Walt Frazier
Broadcaster & Retired Baketball Player
Walt Frazier is a demonstrated leader both on and off the court. Throughout his Hall of Fame career as a guard for the New York Knicks, Walt Frazier brought a smooth style, an honest approach and great natural abilities to every game, becoming one of the great stars in the history of the National Basketball Association. In his current role with Madison Square Garden Network, "Clyde" brings the same skills and approach to each and every game as a Knicks broadcast analyst.
Nicknamed "Clyde" by former Knicks backup center Nate Bowman, who thought Frazier was as slick as Warren Beatty's character Clyde in the movie "Bonnie and Clyde," he brings a unique and innovative approach to his job. "Clyde" uses an array of rhymes and very impressive vocabulary when he is on the air. He travels with a dictionary in his pocket and is often found reading it when traveling with the team.
Mr. Frazier, who has been a staple of the New York community since he began his Knicks career in 1967, has continued to be an integral part of the New York City sports scene. He is one of the rare athletes who likes to "give something back" and has formed "Clyde's Classroom," a comprehensive program where he visits schools throughout the five NYC boroughs to talk about the importance of education.
A graduate of Southern Illinois University, Mr. Frazier was the Knicks first round draft choice in 1967. He played 10 years with the Knicks, helping them capture two World Championships and was named to the NBA's All-Star Team on seven occasions. He played three seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers from 1977-78 to 1979-80 before retiring in 1980. He was the Knicks all-time leading scorer, until Patrick Ewing broke his record for career points during the 1993-94 season.
Following his retirement as a player, Mr. Frazier made his way into broadcasting by working as a television analyst for select Atlanta Hawks games. He also worked several NBA telecasts for TBS before joining MSG Network prior to the 1987-88 season. In 1992 and 1996, "Clyde" was part of the MSG Network Knicks team that won the New York Emmy award for "Outstanding Live Sports Coverage."
"Clyde's" uniform number, 10, was retired to the Garden rafters on October 15, 1979 and he was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1986, along with Rick Barry and the late "Pistol" Pete Maravich. In 1996, "Clyde" was named one of the fifty greatest players in NBA history, as part of the league's golden anniversary. He is also a member of the Madison Square Garden walk of Fame and the Georgia Hall of Fame. His college uniform number, 52, has been retired by Southern Illinois University.
Mr. Frazier lives in Manhattan, but spends a great deal of time in St. Croix in the Virgin Islands where he owns a bed and breakfast. He also enjoys gardening, jogging, sailing, and reading the Arts and Leisure section of the New York Times. He has one son, Walt III, and one daughter, Angel.
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