New York Knicks last NBA title came with HBCU star power
In 1973, three HBCU legends - Willis Reed, Dick Barnett and Earl Monroe -helped lift the New York Knicks to their second NBA title.
Fifty-three years later, New York is looking for its first championship since 1973. That drought has lasted more than five decades, but the last Knicks team to finish the job had deep HBCU roots.
The 1972-73 Knicks defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 4-1 to win the franchise's second NBA title. That roster included three former HBCU stars who are now members of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame: Willis Reed of Grambling State, Dick Barnett of Tennessee A&I and Earl "The Pearl" Monroe of Winston-Salem State.
That made New York's last championship more than a Knicks milestone. It was also a major HBCU basketball moment.
Willis Reed set the championship standard
Willis Reed was the captain, the anchor and the emotional center of the Knicks.
New York drafted Reed eighth overall in 1964 after a dominant career at Grambling State. Before he became one of the faces of the Knicks, Reed led Grambling to three SWAC titles and an NAIA national championship. He averaged 26.6 points and 21.3 rebounds per game as a senior.
Reed made an instant impact in the NBA. He won Rookie of the Year and quickly became one of the league's top big men. At 6-foot-9, he battled bigger centers such as Wilt Chamberlain and Lew Alcindor while becoming a perennial All-Star.
His most famous moment came in 1970. Reed limped onto the floor before Game 7 of the NBA Finals despite a severe leg injury. That entrance became one of the defining images in NBA history as the Knicks beat the Lakers for their first title.
By 1973, injuries had limited Reed's production. His leadership still mattered. He delivered 18 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists in the championship-clinching Game 5 against the Lakers.
Dick Barnett's championship DNA came at HBCU Tennessee A&I
Dick Barnett brought championship experience to the Knicks long before Madison Square Garden knew his name.
Barnett starred at Tennessee A&I, now Tennessee State, under legendary coach John McLendon. The Tigers won three consecutive NAIA national championships from 1957 through 1959. That run helped make Tennessee A&I one of the great HBCU basketball powers of its era.
Barnett was selected fourth overall by the Syracuse Nationals in the 1959 NBA Draft. He later spent time with the Los Angeles Lakers before finding his long-term NBA home in New York.
His signature "Fall Back Baby" jumper made him one of the most recognizable guards of his generation. Barnett averaged a career-high 23.1 points per game during the 1965-66 season with the Knicks.
By the time New York won the 1973 title, Barnett's role had changed. He was no longer a primary scorer, but he remained part of the veteran foundation that helped the Knicks reach the mountaintop again.
His Hall of Fame recognition added another layer to a career that connected HBCU greatness to NBA history.
Earl Monroe brought Winston-Salem State flair to the Knicks
Earl Monroe gave the Knicks a different kind of star power.
He became "The Pearl," as a scoring machine at Winston-Salem State. He played for Clarence "Big House" Gaines and became one of the most electric players college basketball had ever seen.
Monroe averaged 41.5 points per game as a senior. He also led Winston-Salem State to the 1967 NCAA College Division national championship. That title remains one of the signature achievements in HBCU basketball history.
The Baltimore Bullets selected Monroe second overall in the 1967 NBA Draft. He quickly became one of the league's most creative guards, known for his spins, hesitation moves and ability to score from anywhere.
New York traded for Monroe in 1971. The move raised questions because the Knicks already had Walt "Clyde" Frazier. Some wondered whether two ball-dominant guards could share the same backcourt.
They answered that question with a championship.
Monroe averaged 15.5 points per game during the 1972-73 regular season. He topped 20 points several times during the playoff run, including a 23-point effort in the title-clinching win over Los Angeles.
HBCU basketball helped build the Knicks' last title team
The Knicks are chasing history in 2026, but the franchise's last championship still points back to HBCU basketball.
Reed, Barnett and Monroe came from schools that did not always receive mainstream attention. Grambling State, Tennessee A&I and Winston-Salem State produced elite basketball talent anyway.
Their success showed what HBCU programs had been building for decades. These schools developed stars, winners and leaders who could shape the NBA's biggest moments.
Now New York has a chance to end its long title drought. If the Knicks finish the job, it will create a new chapter for one of the league's most famous franchises.
Still, 1973 will remain part of the story.
The last Knicks championship team featured three HBCU Hall of Famers. More than 50 years later, that legacy still stands at the center of New York basketball history.
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This story was originally published June 10, 2026 at 1:20 PM.