Willis Reed, who famously made a dramatic exit from the locker room just before Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals to lead the New York Knicks to their first title and set one of sports’ most famous examples of playing through pain, passed away on Tuesday. He was 80.
Willis Reed has died at the age of 80.
Reed was a Hall of Famer, 7x NBA All-Star and 2x NBA champion with the New York Knicks. pic.twitter.com/HDfQ65yPTL
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) March 21, 2023
The National Basketball Retired Players Association made a statement about Reed’s passing after receiving confirmation from his family. The cause of Reed’s death was not made public, but he had recently been experiencing health issues and was unable to go to New York for the Knicks’ celebration of the 50th anniversary of their 1973 NBA Championship squad on February 25, when they played New Orleans.
New York Knicks great Willis Reed, who earned the nickname “The Captain” as the emotional leader on the franchise’s two championship teams in the 1970s, has died. He was 80. https://t.co/FTkvbiTURW
— The Associated Press (@AP) March 21, 2023
For the Knicks’ two NBA championship teams, Reed, known by the moniker “The Captain,” was the undersized center and emotional captain. He had a soft outside shooting touch and the toughness to compete against the elite big men of the era on the inside.
His accomplishments—including seven All-Star selections and two MVP honors in the NBA Finals—would have been enough to get him into the Hall of Fame on their own. He made history by winning the MVP trophies for the regular season, the All-Star Game, and the NBA Finals in the 1969–70 season.
RIP to him. 🙏🏾 One of the greats no doubt. I’m so grateful back in 97′ he was there to be named amongst the rest of the top 50th anniversary celebration of the best NBA players of all time and was around for the 75th anniversary. pic.twitter.com/USSe6SQSCH
— GC4* (@GodzChild4eva) March 21, 2023
But the act of simply stepping onto the court on the season’s last night was enough to cement his place in history.
In Game 5 of the series between the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers, Reed went down on the field in discomfort after pulling a thigh muscle. Wilt Chamberlain, on the other hand, led the Lakers to a win in Game 6 of their series with 45 points and 27 rebounds.This victory forced a decisive game at Madison Square Garden.
Knicks legend and Hall of Famer Willis Reed has died at age 80 https://t.co/DPjS5SGF73
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) March 21, 2023
Reed had treatment up until just before Game 7, and even his Knicks teammates were unaware of his condition at that point. Fans cheered and rose to their feet as they saw Reed emerge from the tunnel leading to the locker room as both teams were warming up.
“The crowd is ecstatic when Willis enters the scene,” radio announcer Marv Albert stated.
The Lakers halted their play to watch Reed make two fast-break jumpers in the opening minutes of the game. Reed returned to the floor after each shot with a pronounced limp. He would not score again, but the Knicks didn’t require it as Walt Frazier’s 36 points and 19 assists, together with the return of their captain, propelled them to their first NBA championship with a 113-99 victory.
NBA great Willis Reed, who helped the New York Knicks win two championships, dies at age 80 https://t.co/AG4HfX1Lxw
— CNN (@CNN) March 21, 2023