Willis Reed Jr. (June 25, 1942 – March 21, 2023) was an American professionalbasketball player, coach, and general manager. He spent hisentire ten-year pro playing career (1964–1974) with theNew York Knicks of theNational Basketball Association (NBA). Reed was a seven-timeNBA All-Star and five-timeAll-NBA selection, including once on the first team in 1970, when he was named theNBA Most Valuable Player (MVP). UntilNikola Jokić won his first MVP in2020-21, he was the only player drafted in the second round to win the award. He was a two-timeNBA champion (1970, 1973) and was voted theNBA Finals MVP both times. In 1982, Reed was inducted into theNaismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He was named to both theNBA's 50th and75th anniversary teams.
After retiring as a player, Reed served as assistant and head coach with several teams for nearly a decade, then was promoted to general manager and vice president of basketball operations (1989–1996) for theNew Jersey Nets. As senior vice president of basketball operations, he helped to lead them to theNBA Finals in2002 and2003.
Born on June 25, 1942, inHico, Louisiana, Willis Reed Jr. was the only child of Willis Sr. and Inell Reed.[1][2] Reed was born three weeks before his father joined the Army for the duration ofWorld War II.[3] His parents moved from his grandparents' farm toBernice, Louisiana, where they worked to ensure Reed got an education in thesegregated South.[1]
Reed showed athletic ability at an early age and played basketball at all black high schools; first Elliott High School in Bernice, where his family lived, and then 9 miles away at the new West Side High School inLillie, Louisiana, which had been built in response to theU.S. Supreme Court decision inBrown v. Board of Education. He played under coach Lendon Smith, and led West Side to two state tournaments and a state championship. In his senior year, it is said that Reed once scored 58 points in a game playing barefoot, after his shoes were stolen.[4][3]
Reed was All-State in football (as an end) and basketball, and he set a state record in thediscus throw. He was recruited by colleges, such asLoyola of Chicago,Nebraska andWisconsin, for basketball. Reed attendedGrambling State University, ahistorically black college, playing under coach Fred Hobdy. He became a starter as a freshman, the team won theNAIA tournament, and he was named to the all-tournament team as a freshman.[3]
Playing for theGrambling State Tigers men's basketball team, Reed scored 2,280 careerpoints, averaging 26.6points per game and 21.3rebounds per game during his senior year. He led the Tigers to oneNAIA title and threeSouthwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) championships, and a 108–17 record. He averaged 22 points per game in 12 NAIA tournament games.[4][3] Reed also was a member ofPhi Beta Sigma fraternity.[5] He was inducted into the SWAC Hall of Fame in 1994.[6]
Among his basketball teammates were futurePro Football Hall of Fame playerBuck Buchanan, and future AFL playerErnie Ladd.[7]
TheNew York Knicks selected Reed with the first pick in the second round of the1964 NBA draft.[2] Reed quickly made a name for himself as a fierce, dominating, and physical force on both ends of the floor as acenter. In March 1965, he scored 46 points against theLos Angeles Lakers, the second-most points in a game ever by the Knicks' rookie. For the 1964–65 season, he was seventh-ranked in the NBA in scoring (19.5 points per game) and fifth-ranked in rebounding (14.7 rebounds per game). He also began one of his multiple All-Star appearances and won theNBA Rookie of the Year Award,[8] while also being named to theNBA All-Rookie First Team.[9]
For a few years, the Knicks struggled while adding valuable players through trades and drafts. Midway through the 1967–68 season,Dick McGuire was replaced as coach withRed Holzman. The Knicks had accumulated a 15–22 record under McGuire but then in the part of the season that Holzman led them achieved a 28–17 record, for a 43–39 season, its first winning record since the 1958–59 season.[10]
Reed continued to be selected annually for theNBA All-Star Game. By that time he was playing as a power forward to open up the center position forWalt Bellamy.[11] Reed averaged 11.6 rebounds in 1965–66 and 14.6 in 1966–67, both ranked top 10-best in the league. He averaged 20.9 points in the latter season.[12]
