Willis Reed, Knicks Hall of Famer who played through pain for title, dies at 80

Willis Reed, who dramatically emerged from the locker room minutes before Game 7 of the 1970 NBA finals to spark the New York Knicks to their first championship and create one of the league’s most enduring examples of playing through pain, died on Tuesday. He was 80.

Reed’s death was announced by the National Basketball Retired Players Association, which had confirmed the news with his family. The cause of death was not released, but Reed had been in poor health recently and was unable to travel to New York in February when the Knicks honored the 50th anniversary of their 1973 championship team.

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.

“The Knicks organization is deeply saddened to announce the passing of our beloved Captain, Willis Reed,” the Knicks’ said in a statement on Tuesday. “As we mourn, we will always strive to uphold the standard he left behind – the unmatched leadership, sacrifice and work ethic that personified him as a champion among champions. His is a legacy that will live forever. We ask everyone to please respect the family’s privacy during this difficult time.”

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 finals.

But his spot in history was secured simply by walking onto the floor on the final night of that season.

Reed had injured a thigh muscle in Game 5 of the series between the