Willis Reed, Legendary New York Knicks Center and Hall of Famer, Dies at Age 80

etonline.com:

announced Tuesday. He was 80.The Knicks tweeted a photograph showing Reed from behind walking onto the floor as his teammates were warming up for the 1970 finale, one of the most memorable moments in NBA and Madison Square Garden history.«As we mourn, we will always strive to uphold the standards he left behind — the unmatched leadership, sacrifice and work ethic that personified him as a champion among champions,» the Knicks said in a statement. «His is a legacy that will live forever.»NBA Commissioner Adam Silver called Reed «the ultimate team player and consummate leader» and said he «embodied the winning spirit» that defined the Knicks' championship teams in the early '70s.«He played the game with remarkable passion and determination, and his inspiring comeback in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals remains one of the most iconic moments in all of sports,» Silver said.Reed's death was also announced by the National Basketball Retired Players Association, which confirmed it through his family.

The cause was not released, but Reed had been in poor health recently and was unable to travel to New York when the Knicks honored the 50th anniversary of their 1973 NBA championship team during their game against New Orleans on Feb.

25.Nicknamed «The Captain,» Reed was the undersized center and emotional leader on the Knicks' two NBA championship teams, with a soft shooting touch from the outside and a toughness to tussle with the era's superstar big men on the inside.His accomplishments — seven All-Star selections, two NBA Finals MVP awards among them — would have warranted Hall of Fame induction by themselves.

During the 1969-70 season, he became the first player to sweep the MVP awards for the regular season, All-Star Game and NBA.