pete Maravich and Rick Barry.

In 1996, he was elected to the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team.

In September of 2012, Frazier was honored by the Ride of Fame and a double decker tour bus in New York City was dedicated to him.

Career statistics

Career highs

Top assist games

Occurred in playoff competition

Assists	Opponent	Home/Away	Date	Minutes played	Points	Rebounds
19	Los Angeles Lakers	Home	May 8, 1970	44	36	7
17	Baltimore Bullets	Away	March 30, 1969	44	26	7
16	Philadelphia 76ers	Away	January 22, 1969		22
16	Los Angeles Lakers	Home	February 18, 1969		30
16	Philadelphia 76ers	Away	March 9, 1969		18
16	San Francisco Warriors	Home	October 23, 1969		18
16	Phoenix Suns	Away	December 28, 1969	42	12	1

40 point games

Frazier scored 40 or more points five times in the regular season.

Points	Opponent	Home/Away	Date	Minutes played	FGM	FGA	FTM	FTA	Rebounds	Assists
44	Los Angeles Lakers	Away	November 2, 1973	46	20	28	4	4	7	5
43	San Diego Rockets	Home	October 30, 1969		14	22	15	19
43	Phoenix Suns	Away	January 11, 1975	48	17	24	9	10	3	5
41	Cincinnati Royals	Home	January 1, 1972	45	17	24	7	8	9	3
41	Indiana Pacers	Away	March 31, 1977	45	12	20	17	20	7	11

Regular season

Stat	High	Opponent	Date
Points	44	at Los Angeles Lakers	November 2, 1973
Points, half (2nd)	29	vs. Cincinnati Royals	January 1, 1972
Field goal percentage	18—22 (.818)	at Buffalo Braves	December 17, 1971
Field goals made	20	at Los Angeles Lakers	November 2, 1973
Field goal attempts	28	at Los Angeles Lakers	November 2, 1973
Free throws made	17	at Indiana Pacers	March 31, 1977
Free throw attempts	20	vs. Seattle SuperSonics	December 2, 1969
Free throw attempts	20	at Indiana Pacers	March 31, 1977
Rebounds	16
Steals	6	at Indiana Pacers	March 31, 1977
Blocked shots

Playoffs

Stat	High	Opponent	Date
Points	38	vs. Capital Bullets	April 7, 1974
Points	38	at Boston Celtics	April 19, 1974
Field goal percentage
Field goals made	16	vs. Capital Bullets	April 7, 1974
Field goal attempts	31
Free throws made, none missed	12—12	vs. Los Angeles Lakers	May 8, 1970
Free throws made	12	vs. Los Angeles Lakers	May 8, 1970
Free throw attempts	15	at Boston Celtics	April 23, 1972
Rebounds	16	vs. Baltimore Bullets	April 2, 1970
Assists	19	vs. Los Angeles Lakers	May 8, 1970
Steals
Blocked shots

External links

• Career statistics and player information from NBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com
• Career statistics and player information from WNBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com
• NBA Encyclopedia
• Basketball Hall of Fame profile
• Georgia Sports Hall of Fame
• Walt Frazier (in the New Georgia Encyclopedia)

1. REDIRECT Template:Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame members