When was Knicks icon Dick Barnett inducted into the Hall of Fame? Career revisited as he dies at 88

Dick Barnett, who starred as a guard for the New York Knicks in the early 1970s, died in his sleep on April 27, 2025, at age 88 in Largo, Florida. Over a 14-season NBA career, Richard “Dick” Barnett scored 15,358 points, averaging 15.8 per game.

Barnett helped New York capture the only two championships in franchise history in 1970 and 1973. His trademark high-arching left-handed jumper, dubbed “Fall Back, Baby,” became an enduring symbol of creativity on the court.

In April 2024, the Men’s Veteran Committee voted him into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. After retiring, Dick Barnett earned advanced degrees and taught sports management at St. John’s University.

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Dick Barnett spent his early days making history at Tennessee state

Dick Barnett was born on October 2, 1936, in Gary, Indiana, and developed his basketball skills at Tennessee A&I State College (now Tennessee State University). From 1957 through 1959, he led the Tigers to three consecutive NAIA national titles under coach John McLendon.

He earned All-America honors each year and was named NAIA tournament MVP in both 1958 and 1959. ESPN later noted that Dick Barnett and his teammates were among the most decorated HBCU athletes of their era. Those collegiate achievements built Barnett’s reputation as an innovator and set the stage for a versatile professional career.

Barnett transitioned to professional ranks with the nationals and pipers

Dick Barnett entered the NBA in 1959 as the fourth overall pick by the Syracuse Nationals. His rookie campaign yielded 12.4 points per game, rising to 16.9 in his second season. In 1961, he signed with George Steinbrenner’s Cleveland Pipers of the American Basketball League, helping them secure the 1962 ABL championship.

That season, Dick Barnett earned All-ABL First Team honors, demonstrating a polished scoring touch. These early stops refined his unorthodox jumper and prepared him for larger roles in the NBA landscape.

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Barnett honed his craft with the Lakers and caught public attention

In September 1962, Syracuse sold Dick Barnett’s NBA rights to the Los Angeles Lakers for a then-record $35,000. Over three seasons in L.A., he averaged 16.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. Broadcaster Chick Hearn coined the call “Fall Back, Baby!” to highlight Barnett’s high-arching left-handed jumper.

His dynamic play alongside Jerry West and Elgin Baylor earned him notice as both a scorer and a showman. Those years refined a shot style that would become synonymous with his name.

Barnett’s move to New York led to personal scoring highs and an all-star nod

Traded to the New York Knicks in October 1965 for Bob Boozer, Dick Barnett made an immediate impact. He led the team with a career-best 23.1 points per game in his first Knicks season.

That scoring surge earned him the only All-Star selection of his career in 1968. His combination of shooting precision and defensive effort helped stabilise a Knicks roster on the rise. Barnett’s reliability complemented the backcourt playmaking of Walt Frazier and Earl Monroe.

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Barnett played key roles in two Knicks championship runs

Dick Barnett was a starter when the Knicks won the NBA Finals in 1970 and a veteran reserve in the 1973 title run. In Game 7 of the 1970 Finals, he scored 21 points to back Willis Reed’s legendary effort and Walt Frazier’s 37-point outburst.

Three years later, his veteran leadership off the bench helped New York close out the series in five games. Dick Barnett’s contributions, both in points and intangibles, cemented his role in the only two championships in Knicks history.

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Barnett’s signature shot left a lasting mark on basketball

Dick Barnett’s unorthodox left-handed jumper earned the moniker “Fall Back, Baby”. As Dick Barnett released the ball, he’d taunt defenders with “Too late—fall back, baby,” letting teammates know no one could contest the high-arching shot.

Walt Frazier later said, “He had that ‘Fall Back, Baby,’ that’s what he used to say when he’d shoot, meaning, hey, man, you can fall back—this is good when I shoot the ball”.

The move’s inventiveness influenced young players and became a memorable part of NBA lore.

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Barnett’s academic achievements shaped his post-playing career

After retiring in 1974, Dick Barnett pursued further education, earning a bachelor’s in physical education from Cal Poly. He then completed a master’s in public administration at NYU and a doctorate in education at Fordham University in 1991.

Dick Barnett served as an assistant coach under Red Holzman during the 1974–75 season before joining St. John’s University as a sports management professor. He also founded Fall Back Baby Productions to publish poetry and commentary on sports and society. His academic work underscored a lifelong commitment to mentorship beyond basketball.

Dick Barnett received Hall of Fame honors in spring 2024

On April 6, 2024, the Hall of Fame announced Barnett’s election as part of its Class of 2024. Dick Barnett took his place among legends such as Vince Carter and Chauncey Billups at the August enshrinement in Springfield, Massachusetts. Championship teammates Bill Bradley and Earl Monroe presented him, and the audience rose in a unanimous standing ovation.

In a tribute video, Bradley said, “He certainly deserves it. He was one of the greatest shooters, I think, to ever play the game. As a teammate, he was tough on defense and somebody who always kept us loose”.

That honor recognized both his collegiate dominance and NBA success.

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Dick Barnett's passing closed a chapter on a career defined by ingenuity and teamwork. His path from three HBCU championships at Tennessee State to two NBA titles and a Hall of Fame induction reflected both athletic excellence and a pursuit of knowledge.

As Red Holzman wrote in his memoir, “He has such great basketball instinct. He grasps things faster than anyone”.

The Knicks honored his No. 12 jersey in Madison Square Garden’s rafters, and fans continue to recall the perfect arc of his “Fall Back, Baby” jump shot. His legacy as both a pioneering athlete and devoted educator will endure in basketball history.