Was Dick Barnett married? All about Knicks NBA champion as he dies aged 88

On Sunday, April 27, the New York Knicks shared via their official X (formerly Twitter) page to announce that former professional basketball Player Dick Barnett passed away at the age of 88. He was considered a Knicks legend and was voted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame (men’s veterans category) in 2024.

According to People Magazine, though the cause of his death is not determined yet, it is reported that Dick Barnett, who never married, passed away in his sleep in an assisted living facility in Largo. Furthermore, though Barnett was frail in the last few years, he was not reported to have been suffering from any fatal illness.

The Knicks shared on their X account that,

"We are terribly saddened to hear about the passing of Knicks legend Dr. Richard Barnett. Throughout his illustrious career, Dick Barnett embodied everything it meant to be a New York Knick(...). Our thoughts are with his family, friends and teammates in this difficult time."

Dick Barnett, aka Richard Barnett, was known for his unique jump shot aka “Fall Back Baby,” a left-handed shot, and was considered an integral part of the New York Knicks' success in the 1970s and was with the Knicks when they won the NBA crown in 1970 and 1973.

More about Dick Barnett's basketball career

Dick Barnett, aka Richard Barnett, a former American professional football player, was born on 2 October 1926 and was 88 years old when he passed away on April 27, 2025.

Coming to his Basketball career, his Wikipedia page states that the Gary (Indiana) native took his high school to the state championship game as a senior, but they lost to Crispus Attucks High School of Indianapolis, led by Oscar Robertson, in the finals.

He also played under coach John McLendon while at Tennessee A&I State College (now Tennessee State University) and helped the team win three consecutive National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) national championships and was the MVP in 1958 and 1959.

According to USA Today, he was drafted to the NBA in the year 1959 with the Philadelphia 76ers (formerly Syracuse) and played two seasons with them. After that, he played one season for the Cleveland Pipers of the American Basketball League (1961-62).

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In 1962, he returned to the NBA and played for the Los Angeles Lakers from 1962 to 1965. His last and final NBA team was the New York Knicks. He joined the Knicks in the year 1965 and stayed with them till 1974. After retirement, he pursued education and earned a doctorate in education at Fordham University. In 2007, Dick Barnett retired from teaching Sports Management at St. John's University.

Dick Barnett's signature move was a unique shooting style called the "question mark" jump shot/“Fall Back Baby” left-handed shot. According to Wikipedia, during the shot, he would kick his legs back while releasing the ball with his left hand. The shot is called "Fall Back Baby" because he reportedly taunted the defenders by saying, "Too late; Fall back baby."

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