He looked at the other side of the floor. It was like something out of a movie, Frazier said. And being from the south, I go, Oh no, Im going to see this guy get shot, man. But he talked the cop out of the ticket.. He'd missed New York's chance to close the series in Game 6 against the Lakers thanks to a damaged muscle in his right leg. When Reed wrote, Frazier mostly saw consistency the same trait he remembers defining the player affectionally nicknamed The Captain., If you saw a thousand signatures by Willis, theyre all the same: neat, he said. : 18.7,Reb. Somehow, this one does. He earned respect from them all. The Knicks had gone 1522 under McGuire; Holzman steered them to a 2817 finish. He was the catalyst for the team.. Reed scored New York's first two field goals of the game (his only points) and stayed on the floor for what must have been the most excruciating 27 minutes of his life. He missed his final three shots and finished with four points, three rebounds and four fouls in 27 minutes. When it happened 1970 NBA Finals, Game 7: Lakers vs. Knicks. 50 jersey retired at Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly. I didnt have to turn around when he came out. After Willis hit New York's first two baskets, the Knicks had all the inspiration they needed!About the NBA: The NBA is the premier professional basketball league in the United States and Canada. I didnt know who were his kids, who lived there. They shot over to Smalls Paradise, a swanky nightclub in Harlem frequented by a whos who of stars and, at that time, property of part-owner Wilt Chamberlain. In 1969-70, Reed was better (even though Frazier closed out the Finals series in an insane way). Reed needed a painkilling shot in his thigh before tipoff. Red Holzman inherited the reins from Dick McGuire with the Knicks eight games under .500. -- Justin Hagey. 2022 GRAMBLING STATE MEN'S AND WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PROMO SCHEDULE Reed also served as an assistant coach for the NBA's Atlanta Hawks and Sacramento Kings.[8]. Anything. There was no social media. The league is truly global, with games and programming in 215 countries and territories in 47 languages, as well as NBA rosters at the start of the 2014-15 season featuring a record 101 international players from 37 countries and territories. Worry about you. Later West would tell Kalinsky that was his worst moment, ever, on a basketball court. A two-time champion, seven-time All-Star, two-time NBA Finals MVP and one-time league MVP, Reed lands at No. Raftery said he likes the new look of the Garden after a three-year renovation but like many he misses the "Willis Reed Tunnel,'' which is hidden in the new configuration. He coached the Knicks in 19771978, and left the team 14 games into the following season (4947 record). From NBA.com Staff September 14, 2021 6:24 AM In Game 7 of the 1970 Finals,. -- David Thorpe, Willis bumps into fan and usher! ~Hollow Earth, Hyperborea, Agartha, Shambhala~first uploaded from:http . However, winning in the . He is the author of "100 Things Thunder Fans Should Know And Do Before They Die." Anyone can read what you share. Wilt Chamberlain dominated for 45 on a Reed-free court. Hes got style, but hes a down-to-earth person.. Reed suggested that any fans upset by the disappearance of the tunnel should let go of their anger and hold on to their memories. Buildings, theyre always going to get changed. They couldnt guard him on the perimeter. Three years earlier, in town to interview for a job at the Miami Herald, Kalinsky found himself outside the famed Fifth Street Gym and saw Howard Cosell, whom he knew from back home. He loved fine dining, and when he hosted, he reserved space at the best restaurants. It was May 8, 1970. Dick Barnett goes for 21 points. When he arrived, Reed pulled up in a convertible a deuce and a quarter back then, Frazier remembered fondly and shouted, Hey, you Frazier? He missed two weeks early in the season and returned, but shortly thereafter the injured knee prohibited him from playing, and he totaled 11 games for the year. The Knicks appeared to have the win in game 3 when Dave DeBusschere sunk a shot with just 3 seconds left to give the Knicks a 102-100 lead. He gave an early indication of this in the 196667 season when he improved his regular season averages to 20.9 points per game, and scoring 27.5 points per game in the postseason. It was Frazier who lit up the Lakers for 36 points and 19 assists, both game-highs. They werent comfortable out there. The Knicks appeared to have the victory in game 3 when Dave DeBusschere sunk a shot with just 3 seconds left to give the Knicks a 102-100 lead. 2009 Panini Legends of the Game #5 Willis Reed: $0.34: 2009 Panini Limited Decade Dominance #7 Willis Reed: $2.30: 2009 Panini Rookies & Stars Moments in Time #5 Willis Reed: $0.75: 2009 Panini Threads Legends #2 Willis Reed: $0.94: 2009 Panini Timeless Treasures #95 Willis Reed: $1.05: Clutching a fifth of Paul Masson brut against his right hip, he sat. At a Puma . And he was an unorthodox lefty, making him more difficult to defend. Hes just going around the Lakers bench, man, punching people back and forth. The two helped lead the Knicks to the franchises only championships in 1970 and 1973. Luckily for Knicks fans, the Knicks' players rallied together to defeat the Lakers by a score of 107-100, to take a 3-2 series lead. Reed's knee is grotesquely swollen and inflamed after he injured it in game five. And in their early days, Reed was Fraziers role model, the big man who took him under his wing and showed him the way. He is known for being a Basketball Player. In 1968-69, Reed was better. Condon wisely allowed it to happen. (Red) Holzman said, Hey close the door. He said Whether Willis plays tonight or not, guys, we got to play. Reeds legendary night overshadowed one of the greatest Finals performances no one talks about. His parents worked to ensure Reed got an education in the segregated South. Kalinsky told Wilt, whom he liked very much, Wilt, you shouldnt worry about him. Others might make history, but Kalinskys mission has always been to freeze those historic moments, whether it is Mick Jagger singing Honky Tonk Woman or Jesse Orosco flinging his mitt into the cold October sky, whether its Mark Messiers eyes feasting upon the first Rangers Stanley Cup in 54 years or Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier exchanging haymakers in the first of their Fights of the Century. But a torn muscle in Reeds right thigh threatened to derail a charmed season. Before Reed arrived in New York, the Knicks were a mess. He stood 6ft 9in (2.06m) but like common practice was listed with shoes at 6'10", when contemporaries such as Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar stood 7ft 1in (2.16m) and 7ft 2in (2.18m), respectively, during their playing careers. His parents were petrified, warning him not to talk to anyone. Subscribe to our free newsletter: ballandorder.substack.com.