In 1968–69, the Knicks had traded Bellamy andHoward Komives to theDetroit Pistons forDave DeBusschere, allowing the Knicks to move Reed back to center.[11] New York's defense surrendered a league-low 105.2 points per game. For five of the next six seasons, the Knicks were the best defensive team in the league, with Reed in the middle and additional defensive efforts byWalt Frazier.[11] Reed scored 21.1 points per game in 1968–69 and grabbed a franchise-record 1,191 rebounds, with an average of 14.5 rebounds per game.[12]
In the1969–70 season, the Knicks won a franchise-record 60 games and set a then single-season NBA record with an18-game win streak. In 1970, Reed became the first player in NBA history to be named theNBA All-Star Game MVP, theNBA regular season MVP, and theNBA Finals MVP in the same season. In the same year he was named to theAll-NBA First Team andNBA All-Defensive First Team, as well as being named asABC'sWide World of Sports Athlete of the Year, and theSporting News NBA MVP.[11]
Reed's most famous performance happened on May 8, 1970, in game seven of the1970 NBA Finals against theLos Angeles Lakers inMadison Square Garden.[13] Due to a severe thigh injury, a torn muscle that had previously kept him out of game six, he was considered unlikely to play in game seven. However Reed surprised the fans by walking onto the court during warmups, prompting widespread applause. Starting the game, he scored the Knicks' first two field goals on his first two shot attempts, his only points of the game.[11] Reed played 27 minutes, finishing with four points and three rebounds. The Lakers were totally thrown off by Reed's appearance and the Knicks won 113-99.[14] After the game in the winner's locker room, a movedHoward Cosell told Reed on national television, "You exemplify the very best that the human spirit can offer."[15]
The Knicks slipped to a 52–30 record in the 1970–71 season; despite this, the Knicks took first place in the Atlantic Division. In the middle of the season against theCincinnati Royals, Reed tiedHarry Gallatin's all-time team record of 33 rebounds. He started again in that season's All-Star Game. His season average was 20.9 points and 13.7 rebounds per game, but the Knicks were knocked out by theBaltimore Bullets in the Eastern Conference Finals.[16] During the 1971–72 season, Reed had problems withtendonitis in his left knee, which limited his mobility.[17] After a two-week hiatus, he returned to the court, only to have the injured knee prevent him from playing shortly thereafter; in total, he played 11 games for the season. Without Reed, the Knicks still managed to make the NBA Finals, but were defeated in five games by the Los Angeles Lakers.[18]
The 1972–73 Knicks' season concluded with a 57–25 record, and they proceeded to win another NBA championship.[19] Averaging only 11.0 points in 69 regular season games, Reed's contribution was a far cry from his record two seasons prior. In the playoffs, the Knicks defeated the Bullets and upset theBoston Celtics, and again faced the Lakers in the NBA Finals. After losing the first game, the Knicks won four straight, securing their second NBA championship with a 102–93 victory in game five, as Reed scored 18 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and recorded seven assists in the deciding victory.[20] After the win, Reed was named NBA Finals MVP.[21]
Reed's career was cut short by injuries, and he retired after the1973–74 season.[22] For his career Reed averaged 18.7 points and 12.9 rebounds per game, playing 650 games. He played in seven All-Star Games.[23]
Reed spent several years coaching before moving into general management.
He coached the Knicks in 1977–1978, and left the team 14 games into the following season (49–47 record).
He was the head coach atCreighton University from 1981 to 1985 and volunteer assistant coach forSt. John's University.
Reed served as an assistant coach for theAtlanta Hawks from 1985 to 1987.[16]
Reed served as an assistant coach for theSacramento Kings from 1987 to 1988.
Reed debuted as head coach of theNew Jersey Nets on March 1, 1988, one week after the Nets' star forward (and Reed's cousin)Orlando Woolridge was suspended by the league and was to undergo drug rehabilitation.[24] He compiled a 33–77 record with the Nets.
