Looking Back on the Knicks’ 1973 Championship Sneakers

With a 3-1 series lead after a historic comeback in game 4 of the NBA Finals, the New York Knicks are likely on their way to their first championship in more than 50 years. And for another sign of just how long it’s been, just take a look at what shoes were on the feet of those 1973 Knicks.

Many of the shoes on the court those days are now lifestyle staples, but it’s hard to imagine actually playing hoops in them with a landscape now including Jalen Brunson‘s go-to Nike Kobe Protros and OG Onunoby’s Skechers SKX Reign.

From the Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star to Walt Frazier‘s Puma Glyde, take a look at what sneakers the 1973 Knicks wore below:

Walt “Clyde” Frazier: Puma Clyde

As an evolution of the Puma Crack, the Clyde made its debut in 1973 as one of the earliest signature sneakers in basketball. His name took over for the previous branding, and the company reportedly made 390 different colorways for Frazier to play in.

Bill Bradley and Earl Monroe: Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star

Converse’s famed Chuck Taylors were the dominant basketball shoe from the ’20s to ’60s, and players including Bill Bradley and Earl Monroe were still wearing them in the ’70s before the company began struggling later in the decade.

Dave DeBusschere, Phil Jackson and Dean Meminger: Adidas Supergrip

Before the Adidas Superstar there was the Supergrip. Before the launch of the latter shoe, the Supergrip would appear both with and without the shell toe that would come to define the Superstar. It would then become firmly shell-less to stand apart from the Superstar from 1969 onwards.

Willis Reed: Pro-Keds Royal Hi

In addition to Willis Reed, the Pro-Keds Royal was endorsed by fellow big men George Mikan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, with the latter going on to join Adidas and becoming the first player to have an entirely new sneaker designed for him.