Walt Frazier

Knicks: Randle caps best season with All-NBA Second Team honors

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new york knicks, julius randle

New York Knicks’ forward Julius Randle added another feather on his cap on Tuesday when he was named to the All-NBA Second Team.

Randle joined Portland’s Damian Lillard, Phoenix’s Chris Paul, Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James, and Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid in the All-NBA Second Team.

The All-NBA First Team was headlined by league MVP Nikola Jokic of Denver, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, Golden State’s Stephen Curry, Los Angeles Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard, and Dallas’ Luka Doncic.

In easily his best season yet in the NBA, Randle emerged as an All-NBA player following his first All-Star appearance and winning the league’s Most Improved Player award. The seven-year forward averaged career-highs in minutes (37.6), points (24.1), rebounds (10.2), assists (6.0), three-point field goals (41%), and free throw percentage (81%) while shooting 46 percent from the field.

He was one of the only three players in the NBA history to average 20/10/5 on 40% three-point shooting. The other two were Hall of Famer Larry Bird and Jokic. But more importantly, he led the Knicks to the playoffs for the first time in eight years.

He was the first Knick to be named to an All-NBA Team since Carmelo Anthony in 2013. Randle is only the third Knicks player aged 26 years old or younger to make it to an All-NBA Team in the last six decades or since Patrick Ewing and Walt Frazier.

Randle earned 97 of the 100 ballots — 16 first-team votes, 46 second-team votes, and 35 third-team votes for a total of 253 points. Leonard was only ahead of him by 70 points.

 

Randle is in line for a lucrative contract extension that could be maxed out at a four-year, $106 million. But he could also defer and test free agency after next season for a much bigger deal.

Meanwhile, the All-NBA Third Team was composed of the Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert of Utah, Brooklyn’s Kyrie Irving, Washington’s Bradley Beal, Miami’s Jimmy Butler, and Los Angeles Clippers’ Paul George.

Notably absent in the All-NBA Teams this year are Irving’s teammates Kevin Durant and James Harden, Boston’s Jayson Tatum, Utah’s Donovan Mitchell, and the league’s triple-double leader Russell Westbrook of Washington.

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo

Walt Frazier’s game-worn Knicks jersey up for auction

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In 2019, Walt Frazier’s 1970 Finals Game 7 jersey was sold for a whopping $100,081.20.

Two years later, another Frazier jersey believed to have been worn by the New York Knicks legend during one of their playoffs runs in the early 1970s is up for auction.

The Frazier jersey is among the iconic sports memorabilia items included in the Lelands 2021 Spring Classic Auction.

Walt Frazer jersey front

The auction runs through April 2, with the jersey forking over $8,000 so far after a starting bid of $5,000.

“The jersey has an interesting story. It was worn by Walt in the early 70s. Our consignor’s cousin was an employee for the Knicks at that time. He told us that each player has to hand in their jersey at the end of the season in order to pick up their [playoff] cheques,” Lelands director of acquisitions Jordan Gilroy told Empire Sports Media.

The consignor’s cousin was in charge of collecting the Knicks jerseys before turning it over to the late Danny Whelan, the team trainer for the Knicks’ two NBA championships.

The jersey’s tags are still intact, with Cosby size 46 and wash tag in the neck, partially stitched into the name’s lettering on the back. New York is stitched across the chest in individual lettering, number 10 on front and back, all in orange-on-blue tackle twill, while the name on the back is all blue. There is a minor stain on the left shoulder and a light pencil-written number 46 near the left armpit, possibly because the size was partially obstructed in the collar tag.

Walt Frazier jersey

In addition to Frazier’s jersey, the auction also includes Mike Trout’s 2011 MLB debut game-worn jersey, the penultimate Tom Brady rookie card, and a complete 132 card Fleer basketball PSA 10 set with the legendary Michael Jordan as a rookie.

The auction also marks Lelands’ biggest modern card offering ever, led by a fresh LeBron James 2019 Logoman 1/1 and Rookie RPA’s of Luka Doncic and Zion Williamson, among others. Also up for bid is a 2003 LeBron James Ultimate Collection Autographed Rookie, a PSA 9 Wayne Gretzky 1979 O-Pee-Chee Rookie, a 2003-04 Bowman Gold Chrome Refractors #123 LeBron James Rookie, a 2008 Emblems of Endorsement LeBron James, a 1998-99 Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems #53 Kobe Bryant, a 2013 Prizm Silver Giannis Antetokounmpo PSA 10/10, a 2000 SP Authentic Tom Brady Signed Rookie, and a Patrick Mahomes 1/1.

Another auction centerpiece is a fantastic collection of Buffalo Sabres memorabilia, headlined by the actual puck from the very first goal in franchise history and game-used sticks from the team’s 1975 Stanley Cup Finals appearance. Additional highlights include game-worn jerseys and other gear from Sabres greats Dominik Hasek, Tim Horton, and Roger Crozier.

Also on the auction block is Steelers Hall of Famer Jack Lambert’s personal collection, including game-worn gear and awards. The trove even features his teeth holder from his Steelers locker, where he put his fake teeth before each game.

Additional auction highlights include original photos and one-of-kind negatives from the famed Brown Brothers archive, a Bear Bryant personally owned and worn houndstooth hat, a Babe Ruth signed 700th home run game ticket, one of the finest Ruth single-signed baseballs, a Christy Mathewson 1910 single-signed baseball, an Ernie Davis 1961 Syracuse vs. Pittsburgh game-worn jersey and game ball, a 1952 Topps near-complete set, a 1938-43 Mel Ott Giants bat, a circa 1955 Ted Williams Red Sox game-used glove, and an array of Secretariat memorabilia.

The auction also sports a wide variety of impressive pop culture and historical memorabilia, including a Whitey Bulger archive of handwritten letters and the last known photos of him.

To bid for the Frazier jersey and other memorabilia items in the Lelands 2021 Spring Classic Auction, visit https://auction.lelands.com/Lots/Gallery.

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo

Are New York Knicks already different?

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new york knicks, kevin knox

Two youngsters and a New York Knicks legend were at a PUMA Monday night event.  The event was for Walt Frazier’s new PUMA shoe.  Along with Frazier, second-year man Kevin Knox and the 3rd overall pick, RJ Barrett.

Frazier’s new shoe was not only the biggest topic of conversation for the evening.  Knox and Barrett answered questions about the current state of the Knicks and outlook for the upcoming season.

Knox went onto say that practices have a “whole new tenacity” and they are fierce.  He continued to say that this team is “different” and the players are “hungry.”  There was a feeling already that they Knicks are bringing a different culture this season.  Players have been vocal with how they interpret this team.

Bobby Portis and other Knicks said this team as a bunch of “dogs” and they are ready to “shock” people.  It seems that Knox is another one to add to that group.

However, the biggest take away from that article was Knox saying the team is “bonding.”  If you want to build a winning product the team has to be close.  Knox and several other teammates attended the Jets-Browns game last night and we all saw the ‘family lunch-in’ photo and players working out together.

The practices have been competitive and players have gotten better, according to Knox.  Case-in-point, Frank Ntilikina and his fine play that he displayed throughout the FIBA World Cup.  The Knicks talk trash, play hard, but are still a family and smile after all the battles in practices, according to Knox.

It is a good start for the Knicks this season and this is the stuff you definitely want to hear.  However, fans will want to see all of this talk on the court this season.  Love the optimism, but show us through the teams play.