Willis Reed went on to coach and manage teams such as the New Jersey Nets after his playing days.
The New York Knicks have a storied history, but hoops fans may be surprised to see that they have just one MVP to their credit. Read on to see which Knick stands above for having the most decorated season in franchise history.
Willis Reed – 1970 NBA MVP
The Knicks entered the 1969-70 season with hopes of being the new force to be reckoned with in the Eastern Division following the retirement of Bill Russell, a development that unofficially signaled the end of the Boston Celtics dynasty. The Celtics went 34-48 in the regular season, and the Knicks took full advantage of that, securing the best record in the NBA by a wide margin. They were the only team to reach the 60-win plateau and finished with a 60-22 record. For the sake of comparisons, the second-best team in the league was the Milwaukee Bucks (56-26), and the top seed in the Western Division was the Atlanta Hawks (48-34).
The force driving the Knicks’ impressive regular-season campaign was Reed, who ended up being the league’s MVP for his impressive play. Even though Reed didn’t lead the league in any of the five major categories, his steady efforts for the league’s best team, as well as his massive impact on both ends of the court, handed him the award as the best player in The Association for the 1969-70 campaign.
Reed averaged 21.7 points, 13.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game across 81 appearances during the regular season, logging 38.1 minutes per game and shooting 50.7 percent from the floor, as well as 75.6 percent from the free throw line. That was one of seven seasons in which Reed averaged a double-double, and one of three in which he was voted in the top-5 of the MVP voting. The others were 1968-69 (second) and 1970-71 (fourth).
The Knicks would go on to win the NBA title that season after defeating the Los Angeles Lakers in seven games in the 1970 NBA Finals. Reed would play a significant role in that title run, averaging 23.7 points, 13.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game across 18 postseason contests while being named the NBA Finals MVP.
Of course, Reed had one of the most iconic moments in NBA history during that Finals series. Despite dealing with a torn leg muscle, Reed got onto the floor in Game 7 and inspired his teammates with his toughness and fortitude.
