Dick Barnett

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American basketball player (1936–2025)

title: "Dick Barnett" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1936-births", "2025-deaths", "american-basketball-league-(1961–62)-players", "american-men's-basketball-players", "basketball-players-from-gary,-indiana", "cleveland-pipers-players", "fordham-university-alumni", "los-angeles-lakers-players", "national-collegiate-basketball-hall-of-fame-inductees", "nba-all-stars", "nba-players-with-retired-numbers", "new-york-knicks-players", "shooting-guards", "syracuse-nationals-draft-picks", "syracuse-nationals-players", "tennessee-state-tigers-basketball-players"] description: "American basketball player (1936–2025)" topic_path: "science/astronomy" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Barnett" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary American basketball player (1936–2025) ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox basketball biography"]

FieldValue
nameDick Barnett
imageDick Barnett.jpeg
career_positionShooting guard
height_ft6
height_in4
weight_lb190
career_number5, 12
birth_date
birth_placeGary, Indiana, U.S.
death_date
death_placeLargo, Florida, U.S.
high_schoolTheodore Roosevelt (Gary, Indiana)
collegeTennessee State (1955–1959)
draft_year1959
draft_round1
draft_pick4
draft_teamSyracuse Nationals
career_start1959
career_end1973
years1–
team1Syracuse Nationals
years21961–1962
team2Cleveland Pipers
years3–
team3Los Angeles Lakers
years4–
team4New York Knicks
highlights* 2× NBA champion (1970, 1973)
HOF_playerdick-barnett
CBBASKHOF_year2007
stats_leagueNBA
stat1labelPoints
stat1value15,358 (15.8 ppg)
stat2labelRebounds
stat2value2,812 (2.9 rpg)
stat3labelAssists
stat3value2,729 (2.8 apg)
nbanew76107
::

| name = Dick Barnett | image = Dick Barnett.jpeg | width = | caption = | career_position = Shooting guard | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 4 | weight_lb = 190 | league = | team = | career_number = 5, 12 | birth_date = | birth_place = Gary, Indiana, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = Largo, Florida, U.S. | high_school = Theodore Roosevelt (Gary, Indiana) | college = Tennessee State (1955–1959) | draft_year = 1959 | draft_round = 1 | draft_pick = 4 | draft_team = Syracuse Nationals | career_start = 1959 | career_end = 1973 | years1 = – | team1 = Syracuse Nationals | years2 = 1961–1962 | team2 = Cleveland Pipers | years3 = – | team3 = Los Angeles Lakers | years4 = – | team4 = New York Knicks | highlights = * 2× NBA champion (1970, 1973)

Richard Barnett (October 2, 1936 – April 27, 2025) was an American professional basketball player who was a shooting guard in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Syracuse Nationals, Los Angeles Lakers, and New York Knicks. He won two NBA championships with the Knicks. Barnett was also a member of the Cleveland Pipers in the American Basketball League. He played college basketball for the Tennessee A&I State Tigers. Barnett was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024.

Early years, family and education

Barnett was born in Gary, Indiana, on October 2, 1936 and later attended Theodore Roosevelt High School. His father was a steel worker, and his mother worked at a candy store.

He became one of the best basketball players in the state of Indiana. His senior year, he led his team to the state basketball championship, which was the first final where two predominantly African American basketball squads faced each other. The team lost to Crispus Attucks High School and their future NBA star Oscar Robertson. He received All-state honors.

Barnett attended Tennessee A&I State College (now Tennessee State University), a historically black school. Years later, he earned an MBA from New York University and then a PhD in education from Fordham University.

College athletic career

Barnett accepted a basketball scholarship from Tennessee A&I State College (now Tennessee State University), to play under coach John McLendon.

He became a three-time Associated Press Little College All-American, helping the Tigers to a 36-game winning streak and three consecutive National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) national championships. He received back-to-back most valuable player honors in the 1958 and 1959 NAIA tournaments. Tennessee A&I became the first historically black college to win an integrated men's basketball title.

Barnett graduated as the school's All-time scorer with 3,209 points for a 23.6 average in 136 games, while also recording 1,571 career rebounds for an 11.6 average, a career shooting percentage of 44.8 and 80.0 from the free throw line.

