Athletes - Walt Frazier

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	Athletes - Walt Frazier

Walter "Clyde" Frazier (born March 29, 1945 in Atlanta, Georgia) is a former basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is currently a spokesman for Just for Men hair products and a color commentator for telecasts of New York Knicks games.

High school and college

After having a great career at David Howard High School in Atlanta, Frazier's choices for furthering his career were limited. Due to policies of racial segregation, major colleges in Georgia, such as Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia as well as all other major universities in the south, did not admit African-Americans. Frazier chose to attend Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

Frazier wasted no time in becoming one of the premier collegiate basketball players in the country. He was named a Division II All-American in 1964 and 1965. In 1965, Frazier led SIU to the NCAA Division II Tournament only to lose in the finals to Evansville 85-82 in overtime. In 1966, he was academically ineligible for basketball.

In 1967, with Frazier playing at point guard, SIU won the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), beating Marquette University 71-56. Frazier was named MVP of the 1967 tournament.

Professional career

Frazier was drafted by the New York Knicks and played for them during which time he picked up the nickname "Clyde" because he wore a simular hat to Warren Beatty who played Clyde Barrow in the 1967 movie Bonnie and Clyde. He was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team in 1968. He was an NBA All-Star seven times, and was the MVP of the 1975 NBA All-Star Game. With Frazier, the Knicks captured the NBA championships in 1970 and 1973.

Frazier held team records for most games (759), minutes played (28,995), field goals attempted (11,669), field goals made (5,736), free throws attempted (4,017), free throws made (3,145), assists (4,791) and points (14,617). Patrick Ewing would eventually break most of those records, but Frazier's assists record still stands.

Frazier was also one of the first players to make stealing the ball an art form. He would make sudden steals and surprise the offense. When asked about his defensive success, he answered that he did not believe in contact defense. Instead, he defended in such a manner that it appeared he was not playing defense. When he did so, the offensive player was often tricked into letting his guard down. That is when Frazier would steal the ball with his quick hands.

Broadcasting

Frazier would move on to becomning a color commentator for New York Knicks games; first on radio and then on television. Frazier's unique style has made him a favorite among fans. This includes using big words and talking in rhymes.

Honors

Walt Frazier's Number 10 Jersey was retired on December 15 1979.

In 1987, Walt Frazier was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

In 1996, he was elected to the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team.

Trivia

Frazier also was one of the "new breed" of athletes that emerged in the 1960s, such as Joe Namath and Dick Allen. While playing in New York, he was famous for dressing in a blaxploitation-inspired style that included long fur coats, fedora hats with feathers, sunglasses, and shirts with butterfly collars.

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