 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1936-10-02)October 2, 1936 Gary, Indiana, U.S. |
| Died | April 27, 2025(2025-04-27) (aged 88) Largo, Florida, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Listed weight | 190 lb (86 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Theodore Roosevelt (Gary, Indiana) |
| College | Tennessee State (1955–1959) |
| NBA draft | 1959: 1st round, 4th overall pick |
| Drafted by | Syracuse Nationals |
| Playing career | 1959–1973 |
| Position | Shooting guard |
| Number | 5, 12 |
| Career history | |
| 1959–1961 | Syracuse Nationals |
| 1961–1962 | Cleveland Pipers |
| 1962–1965 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1965–1973 | New York Knicks |
| Career highlights | |
| |
| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 15,358 (15.8 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 2,812 (2.9 rpg) |
| Assists | 2,729 (2.8 apg) |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
Stats atBasketball Reference  | |
| Basketball Hall of Fame | |
| Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame | |
Richard Barnett (October 2, 1936 – April 27, 2025) was an American professionalbasketball player who was ashooting guard in theNational Basketball Association (NBA) for theSyracuse Nationals,Los Angeles Lakers, andNew York Knicks. He won twoNBA championships with the Knicks. Barnett was also a member of theCleveland Pipers in theAmerican Basketball League. He playedcollege basketball for theTennessee A&I State Tigers. Barnett was inducted into theNaismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024.[1]
Barnett was born inGary, Indiana, on October 2, 1936[2] and later attendedTheodore Roosevelt High School. His father was a steel worker, and his mother worked at a candy store.[2] As a youth, Dick Barnett found work at a steel mill as well as making deliveries.[3]
He became one of the best basketball players in the state of Indiana. His senior year, he led his team to the state basketball championship, which was the first final where two predominantlyAfrican American basketball squads faced each other. The team lost toCrispus Attucks High School and their future NBA starOscar Robertson. He received All-state honors.
Barnett attendedTennessee A&I State College (now Tennessee State University), a historically black school.[2] He did not graduate from there,[2] but later he earned his bachelor's degree fromCal Poly Pomona.[4] Years later, he earned an MBA fromNew York University and then a PhD in education fromFordham University.[2]
Barnett accepted a basketball scholarship fromTennessee A&I State College (now Tennessee State University), to play under coachJohn McLendon.[2] As a freshman, he was given the nickname "Dick the Skull". He was known for his trademark "question mark" jump shot, with an unusual technique of kicking his legs back[3] as he released the ball with his left hand, taunting the defenders by saying, "Too late; Fall back baby".[5]
He became a three-timeAssociated Press Little CollegeAll-American, helping theTigers to a 36-game winning streak and three consecutiveNational Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) national championships. He received back-to-backmost valuable player honors in the1958 and1959 NAIA tournaments.[6] Tennessee A&I became the firsthistorically black college to win an integrated men's basketball title.[6][7]
Barnett graduated as the school's All-time scorer with 3,209 points for a 23.6 average in 136 games, while also recording 1,571 career rebounds for an 11.6 average, a career shooting percentage of 44.8 and 80.0 from the free throw line.
In 1986, he was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame. In 1990, the school retired his No. 12 Jersey. In 1993, he was inducted into theIndiana Basketball Hall of Fame. In 2005, he was inducted into theTennessee Sports Hall of Fame. In 2007, he was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, along with his coachJohn McLendon.[8] In 2012, he was named to the NAIA 75th Anniversary All-Star Team. In 2016, he was inducted into the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame.[9] In 2019, the 1957–59 Tennessee A&I Tigers men's basketball team was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
Barnett was selected by theSyracuse Nationals (now thePhiladelphia 76ers) in the first round (4th overall) of the1959 NBA draft. He was used in a sixth man role behind guardsLarry Costello andHal Greer.[3] As a rookie, he averaged 12.4 points per game. In the 1960–61 season, he scored 16.9 points, which ranked seventh among the league's backcourt players.
In 1961, he signed with theCleveland Pipers of theAmerican Basketball League (ABL), which were owned byGeorge Steinbrenner (the future owner of theNew York Yankees) and coached byJohn McLendon. He was a part of the 1961–62 ABL Championship team.
On December 21, 1961, the Nationals won a court order barring him from playing that season in the rival American Basketball League.[10]
On September 7, 1962, theSyracuse Nationals sold his player rights to theLos Angeles Lakers, for $35,000,[3] which at the time was the highest player-for-money transaction in league history.[11] He was also used in a sixth man role with the Lakers, behindElgin Baylor andJerry West. He helped the team win the Western Division title after West missed 27 games with a leg injury.
Famous Laker announcerChick Hearn nicknamed him "Fall Back Baby". He averaged 16.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists during his three seasons with the team.
On October 14, 1965, Barnett was traded to theNew York Knicks in exchange forBob Boozer and cash considerations.[12] In his first season, he led the team in scoring with a 23.1 average. In 1968, he made his onlyAll-Star appearance.
