Winning and grinning?
The New York Knicks have been doing a lot of that lately, much to the delight of franchise icon Walt “Clyde” Frazier.
The longtime player and broadcaster, 81, was the last man to lead the franchise to a championship way back in 1973. Now, 53 years later, he thinks he’s starting to see some parallels between his dominant team and the current-day Knicks, who currently lead the Philadelphia 76ers 1-0 in the second round of the playoffs.
“I’m mesmerized by the way the team is playing,” Frazier told Jimmy Fallon on Tuesday’s episode of “The Tonight Show.” “Actually, I’m living vicariously through them. They remind me of my team. My team personified team, you couldn’t mention Frazier without (Bill) Bradley, without (Dave) DeBusschere, without (Willis) Reed, without (Dick) Barnett.
“I see similarities to this team, so they’re starting to do that. Their camaraderie, their teamwork, they like each other, it’s manifested on the court.
Jalen Brunson scored 35 points as New York dominated from start to finish, rolling past Philadelphia 137-98 in Game 1 to set the tone in the series.
There’s still a long way to go in the NBA playoffs, but Frazier added that “hopefully we’ll see another championship.”
The Knicks defeated the Atlanta Hawks 4-2 in the first round after falling behind 2-1. They closed that series with runaway wins by 16, 29 and 51 points, then followed that up with a 39-point blowout over Philly to begin the second round.
Frazier has been watching it all happen from his seats at Madison Square Garden, where he still works for the Knicks’ MSG Network. Wearing his iconic suits, you can’t miss the Hall of Famer on TV or in person.
“It’s genetic,” Frazier said of his fashion sense. “My dad was a guy who was into clothes. Then, I came to the mecca for fashion.
“I wasn’t playing good as a rookie, so in order to pacify myself I went shopping.”
Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images
Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks high fives Walt Frazier after the game during Round 1 Game 6 on May 1, 2025, at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan.
How exactly does Frazier pick out his looks? As he told Fallon, there’s one line that gets him the outfit he wants.
“When I go to a suit place, I just say ‘Show me something you think no one will wear.'”
With the Knicks set to host the Sixers in Game 2 on Wednesday night, keep an eye out for Frazier in the crowd.
“NBA Showtime” previews the Sixers-Knicks second-round matchup and who they expect to step up in a series between two teams with “no love lost.”
