If you were to look up the words cool, stylish, flair, and all-time great in the dictionary, you would find four distinct definitions, each describing a quality that few individuals can truly embody.
Cool: Very fashionable, impressive, or appealing in a way that is universally admired.
Stylish: Possessing a high degree of quality in appearance, design, or behavior.
Flair: A natural talent or ability to do things in an original, stylish, and captivating manner.
All-Time Great: An individual regarded among
the very best to ever perform in a particular field, sport, or profession.
What’s missing alongside each of these definitions in the dictionary is a picture of Walt “Clyde” Frazier. Throughout the storied history of the NBA, countless legends have left their mark on the game, but few, if any, have embodied all four qualities quite like Frazier. From his legendary playing days with the New York Knicks in the 1970s to his continued presence as one of the most recognizable personalities in basketball more than five decades later, Frazier remains in a class of his own, both on and off the court.
A man whose legendary style extends far beyond his flamboyant wardrobe, Frazier helped define an era of New York basketball, captivating fans with his effortless cool, unparalleled court vision, tenacious defense, and undeniable flair.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in New York Knicks franchise history, Frazier’s place among basketball royalty is unquestionable. A two-time NBA champion, seven-time NBA All-Star, and member of both the NBA’s 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams, his legacy is as timeless as the city he helped bring to basketball prominence.
Simply put, there has never been another Walt “Clyde” Frazier. And chances are, there never will be.
Let’s start with his style. Clyde’s style was unlike anybody else’s in the NBA during the ‘70s, and to this day, there still hasn’t been a close second. As a young man in his twenties, Frazier became just as recognizable for driving around New York City in his custom Rolls-Royce while sporting a full-length mink coat and fedora as he was for his play on the court. Today, his fashion sense remains as distinctive as ever. Throughout a broadcasting career spanning nearly 40 years, including almost 30 as a television commentator for MSG and the Knicks, his wardrobe has remained unmistakable, from tiger-print suits to custom blazers reminiscent of Joseph’s Technicolor Dreamcoat. there arguably hasn’t been a more fashionable icon in the NBA’s nearly 80-year history.
Frazier was a trendsetter, one of the first NBA players to truly express his personality through his wardrobe, at a time when players were largely known for what they did on the court rather than what they wore off it. His style became a part of his identity, both during his playing days and throughout his broadcasting career, setting him apart from his contemporaries and the generations of NBA stars who followed.
So, just how did Walt Frazier become Clyde?
“Coming to the Mecca. New York City. Fashion, passion,” Frazier explains. “When we played, we wore suits and ties to the game. We were always trying to outdress each other. Our idols were The Temptations, The Four Tops. So we emulated the way these guys performed.”
As Frazier recalls, the influence of Motown played a significant role in shaping his style, much like hip-hop has influenced today’s NBA players.
“Today you see the guys dressed like the rappers… our style was created from Motown. And I took it to another level with the Clyde. One day I bought this wide-brimmed hat and I wore it to the game and everybody go, hey, look at Clyde. And I used to steal the ball on the court.”
But the nickname would eventually become much more than just a reflection of his wardrobe.
“Then I was blessed enough to be the first guy to endorse a sneaker, the Puma Clyde in 1973. So that was the evolution of the mink coat, the Rolls Royce. So it was just my being around New York and observing people watching the Clyde persona personified.”
On the court, Clyde helped lead the Knicks to their first two NBA championships in 1970 and 1973, with the greatest performance of his career coming in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals. With the championship on the line, Frazier delivered one of the most memorable performances in NBA Finals history, scoring 36 points, dishing out a Game 7-record 19 assists, grabbing seven rebounds, and sinking all 12 of his free throws to help secure the Knicks’ first NBA title.
While Clyde’s performance in Game 7 ultimately helped lead the Knicks to their first-ever NBA championship, Clyde and his teammates also received some unexpected motivation from their captain, Willis Reed, who, despite battling a severe leg injury, famously limped onto the court just before tipoff.
