The Basketball Hall of Famer, inducted in 2024, helped the New York Knicks win NBA titles in 1970 and 1973. Dick Barnett also won three NAIA titles.

Barnett became the first Black player named to the NAIA All-American team in 1957, playing at Tennessee A&I State University, which later was renamed Tennessee State. He made the All-America team again in 1958 and 1959 and became TSU's all-time leading scorer with 3,