Ranking the top 50 players in NBA history…
Very few second-round picks have become NBA MVP. Nikola Jokić is one. Willis Reed is another.
Reed was the heart and soul of two championships for the New York Knicks in 1970 and 1973. He took home a Finals MVP trophy after the first one.
Drafted No. 8 overall in the second round of the 1964 NBA draft, Reed quickly made an impact, winning NBA Rookie of the Year in 1965 and ranking No. 7 in the league in scoring (19.5 PPG) and No. 5 in rebounding (14.7 RPG).
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With averages of 18.7 points and 12.9 rebounds over 10 seasons, Reed became a seven-time All-Star with five All-NBA selections. His 1970 MVP season (21.7 points, 13.9 rebounds) culminated in one of the most iconic moments in Knicks and NBA history. In Game 7 of the NBA Finals, Reed, suffering from a [torn thigh muscle](https://sportshistorynetwork.com/basketball/willis-reed-game-7/#:~:text=Willis%20Reed%20Injury%20%2D%20Game%205,to%20win%20without%20their%20captain.) from Game 5, limped onto the court and gutted out one of the greatest displays of toughness in sports history.
Reed’s rebounding and post scoring complemented Walt Frazier’s ball-handling wizardry and made the Knicks a 1970s powerhouse.
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He led the league in rebounds in 1968-69 with 14.5 per game, and he was a defensive stalwart, though blocks weren’t recorded yet.
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His 1973 title run with Knicks, defeating Wilt Chamberlain’s Lakers, cemented his legacy as an all-time great. Knee injuries forced him to retire in 1974 with 12,183 points.
Not surprisingly, Reed’s No. 19 jersey is retired by the Knicks.
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