Financial Advisor, Writer, Zionist, American Patriot and Conservative
Meet Knicks Legend Walt “Clyde” Frazier, a Hero both on and off the Court
The writer Joseph Scutts with NBA Legend Walter "Clyde" Frazier (photo courtesy of the writer)
The New York Knicks are now NBA World Champions; the last time they won an NBA Final was back in 1973 when NBA legend Walt Clyde Frazier was on the Team. Walt “Clyde” Frazier is a two-time NBA Champion, a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, and a legendary New York Sports icon renowned for his masterful playmaking, elite perimeter defense, and timeless style and flair.
As the floor general for the New York Knicks, he guided the franchise to its only two NBA championships in 1970 and 1973 until now. Following his 13-year playing career, Frazier successfully transitioned into sports media, serving as the beloved color commentator for Knicks telecasts on MSG Network. He holds the unique distinction of being a two-time Hall of Famer, having been enshrined first as a player (1987) and later honored as a broadcaster with the Curt Gowdy Media Award (2022). Clyde can be seen and heard at every New York Knicks game, delivering insightful commentary and seasoned talking points.
I met the NBA Legend a year and a half ago, when Kaplen JCC on the Palisades (located in North New Jersey) had a special fundraising gala celebrating the Kurtz Family New Jersey Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. The evening also honored community members and included an intimate meet-and-greet where Frazier signed books and shared basketball tips with the youth teams. Frazier remains a celebrated figure across Jewish fanbases in NYC. Because the Knicks franchise had significant roots in Jewish demographics, he is frequently interviewed by Jewish publications and has a deep mutual respect for the city’s diverse fan traditions.
The Kaplen JCC on the Palisades is a leading nonprofit, charitable organization deeply rooted in tradition and values seen through a Jewish lens, and is a vibrant and welcoming home for the Jewish People. They are a place that welcomes all, cultivating the social, intellectual, physical, and spiritual well-being of the entire community. They serve 3,000+ membership units and over 750,000 people each year in their 200,000-square-foot building and acres of outdoor grounds and facilities.
The evening was called “The Sports Night of Champions” and brought together Jewish athletic icons, local legends, and the members of our community to celebrate their deep impact in the world of sports: not only in New Jersey, but around the globe. Since the founding of the Kurtz Family New Jersey Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2019, the event has featured the induction ceremony of three classes of prominent leaders and athletic standouts with a connection to the state. That evening, the legendary NBA sports icon and Hall of Famer, Walt “Clyde” Frazier, known to many as “the voice of the Knicks” attended the event in solidarity with the community.
To see the NBA legend stand in solidarity with the Jewish community and recognize how much the Jewish people have contributed to every element of sports was something very special to see. What also stood out that evening was the fact that families of the hostages that were abducted on October 7th (who at that time had not yet returned home) were in attendance at the event as well. As the evening came to an end, I had Walt “Clyde” Frazier sign a Knicks hat for me and thanked him for standing in solidarity with the Jewish community and the families of the hostages. You can win two NBA Championships but to us as a Jewish people, that makes you a true Champion.
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