Willis Reed

Willis Reed Jr. was born in Hico, rural Louisiana, and raised on a farm in Bernice. Attending Grambling State University, an HBCU, under coach Fred Hobdy, Reed dominated the NAIA, scoring 2,280 points and leading Grambling to the 1961 national title. Drafted by the New York Knicks in 1964, Reed won Rookie of the Year and immediately became the vocal leader of Red Holzman's team, built around passing, defense, and collective team basketball ('Hit the open man').

In the 1969–70 season, Reed swept every major individual honor, winning the All-Star Game MVP, NBA regular season MVP, and All-Defensive First Team honors. However, in Game 5 of the 1970 NBA Finals against Wilt Chamberlain and the Los Angeles Lakers, Reed tore a muscle in his right thigh, forcing him to miss Game 6 and rendering him seemingly unable to walk for the decisive Game 7 at Madison Square Garden.

On 8 May 1970, moments before tip-off, Reed emerged from the tunnel in uniform after receiving heavy cortisone injections, limping onto the hardwood as 19,500 fans erupted into thunderous, deafening roars. Starting the game, Reed made the Knicks' first two jump shots over Chamberlain before sitting down, igniting Walt Frazier's 36-point masterpiece to win New York's first-ever NBA championship. In 1973, Reed was named Finals MVP again as the Knicks captured their second championship, retiring as an immortal New York icon.