In 1970, he helped the Knicks beat the Lakers for the NBA title. In 1973, he contributed to the team winning a second championship against the Lakers. He was released on October 23, 1973.[13] He scored 15,358 regular season points in his career. In 1990, the Knicks retired his No. 12 jersey in the rafters ofMadison Square Garden.
Barnett taught Sports Management atSt. John's University inNew York City from 2003[14] to 2007.[15]
Barnett was the subject of the 2022 documentary filmThe Dream Whisperer which chronicles theTennessee A&I Tigers teams that won three NAIA basketball championships between 1957 and 1959.[16]
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| † | Won anNBA championship | * | Led the league |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959–60 | Syracuse | 57 | – | 21.7 | .412 | – | .711 | 2.7 | 2.8 | – | – | 12.4 |
| 1960–61 | Syracuse | 78 | – | 26.5 | .452 | – | .712 | 3.6 | 2.8 | – | – | 16.9 |
| 1962–63 | L.A. Lakers | 80* | – | 31.8 | .471 | – | .815 | 3.0 | 2.8 | – | – | 18.0 |
| 1963–64 | L.A. Lakers | 78 | – | 33.6 | .452 | – | .773 | 3.2 | 3.1 | – | – | 18.4 |
| 1964–65 | L.A. Lakers | 74 | – | 27.4 | .413 | – | .799 | 2.7 | 2.1 | – | – | 13.8 |
| 1965–66 | New York | 79 | – | 34.5 | .469 | – | .772 | 4.1 | 3.5 | – | – | 23.1 |
| 1966–67 | New York | 67 | – | 29.4 | .478 | – | .783 | 3.4 | 2.4 | – | – | 17.0 |
| 1967–68 | New York | 81 | – | 30.7 | .482 | – | .780 | 2.9 | 3.0 | – | – | 18.0 |
| 1968–69 | New York | 82 | – | 36.0 | .463 | – | .774 | 3.1 | 3.5 | – | – | 17.6 |
| 1969–70† | New York | 82* | – | 33.8 | .475 | – | .714 | 2.7 | 3.6 | – | – | 14.9 |
| 1970–71 | New York | 82 | – | 34.7 | .456 | – | .694 | 2.9 | 2.7 | – | – | 15.5 |
| 1971–72 | New York | 79 | – | 28.6 | .437 | – | .753 | 1.9 | 2.5 | – | – | 12.2 |
| 1972–73† | New York | 51 | – | 10.1 | .389 | – | .533 | 0.8 | 1.0 | – | – | 3.8 |
| 1973–74 | New York | 5 | – | 11.6 | .385 | – | .667 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 4.4 |
| Career | 971 | – | 29.8 | .456 | – | .761 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 15.8 | |
| All-Star | 1 | 0 | 22.0 | .583 | – | .500 | 0.0 | 1.0 | – | – | 15.0 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | Syracuse | 3 | – | 21.3 | .316 | – | .857 | 4.7 | 1.3 | – | – | 10.0 |
| 1961 | Syracuse | 8 | – | 28.3 | .438 | – | .722 | 4.5 | 1.5 | – | – | 15.5 |
| 1963 | L.A. Lakers | 13 | – | 28.5 | .470 | – | .794 | 2.9 | 1.6 | – | – | 16.8 |
| 1964 | L.A. Lakers | 5 | – | 30.8 | .404 | – | .844 | 1.6 | 3.4 | – | – | 13.8 |
| 1965 | L.A. Lakers | 10 | – | 28.7 | .480 | – | .795 | 3.0 | 3.3 | – | – | 17.5 |
| 1968 | New York | 6 | – | 35.2 | .521 | – | .724 | 4.5 | 3.5 | – | – | 23.8 |
| 1969 | New York | 10 | – | 40.2 | .399 | – | .685 | 3.5 | 2.7 | – | – | 16.7 |
| 1970† | New York | 19 | – | 37.6 | .468 | – | .776 | 2.1 | 3.4 | – | – | 16.9 |
| 1971 | New York | 12 | – | 37.9 | .477 | – | .698 | 3.2 | 3.0 | – | – | 19.5 |
| 1972 | New York | 12 | – | 10.9 | .469 | – | .417 | 0.7 | 0.8 | – | – | 4.3 |
| 1973† | New York | 4 | – | 4.3 | .500 | – | – | 0.0 | 0.5 | – | – | 1.5 |
| Career | 102 | – | 29.7 | .458 | – | .748 | 2.7 | 2.4 | – | – | 15.1 | |
![[icon]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aWiki_letter_w_cropped.svg) | This sectionneeds expansion. You can help byadding to it.(April 2025) |
Barnett was known for his sharp wit,[5] being a snappy dresser, and his love of card playing, especially poker.[3]
On April 27, 2025, it was announced that Barnett had died overnight in his sleep in asenior living center inLargo, Florida, at the age of 88.[2][17]