8. Clyde
Long before he was a rhyme time color commentator for MSG, Walt Frazier represented one-half of the so-called “Rolls Royce Backcourt” which, along with Earl “The Pearl” Monroe, powered the New York Knicks to their seconds, and last-to-date, NBA title in 1973. The quintessence of cool, Frazier had originally made his name as the star point guard at Southern Illinois University, where he led the Salukis to a title in the National Invitation Tournament in 1967, winning the final basketball game played at the old Madison Square Garden.
From there, the Knicks took Frazier No. 5 overall in the 1967 NBA Draft, and by 1970, he was a full-blown star. In Game 7 of the 1970 Finals – best known for injured captain Willis Reed’s hobbling from the locker room to start and his making the first two baskets of the game – Frazier has a positively ridiculous 36 points, 19 assists, 7 rebounds and 6 steals while also guarding Jerry West in one of the greatest Game 7 performances ever.
Off the court, he exuded a chic demeanor, manifested in his dedication to fashion. He even wrote a book with Ira Berkow in 1974, a self-help template of sorts, regarding the two most important pursuits in his life entitled, Rockin’ Steady: A Guide to Basketball & Cool. Frazier earned the nickname Clyde after taking to wearing a hat similar to one Warren Beatty wore as Clyde Barrow in the 1967 film Bonnie and Clyde. Puma named a now-iconic line of sneakers after Clyde, cementing the link between Frazier and fashion that he showcases with each plush suit and flashy tie.