WILLIS REED

NBA players officially began participating in games that were scheduled to celebrate and honor the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1986 when the federal holiday commemorating the civil-rights leader was observed for the first time.

For the NBA’s 75th anniversary team, 75 players weren’t enough.

Tom Thibodeau got the New York Knicks back to the playoffs, guiding the team to its second-best record in 20 years.

FILE - In this April 5, 2013, file photo, Harthorne Wingo waves to the crowd during a ceremony to honor the 1972-73 world champion New York Knicks NBA basketball team at New York's Madison Square Garden. The former New York Knick and fan favorite Harthorne Wingo has died. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)NEW YORK – Harthorne Wingo, a fan favorite and reserve on the New York Knicks’ 1973 NBA championship team, has died. Apart from Frazier, Wingo played on a title team with the likes of Willis Reed, Earl Monroe, Bill Bradley, Dave DeBusschere, Jerry Lucas, Dick Barnett and Phil Jackson. The Beastie Boys referenced Wingo's name in a rap lyric to the song “Lay It On Me” more than a decade after Wingo's Knicks career had ended.