Frazier founded the Walt Frazier Youth Foundation to help inner-city high school students and launched Clyde Frazier's Wine & Dine near Madison Square Garden in Manhattan. I was the oldest of nine siblings. From 1967 to 1977, he was a guard for the New York Knicks, and from 1977 to 1980, he was a guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers. In 1981, at the age of 30, he started his own business -- he hired three salesmen to work for him.
He died in 2001 at the age of 49 after suffering from depression for most of his life. By then, he was one of the best-known figures in basketball and had an impact on the sport that could not be measured in dollars or years.
During the 1976-77 season, the National Basketball Association (NBA) banned Frazier for five seasons because he had tested positive for marijuana use. The NBA later reduced this suspension to four seasons.
Frazier was born in Willingboro, New Jersey on March 11, 1959. He played high school basketball in Trenton, New Jersey and attended Columbia University, where he played college basketball for two seasons before being drafted by the Knicks.
While with the Knicks, Frazier helped lead them to the 1977 NBA Finals where they lost to the Seattle SuperSonics in seven games. That year, he became just the second rookie in NBA history to win the Rookie of the Year Award.
In 1987, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and in 1996, he was named to the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team. Frazier has been an active part of the New York City community since his retirement from professional basketball in 1980. He currently serves as an ambassador for several organizations including Special Olympics New York State, The National Association for Mental Health (NAMH), and The American Heart Association.
Frazier graduated from high school in 1951 in Monroe, Louisiana. He attended Howard University in Washington D.C., where he played on the freshman team before transferring to Iona College in New York City. There, he led the Gaels to their first ever national championship.
After graduating from Iona in 1955, Frazier joined the New York Knicks. He quickly became one of the league's best defenders, and in 1960, he helped the Knicks win their first championship. That same year, he was chosen to play in the inaugural season of the NBA All-Star Game. In 1964, he won his second title with the Knicks, and in 1969, he led the team to its third championship.
In 1975, Frazier signed with the Golden State Warriors, but he was released by the team after one season. He finished his career with the New York Nets, and in 1980, he announced his retirement from basketball.
Frazier was a first-round draft pick of the New York Knicks in 1967 after graduating from Southern Illinois University, which he guided to a National Invitation Tournament championship that year. He spent ten years in New York, averaging 19.3 points per game and helping the Knicks win two World Championships (1969-70 and 1972-73). During that time, he became one of only four players to score over 1,500 points in a season (1,705 in 1977-78) and is one of only three players to average at least 20 points per game for their entire career (along with Oscar Robertson and Michael Jordan). After leaving the Knicks following the 1977-78 season, he played one more season with the Philadelphia 76ers before retiring after the 1978-79 season.
Walt Frazier passed away on September 5, 2010 at the age of 70. He had been suffering from bone marrow cancer since early 2008.
Frazier was a five-time all-star and won the NBA Championship with the Knicks in 1969 and 1970. He also won an Olympic gold medal with the United States national basketball team in 1976.
After his playing days were over, he stayed in touch with the sport by working as an analyst for ESPN during basketball seasons. He also worked as a color commentator for several New York Yankees games during the 1980's and 1990's when Mike Tyson was boxing.
Derek Frazier, Dennis Frazier, Marvis Jr. Joe Frazier Synov'ia/Dzho Freizer Derek Frazier, Joe Frazier's son, is one of 16 new houseguests for the upcoming season, which begins Wednesday at 8 p.m. Frazier is a 29-year-old safety officer. While his father was known in the boxing arena for his quiet manner, Frazier characterizes himself as loud, talkative, and outspoken. He says he likes to have fun at parties, but also admits that he can be serious when needed.
Frazier graduated from Cardinal Hayes High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and went on to play football for Boston College. He transferred to Howard University after one year to play basketball. After graduating from Howard with a bachelor's degree in social science, he entered the police force. He currently works for the Brooklyn District Attorney's office as a probation officer.
Frazier became interested in boxing when his father took him to see Muhammad Ali fight Sonny Liston in 1964. He says he remembers being amazed by Ali's speed and talent for mixing it up with both boxers.
After watching his father win the heavyweight championship from Ali via decision at the 1975 World Boxing Championships in Manila, Philippines, Frazier decided to try out for the Olympic team. However, he was not allowed to compete because of blood tests that showed high levels of testosterone. This rule was later changed to allow boxers who had taken steroids prior to 1985 to compete if they passed a drug test within 15 days of the start of the competition.
Frazier has been acknowledged as a fashion icon since the late 1960s and was one of the first prominent pro sportsmen to be recognized as such. Clyde So Fly's website collects and analyzes every suit he wears while presenting New York Knicks games on the MSG Network. The site also features photos of Frazier in action on the court, interviews with friends and fans, and even a section called "Walt's Wardrobe" that covers topics such as why he preferred blue jeans and T-shirts during his early years with the Knicks and changes he made to his wardrobe after becoming famous.
In addition to his on-court success, Frazier became known for his stylish suits and shoes. In 1967, just a few months after joining the NBA, he appeared in an advertisement for Jack Cassini's fashion line. It was there that he became known as the "New York Nightingale" after the bird given the title by Alexander Pope.
The following year, he appeared in another ad wearing a custom-made suit by New York designer Ralph Lauren. This time it was called "the look of Walt Frazier," which helped launch the career of its creator.
Frazier continued to wear clothes made by popular designers such as Ralph Lauren and Louis Vuitton throughout his career. He also had a signature sneaker style that was adopted by many other players including Michael Jordan.
Copyright © 2020 - 2023 Sportsmanist Inc.
