Education
Theodore Roosevelt High School (Gary).
Theodore Roosevelt High School (Gary).
He spent 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (1959-1973), but is mostly known for his nine seasons with the New York Knicks. He scored 15,358 regular season points in his career. A three-time All-America player at Tennessee A & I (now Tennessee State University), Barnett led his team to three consecutive National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics national championships for Hall of Fame Coach John McLendon.
Barnett was named championship Most Valuable Player in 1958 and 1959.
The top draft choice of the Syracuse Nationals (now the Philadelphia 76ers) of the National Basketball Association, Barnett played with the team until 1961, when he jumped ship from the National Basketball Association to play in the American Basketball League (American Basketball League) with the Cleveland Pipers, who were owned by George Steinbrenner, the future owner of the New York Yankees. Barnett led them to an American Basketball League Championship in the 1961-1962 season.
He then returned to the National Basketball Association to play with the Los Angeles Lakers for three seasons (legendary Laker announcer Chick Hearn nicknamed him "Fall Back Baby") and played on two National Basketball Association championship teams with the New York Knicks in 1969-1970 and 1972-1973. Tennessee State University retired Richard "Dick the Skull" Barnett"s Jersey in 2006.
Barnett"s most recognizable playing feature was the way he kicked both legs back as he took his jump shot.
In April 2007, both he and his college coach John McClendon were inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame. Barnett is also inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. Barnett, who holds a Doctor of Philosophy in education from Fordham University, is now retired from teaching Sports Management at Saint John"s University in New York as of 2007.
