Dick Barnett

Too Late...Fall Back Baby. So went the refrain from Dick Barnett whenever he knew that his shot was on target. And more often than not, the unorthodox lefty knew that his shot was on target. Barnett, a native of Gary, Indiana, played basketball at Roosevelt High School, an all-Black vestige of the Hoosier State’s Jim Crow laws. He thrived at Roosevelt, leading the team to the state final in 1955. From Gary, Barnett headed south to play for John McLendon at Tennessee A&I, a small HBCU that formed the first dynasty in college basketball. McLendon’s Tigers won three consecutive national championships starting in 1957. Barnett earned All-America honors each season and twice was named MVP of the NAIA Tournament. Barnett was selected by the Syracuse Nationals in the 1959 NBA Draft and spent the next 15 years playing professionally. His nine seasons with the New York Knicks included two NBA titles and one All-Star appearance. Barnett’s one-year hiatus from the NBA produced a championship with the Cleveland Pipers of the ABL, cementing his status as one of basketball’s all-time winners.