Walt ‘Clyde’ Frazier surprises young basketball players

Basketball royalty Walt “Clyde” Frazier surprised a small crowd of teenagers and longtime fans when he made an unexpected appearance at a three-on-three basketball tournament in Mastic on Friday.

Frazier, the ever-fashionable former New York Knicks star and current Knicks television commentator, arrived fashionably late to the event, immediately drawing the attention of the young athletes and a small group of die-hard fans who had heard about his appearance through the grapevine.

The tournament was open to teenagers ages 13 to 18 and was part of the Town of Brookhaven Youth Bureau’s Safe Summer Program. The program provides a safe, drug- and alcohol-free environment where late middle school and high school-aged youth can socialize during summer evenings.

The tournament has been held for at least 10 years and dates to when Brookhaven supervisor Daniel J. Panico was a town councilman representing the Sixth District.

Panico introduced Frazier to the teenagers and fans gathered for the event. Frazier, wearing a yellow Puma jumpsuit, then spoke with the young athletes about pursuing their dreams, developing a strong work ethic, and making positive choices in their communities.

Frazier discussed the difficulty of reaching professional sports, emphasizing that making the NBA or NFL requires serious time and effort. He also spoke about growing up in humble beginnings and the importance of choosing the right friends and staying away from trouble.

Frazier said how lucky he was to never work a day in his life between his NBA career and broadcasting the Knicks. Frazier told the crowd, “I’ve never worked a day in my life because I love what I do. I got to play in the NBA and now I’ve been broadcasting for 30 years,” he said. “Find something you love to do and you’ll never work a day in your life.”

Of his early life, he said he would never be home if you asked his family where he was because he was at the park playing basketball. “Picking the right friends and staying out of trouble,” he said, was also crucial for him to get to where he is today.

Following his motivational talk, Frazier spent time with the teenagers and fans, posing for photographs and signing autographs.

The event provided more than just basketball for the participants. Drinks and snacks were available throughout the tournament, and every player received a shirt for participating. The winners of the tournament were presented with bicycles.

Local radio stations also helped provide entertainment throughout the event by DJing and giving away raffles and prizes to participants.

Frazier’s appearance gave the teenagers an opportunity to meet one of the most recognizable figures in New York basketball history while participating in a community event focused on keeping young people active and engaged during the summer.

The Safe Summer Program is designed to give teenagers a positive place to spend their summer evenings, and the Mastic tournament combined competition, entertainment and a visit from a Knicks legend to create a memorable community event. 

Kevin Wigand is a reporter with The SBU Media Group, part of Stony Brook University’s School of Communication and Journalism’s Working Newsroom program for students and local media.