In 1986, he was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame. In 1990, the school retired his No. 12 Jersey. In 1993, he was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame. In 2005, he was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. In 2007, he was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, along with his coach John McLendon. In 2012, he was named to the NAIA 75th Anniversary All-Star Team. In 2016, he was inducted into the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame. In 2019, the 1957–59 Tennessee A&I Tigers men's basketball team was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

Professional basketball career

Syracuse Nationals

Barnett was selected by the Syracuse Nationals (now the Philadelphia 76ers) in the first round (4th overall) of the 1959 NBA draft. He was used in a sixth man role behind guards Larry Costello and Hal Greer. As a rookie, he averaged 12.4 points per game. In the 1960–61 season, he scored 16.9 points, which ranked seventh among the league's backcourt players.

Cleveland Pipers

In 1961, he signed with the Cleveland Pipers of the American Basketball League (ABL), which were owned by George Steinbrenner (the future owner of the New York Yankees) and coached by John McLendon. He was a part of the 1961–62 ABL Championship team.

On December 21, 1961, the Nationals won a court order barring him from playing that season in the rival American Basketball League.

Los Angeles Lakers

On September 7, 1962, the Syracuse Nationals sold his player rights to the Los Angeles Lakers, for $35,000, He was also used in a sixth man role with the Lakers, behind Elgin Baylor and Jerry West. He helped the team win the Western Division title after West missed 27 games with a leg injury.

Famous Laker announcer Chick Hearn nicknamed him "Fall Back Baby". He averaged 16.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists during his three seasons with the team.

New York Knicks

On October 14, 1965, Barnett was traded to the New York Knicks in exchange for Bob Boozer and cash considerations. In his first season, he led the team in scoring with a 23.1 average. In 1968, he made his only All-Star appearance.

In 1970, he helped the Knicks beat the Lakers for the NBA title. In 1973, he contributed to the team winning a second championship against the Lakers. He was released on October 23, 1973. He scored 15,358 regular season points in his career. In 1990, the Knicks retired his No. 12 jersey in the rafters of Madison Square Garden.

Career after athletics

Barnett taught Sports Management at St. John's University in New York City from 2003 to 2007.

In the media

Barnett was the subject of the 2022 documentary film The Dream Whisperer which chronicles the Tennessee A&I Tigers teams that won three NAIA basketball championships between 1957 and 1959.

NBA career statistics

Regular season

|- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"|Syracuse | 57 || – || 21.7 || .412 || – || .711 || 2.7 || 2.8 || – || – || 12.4 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"|Syracuse | 78 || – || 26.5 || .452 || – || .712 || 3.6 || 2.8 || – || – || 16.9 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"|L.A. Lakers | style="background:#cfecec;"|80* || – || 31.8 || .471 || – || .815 || 3.0 || 2.8 || – || – || 18.0 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"|L.A. Lakers | 78 || – || 33.6 || .452 || – || .773 || 3.2 || 3.1 || – || – || 18.4 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"|L.A. Lakers | 74 || – || 27.4 || .413 || – || .799 || 2.7 || 2.1 || – || – || 13.8 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"|New York | 79 || – || 34.5 || .469 || – || .772 || 4.1 || 3.5 || – || – || 23.1 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"|New York | 67 || – || 29.4 || .478 || – || .783 || 3.4 || 2.4 || – || – || 17.0 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"|New York | 81 || – || 30.7 || .482 || – || .780 || 2.9 || 3.0 || – || – || 18.0 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"|New York | 82 || – || 36.0 || .463 || – || .774 || 3.1 || 3.5 || – || – || 17.6 |- | style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"| † | style="text-align:left;"|New York | style="background:#cfecec;"|82* || – || 33.8 || .475 || – || .714 || 2.7 || 3.6 || – || – || 14.9 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"|New York | 82 || – || 34.7 || .456 || – || .694 || 2.9 || 2.7 || – || – || 15.5 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"|New York | 79 || – || 28.6 || .437 || – || .753 || 1.9 || 2.5 || – || – || 12.2 |- | style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"| † | style="text-align:left;"|New York | 51 || – || 10.1 || .389 || – || .533 || 0.8 || 1.0 || – || – || 3.8 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"|New York | 5 || – || 11.6 || .385 || – || .667 || 0.8 || 1.2 || 0.2 || 0.0 || 4.4 |- class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career | 971 || – || 29.8 || .456 || – || .761 || 2.9 || 2.8 || 0.2 || 0.0 || 15.8 |- class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| All-Star | 1 || 0 || 22.0 || .583 || – || .500 || 0.0 || 1.0 || – || – || 15.0