In 1989, he stepped down as coach and became the Nets' vice president of basketball and business development.[25] He was given the responsibility for personnel in 1993, receiving a three-year contract extension and gaining general manager duties.[26] During that time, he draftedKenny Anderson andDerrick Coleman,[11] acquiredDražen Petrović, and made the Nets a playoff contender throughout the early 1990s.Chuck Daly was hired by Reed to coach the Nets for the 1992–93 and 1993–94 seasons.[11] In 1996, Reed was promoted to senior vice president of basketball operations, while continuing his goal of turning the Nets into championship contenders.[11] They made theNBA Finals in 2002 and 2003.[1]
Reed then became the vice president of basketball operations with theNew Orleans Hornets in 2004.[27] He retired in 2007.[28]
Rap songs have mentioned Reed, recognizing his impressive athleticism and skill. Examples includeKurtis Blow's 1984 hit "Basketball"[37] on hisEgo Trip album, and theBeastie Boys' "Long Burn The Fire" on their 2011 albumHot Sauce Committee Part Two.[38]
Reed's name has become synonymous with playing through injury, asCris Collinsworth described an injuredAaron Rodgers as having a "Willis Reed kind of night" on theNBC Sunday Night Football broadcast on September 9, 2018.[14]
Reed and his first wife, Geraldine Oliver, married when both were still attending Grambling State University. They had two children, Karl Vance and Veronica Marie, and the marriage ended in divorce.[2] He then married Gale Kennedy, a nurse, in 1983. The wedding was held inRoslyn Heights, New York.[39]
Reed died from heart failure inHouston, Texas, on March 21, 2023, at age 80.[1][40]
| 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 |
Source:[12]
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964–65 | New York | 80* | — | 38.0 | .432 | — | .742 | 14.7 | 1.7 | — | — | 19.5 |
| 1965–66 | New York | 76 | — | 33.4 | .434 | — | .757 | 11.6 | 1.2 | — | — | 15.5 |
| 1966–67 | New York | 78 | — | 36.2 | .489 | — | .735 | 14.6 | 1.6 | — | — | 20.9 |
| 1967–68 | New York | 81 | — | 35.5 | .490 | — | .721 | 13.2 | 2.0 | — | — | 20.8 |
| 1968–69 | New York | 82 | — | 37.9 | .521 | — | .747 | 14.5 | 2.3 | — | — | 21.1 |
| 1969–70† | New York | 81 | — | 38.1 | .507 | — | .756 | 13.9 | 2.0 | — | — | 21.7 |
| 1970–71 | New York | 73 | — | 39.1 | .462 | — | .785 | 13.7 | 2.0 | — | — | 20.9 |
| 1971–72 | New York | 11 | — | 33.0 | .438 | — | .692 | 8.7 | 2.0 | — | — | 13.4 |
| 1972–73† | New York | 69 | — | 27.2 | .474 | — | .742 | 8.6 | 1.8 | — | — | 11.0 |
| 1973–74 | New York | 19 | — | 26.3 | .457 | — | .792 | 7.4 | 1.6 | .6 | 1.1 | 11.1 |
| Career | 650 | — | 35.5 | .476 | — | .747 | 12.9 | 1.8 | .6 | 1.1 | 18.7 | |
| All-Star | 7 | 4 | 23.0 | .452 | — | .750 | 8.3 | 1.0 | — | — | 12.6 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | New York | 4 | — | 37.0 | .538 | — | .960 | 13.8 | 1.8 | — | — | 27.5 |
| 1968 | New York | 6 | — | 35.0 | .541 | — | .733 | 10.3 | 1.8 | — | — | 21.3 |
| 1969 | New York | 10 | — | 42.9 | .510 | — | .786 | 14.1 | 1.9 | — | — | 25.7 |
| 1970† | New York | 18 | — | 40.7 | .471 | — | .737 | 13.8 | 2.8 | — | — | 23.7 |
| 1971 | New York | 12 | — | 42.0 | .413 | — | .667 | 12.0 | 2.3 | — | — | 15.7 |
| 1973† | New York | 17 | — | 28.6 | .466 | — | .857 | 7.6 | 1.8 | — | — | 12.8 |
| 1974 | New York | 11 | — | 12.0 | .378 | — | .600 | 2.0 | .4 | .2 | .0 | 3.4 |
| Career | 78 | — | 33.9 | .474 | — | .765 | 10.3 | 1.9 | .2 | .0 | 17.4 | |
| Regular season | G | Games coached | W | Games won | L | Games lost | W–L % | Win–loss % |
| Playoffs | PG | Playoff games | PW | Playoff wins | PL | Playoff losses | PW–L % | Playoff win–loss % |
| Team | Year | G | W | L | W–L% | Finish | PG | PW | PL | PW–L% | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York Knicks | 1977–78 | 82 | 43 | 39 | .524 | 2nd in Atlantic | 6 | 2 | 4 | .333 | Lost inEastern Conference Semifinals |
| New York Knicks | 1978–79 | 14 | 6 | 8 | .429 | (fired) | — | — | — | — | - |
| New Jersey Nets | 1987–88 | 28 | 7 | 21 | .250 | 5th in Atlantic) | — | — | — | — | Missed Playoffs |
| New Jersey Nets | 1988–89 | 82 | 26 | 56 | .317 | 4th in Atlantic) | — | — | — | — | Missed Playoffs |
Links to related articles | |
|---|---|
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
