NBA legend Willis Reed dies at 80

**pwaldo** · 03-22-2023, 10:02 AM

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/nb...r-Captain.html

Willis Reed, the legendary New York Knicks captain, has passed away at 80.

A cause of death has not been revealed, but longtime NBA reporter Peter Vecsey wrote on Twitter that the Louisiana native had been dealing with congestive heart problems 'over the past year or so.' He had been undergoing rehab in order to walk, Vescey wrote.

A two-time NBA champion and Finals MVP, the 6-foot-10 Reed was the centerpiece of Knicks coach Red Holzman's memorable teams of the late 1960s and 1970s.

He is perhaps best remembered for his appearance in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals, when he overcame a severe leg injury to play in the Knicks' 113-99 win over Wilt Chamberlain's Los Angeles Lakers.

The sight of the hobbled center emerging from what later became known as the 'Willis Reed Tunnel,' and the overwhelming response from the Madison Square Garden faithful, remains an indelible part of NBA history. Reed would only score four points – the Knicks' first two baskets of the game – but the emotional edge he gave his teammates is often credited for the team's first NBA title.

**WilyWestbrook0** · 03-23-2023, 04:16 PM

He was definitely before my time, but I remember seeing VHS tapes as a kid back in the early 1990s that showed and talked about his 1970 Finals appearance despite being very injured. It was considered heroic and inspiring, like Kerri Strug performing in gymnastics despite her injury in the 1996 Olympics. Nowadays of course those kinds of things don't happen because of concern for the player's health, load management, etc. What he did would never be done or allowed again by a player today.