Playoffs

|- |style="text-align:left;"|1960 |style="text-align:left;"|Syracuse |3||–||21.3||.316||–||.857||4.7||1.3||–||–||10.0 |- |style="text-align:left;"|1961 |style="text-align:left;"|Syracuse |8||–||28.3||.438||–||.722||4.5||1.5||–||–||15.5 |- |style="text-align:left;"|1963 |style="text-align:left;"|L.A. Lakers |13||–||28.5||.470||–||.794||2.9||1.6||–||–||16.8 |- |style="text-align:left;"|1964 |style="text-align:left;"|L.A. Lakers |5||–||30.8||.404||–||.844||1.6||3.4||–||–||13.8 |- |style="text-align:left;"|1965 |style="text-align:left;"|L.A. Lakers |10||–||28.7||.480||–||.795||3.0||3.3||–||–||17.5 |- |style="text-align:left;"|1968 |style="text-align:left;"|New York |6||–||35.2||.521||–||.724||4.5||3.5||–||–||23.8 |- |style="text-align:left;"|1969 |style="text-align:left;"|New York |10||–||40.2||.399||–||.685||3.5||2.7||–||–||16.7 |- |style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"|1970† |style="text-align:left;"|New York |19||–||37.6||.468||–||.776||2.1||3.4||–||–||16.9 |- |style="text-align:left;"|1971 |style="text-align:left;"|New York |12||–||37.9||.477||–||.698||3.2||3.0||–||–||19.5 |- |style="text-align:left;"|1972 |style="text-align:left;"|New York |12||–||10.9||.469||–||.417||0.7||0.8||–||–||4.3 |- | style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"|1973† |style="text-align:left;"|New York |4||–||4.3||.500||–||–||0.0||0.5||–||–||1.5 |- |- class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career | 102 || – || 29.7 || .458 || – || .748 || 2.7 || 2.4 || – || – || 15.1

Personal life and death

Barnett was known for his sharp wit, being a snappy dresser, and his love of card playing, especially poker.

On April 27, 2025, it was announced that Barnett had died overnight in his sleep in a senior living center in Largo, Florida, at the age of 88.

References

References

  1. (April 6, 2024). "Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announces 13 inductees for Class of 2024".
  2. Goldstein, Richard. (April 27, 2025). "Dick Barnett, Champion Knick With a Singular Jump Shot, Dies at 88". [[The New York Times]].
  3. Leggett, William. (January 17, 1966). "A New Knick With A Knack".
  4. "Dick Barnett bio".
  5. "Tennessee Sports HOF inductee Dick Barnett". Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.
  6. (April 6, 2024). "Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announces 13 inductees for Class of 2024".
  7. (April 2, 2007). "Dick Barnett and coach John Mclendon inductee selections for College Basketball HO".
  8. "Dick Barnett". Small College Basketball Hall of Fame.
  9. (December 22, 1961). "Pipers Lose Dick Barnett". [[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]].
  10. (September 8, 1962). "Lakers Swing Record Deal to Get Barnett". Los Angeles Times.
  11. (October 15, 1965). "Knicks Acquire Dick Barnett In Trade As Boozer Goes To Los Angeles". The Record.
  12. (October 24, 1973). "Transactions". [[Fort Lauderdale News]].
  13. Kaufman, Adam. (April 29, 2025). "Dick Barnett, Knicks Legend, Educator, and Fordham Grad, Dies at 88". Fordham University.
  14. "Dick Barnett". LakeNet.
  15. (April 26, 2022). "Dick Barnett wouldn't let basketball's most overlooked three-peat be lost to history". Los Angeles Times.

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

1936-births2025-deathsamerican-basketball-league-(1961–62)-playersamerican-men's-basketball-playersbasketball-players-from-gary,-indianacleveland-pipers-playersfordham-university-alumnilos-angeles-lakers-playersnational-collegiate-basketball-hall-of-fame-inducteesnba-all-starsnba-players-with-retired-numbersnew-york-knicks-playersshooting-guardssyracuse-nationals-draft-pickssyracuse-nationals-playerstennessee-state-tigers-basketball-players