“People thought it was premeditated, but we did not know he was coming. So when we came on the court, we were just as flabbergasted as everybody else when we saw him.”
Frazier recalls how Reed’s unexpected appearance immediately changed the team’s confidence.
“By seeing him, it gave us so much confidence. And obviously, he started the game. He made his first two shots. And I thought the Lakers were psyched out from that point, and I would have the game of my life.”
With two NBA championships, seven All-Star appearances, four All-NBA First Team selections, and numerous other accolades to his name, Frazier was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1987. His No. 10 jersey also hangs in the rafters of Madison Square Garden, making him one of just eight Knicks players to have their numbers retired by the franchise.
But while Frazier’s playing days eventually came to an end, his connection to the Knicks and Madison Square Garden was far from over. In 1987, Clyde began a new chapter with the organization, trading his sneakers for a microphone as he transitioned into broadcasting, where his unmistakable personality and signature style would once again make him a fixture in New York basketball.
Clyde became famous for his iconic on-air rhymes, including “razzlin’ and dazzlin’” and “posting and toasting,” the latter of which inspired the name of our very own website. Frazier explained that his signature rhymes developed naturally as he gained experience in broadcasting and began to understand the nuances of being a color commentator.
“The play-by-play guy does most of the talking on radio. So in order to get into sometimes what I had to say, I had to use rhymes and, you know, that’s how I started doing it.”
With our website’s name paying tribute to one of Clyde’s most recognizable catchphrases, it was only fitting to ask him what he thought about Posting and Toasting.
“Yeah, I read you all the time. I enjoy it, man. It’s very good.”
With the Knicks winning their first championship since 1973, when Clyde hoisted his second trophy, Frazier reflected on the similarities between his championship teams and the current roster.
“It’s an uncanny comparison, man. We personify a team. You can’t mention Frazier without Bradley, without Reed, without Barnett. Same thing with this team. You can’t mention Brunson without Hart, without Bridges, without KAT, without OG. So they personify a team. They’re very unselfish. They like each other. And it’s manifested in the way they play the game.”
And when asked which player from the Knicks’ 2026 championship roster would have fit in best alongside his former teammates, Clyde didn’t hesitate to name the Heart of the City, Josh Hart, pointing to his versatility and physical style of play.
“(Hart) rebounds, he defends, he scores, he plays with reckless abandon. So he would be that type of guy that would fit in our era, which was more physical. You know, we could hand check, push guys around the court. So I think Hart would be perfect for that era.”
As the 2026-27 NBA season tips off on Tuesday, October 20, with the players receiving their championship rings and the Knicks raising their third championship banner to the Madison Square Garden rafters, Clyde is teaming up with Spike Lee and AT&T for a special celebration with Knicks fans. As part of AT&T’s Connectivity Partnership, the two New York icons will travel across Manhattan in a taxi, making surprise appearances and giving fans opportunities to win exclusive NBA merchandise, signed memorabilia, and tickets to opening night.
“I’m teaming up with Spike Lee, and we’re going to be going to different stores, giving out prizes for AT&T, commemorating the next championship season, and rewarding the fans as well. So I can’t believe that. It seems like we’re still in it, man. You know, everybody’s still excited about the team winning and perhaps maybe repeating, you know, running it back, which hasn’t been done in about eight years. We’ll be coming, celebrating this season throughout the season, the Knicks accomplishment. And after 53 years, the Knicks are finally back on top. Fans can walk in peace and celebrate a championship.”
And while the excitement surrounding the Knicks’ championship continues into the new season, perhaps no moment captured the city’s celebration quite like the championship parade itself. As the players celebrated atop their floats and Mitchell Robinson made his way through the streets in his truck, it was only fitting that Clyde, who helped bring New York its first two championships, would lead the celebration through the Canyon of Heroes.
But it wasn’t just Clyde’s presence that made the moment special. It was the car he was riding in.
Frazier led the parade in the very same 1952 Chrysler Imperial Parade Phaeton that carried the Apollo 11 astronauts through the streets of Manhattan following their historic moon landing in 1969. Now that’s cool!
