Michael Jordan might be the GOAT, and LeBron might be the King — but neither of those legends were the coolest player in NBA history.
Nor were Julius Erving, Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Bird or Magic Johnson.
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That crown, instead, goes to Walt ‘Clyde’ Frazier.
While he’s no doubt a legend in the Big Apple, having led the New York Knicks to their only two championships in 1970 and 1973, he is rarely mentioned in the same debates as the likes of MJ, LeBron, or ‘Larry Legend’.
In fact, he is better known among newer generations of basketball fans for being an eccentric announcer, rather than a commanding floor general.
But in his hayday, Frazier dominated on the court.
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In a decade with the Knicks, the fifth overall pick of the 1967 draft was named an NBA All-Star on seven-straight occasions, making the team every year from 1970-1976.
He set an unprecedented defensive standard while in New York, and remains his former team’s all-time leader in assists with 4,791.
Frazier is also second in games (759), minutes (28,995) and total points (14,617) for the Knicks.
He was key to the franchise’s first title in 1970, posting a virtuoso performance with 36 points and 19 assists in the Game 7 finale of the NBA Finals vs the Los Angeles Lakers.
While the Knicks boasted the toughest crew in NBA history in the 90s, the triumphs of the 70s remain the franchise’s last.
Not only was Frazier a legend on the court, but he also soon became one of the coolest stars off it too.
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During his rookie season with the Knicks, he picked up the nickname ‘Clyde’ because he wore a fedora similar to that worn by Warren Beatty in his portrayal of Clyde Barrow in the Bonnie and Clyde movie.
And beyond the fedora, it wasn’t long before Frazier became one of sport’s first real fashion icons, who was known for his signature black turtlenecks, gold chains and capes.
Like a true icon ahead of his time, his other signature style move was to drive around New York City in his Rolls Royce.
As well as winning two rings with the Knicks, Frazer further cemented his legacy by changing the game when it came to sneaker deals.
Before 1973, when Frazier signed his deal with Puma, players didn’t get paid to wear shoes.
Companies would offer NBA stars their kicks for free, but there weren’t many styles to choose from.
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In fact, until Frazier came around, the Converse Chuck Taylor, launched in 1917, was the only basketball sneaker bearing a player’s name.
But Puma came to the Knicks star with a new idea — they wanted to pay him to wear the shoes, and they wanted him to design them too.
Thus, the Puma Clyde was born, and the sneaker game changed. He later signed the brand’s first-ever lifetime contract.
And fear not, he is still as fashionable as ever today, at the age of 80.
Frazier, now a Knicks broadcaster on the MSG Network, is still suited and booted every time he turns up to the arena.
There is even a website, Clyde So Fly, that catalogs and rates every suit he wears while broadcasting.
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In the last few months alone, he has been seen rocking a red-patterned jacket, a purple and orange waistcoat, and a polka dots shirt, proving that even today, ‘Clyde’ is still the coolest man associated with The Association.
His much-loved, often viral rhyming broadcast commentary has also become part and parcel of Frazier’s image.
And while the latest generation of NBA fans might not be familiar with his on-court exploits of the 70s, there is no doubt his personality has turned them into fans of the man behind the basketball icon.
Plenty of people want to be seen with ‘Clyde’ courtside too — including fellow NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal — who dropped by to Madison Square Garden to hang out with him ahead of Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
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Frazier’s beloved Knicks, meanwhile, find themselves 3-1 down to the ‘clutch king’ Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers in that series.
A loss on Thursday night would see New York crash out of the playoffs, while a win would keep their dreams of a first title since 1973 alive.
