Overview

• Dick Barnett, a two-time NBA champion with the New York Knicks, passed away in his sleep at age 88 in Largo, Florida, as confirmed by the team.
• Barnett was renowned for his signature left-handed 'Fall Back Baby' jump shot and pivotal contributions to the Knicks' 1970 and 1973 championship runs.
• Before his NBA career, he led Tennessee A&I to three consecutive NAIA championships, making it the first HBCU to win an integrated national basketball title.
• A lifelong advocate for education, Barnett earned a doctorate from Fordham University and later taught sports management at St. John’s University.
• The Knicks retired his No. 12 jersey in 1990, and he was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024, solidifying his enduring impact on basketball history.