Willis Reed, New York Knicks Legend, Dead at 80

Willis Reed, a New York Knicks legend who led the team to two NBA Championships, died on Tuesday, the NBA Retired Players Association announced. He was 80 years old. The cause of death was not revealed but Reed has been in poor health recently and couldn’t travel to New York when the Knicks honored the 1973 NBA Championship team in February. 

“The Knicks organization is deeply saddened to announce the passing of our beloved Captain, Willis Reed,” the Knicks said in a statement issued Tuesday afternoon, per ESPN. “As we mourn, we will always strive to uphold the standards he left behind — the unmatched leadership, sacrifice and work ethic that personified him as a champion among champions. His is a legacy that will live forever. We ask everyone to please respect the family’s privacy during this difficult time.”

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Reed, a Louisiana native, began his NBA career in 1964 when the Knicks selected him in the second round. He spent 10 years with the Knicks and was selected an All-Star seven times. Reed was also named NBA MVP in 1970 after averaging 21.7 points and 13.9 rebounds per game. He led the Knicks to an NBA title that season and was named NBA Finals MVP. Reed led the Knicks to another NBA title in 1973 and was named NBA Finals MVP again. He retired after the 1973-74 season due to injuries.

Following his playing career, Reed became a coach in the NBA. He was the head coach of the Knicks in 1977-78 but left the team after 14 games. He then became the head coach at Creighton University before returning to the NBA to be an assistant coach for the Atlanta Hawks and Sacramento Kings. Reed became the New Jersey Nets (now Brooklyn Nets) in 1988 and finished the season with a 33-77 record. He then spent time in the front office for the Nets and the New Orleans Hornets.

In 1982, Reed was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. And in 1996, the Grambling State alum was voted as of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. Last year, Reed was selected to the NBA 74th Anniversary Team. “Willis Reed was the ultimate team player and consummate leader. My earliest and fondest memories of NBA basketball are of watching Willis, who embodied the winning spirit that defined the New York Knicks’ championship teams in the early 1970s,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “He played the game with remarkable passion and determination, and his inspiring comeback in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals remains one of the most iconic moments in all of sports.”