Richard J. "Dick" McGuire

Dick McGuire played basketball as if he had eyes in the back of his head. McGuire's clever and heady play enabled him to see even the smallest openings and tightest passing lanes. His tremendous passing, dribbling, and penetrating skills made him one of the greatest point guards of his era, both in college and in the pros. He was a pass-first, shoot-second point guard, a playmaker of the highest caliber. When the game was on the line, Tricky Dick was not likely to take the final shot, but his nifty passing was sure to set up the right teammate at the right time. After playing under Hall of Famers Joe Lapchick at St. John's and Alvin Julian at Dartmouth, McGuire's professional career blossomed. He played 11 years first with the New York Knicks and then the Detroit Pistons. In seven of eight seasons, he led the Knicks in assists and his court savvy led the team to three straight NBA Finals (1951-53). Easygoing and laid back, Dick McGuire joined his brother Al in the Hall of Fame one year after his younger brother.