. He would never let you get down.. This was 1970. Its a pick-up game. But thats how he approached the game, all business.. The loudest noise Ive ever heard, Kalinsky says. College: Grambling State University High School: West Side in Lillie, Louisiana Draft: New York Knicks, 2nd round (1st pick, 10th overall), 1964 NBA Draft Red Holzman in the playoffs, hed always pull me to the side. So this was no twist of fortune for George Kalinsky, every bit as skilled as the subjects he shot. The Knicks slipped to a 5230 record in the 197071 season, still good enough for first place in the Atlantic Division; and in mid-season, Reed tied Harry Gallatin's all-time club record by grabbing 33 rebounds against the Cincinnati Royals. In 1996, he was voted one of the "50 Greatest Players in NBA History".In October 2021, Reed was again honored as one of the . Reed shed the genial role the moment he stepped across the lines. The team continued to struggle for a few years while adding good players through trades and the draft. Willis wasn't suspended for his. You want me to be a Rope-A-Dope? Ali asked, incredulously. by ab-niranjan, 23 Jul, 2017 NBA Eleanor Bradley walt frazier Gale Kennedy Bernice Louisiana According to a warrant for Morrow's arrest, he's facing charges of assault by strangulation, second-degree kidnapping and communicating threats. Some of it is sense. Its why Frazier can go on and on about Reed. In 1982, Reed was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Newspaper accounts detailed the Oct. 18, 1966 rumble involving Reed, a New York Knicks great known mostly for . [7] After the win, Reed was named NBA Finals MVP. -- Amin Elhassan, This clip is so freakin' badass. Showing Editorial results for willis reed. He grew a reputation for being a big tipper. Especially, he agreed, when there are premium seats to sell. In the 196970 season, the Knicks won a franchise-record 60 games and set a then single-season NBA record with an 18-game win streak. Then Reed emerged from the tunnel prior to Game 7 and MSG erupted. He brought them on the perimeter, Frazier said of opposing centers. I always say hes the greatest Knick of all time, because I learned from Willis Reed.. By the latter season, he had adjusted to the nuances of his new position, averaging 20.9 points to rank eighth in the NBA. 'Whatever seed we are, we're ready': Is there room for Cleveland among the East elite? This site requires JavaScript to run correctly. The Knicks turned, and the Lakers followed suit. Hed loan you money. By this time, he was playing power forward, to make room for Walt Bellamy. Reed debuted as head coach of the New Jersey Nets on March 1, 1988, one week after the Nets' star forward (and Reed's cousin) Orlando Woolridge was suspended by the league and was to undergo drug rehabilitation. Reeds return is said to have sparked the Knickss victory and their first world championship. He delighted Manhattan by limping through the tunnel just moments before the game began, having just received a large dose of cortisone to dull the pain and make one last push toward New Yorks first ever pro basketball championship.He only scored twice, but they were the games first two baskets, and his immediate impact electrified the crowd. 15 to No. He played in seven All-Star Games. And when I felt the pain in my leg, that wasnt quite the case. Thats the one element at which Frazier still bristles for all his love of Reed as a consummate leader and a mans man, Fraziers best-ever performance is still called The Willis Reed Game. But when they traded Walt Bellamy for Dave DeBusschere, he became a passer, and I became a star. This is the way this guy was, man. "Reed's courage is incredible. REED, Willis, Jr. (b. The Knicks first trip to the Finals since 1953 would end sourly. His story, however, will live forever in NBA lore for famously emerging from the Madison Square Garden tunnel before Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals and playing through injury to help the Knicks win their first title. Willis Reed suffers a thigh injury during. Follow Darnell on Twitter @DarnellMayberry, Walt Frazier looked up to Willis Reed, literally and figuratively. Tenacity is what separated Reed. But I wasnt The Captain like Willis. The retired jerseys of hallowed Knicks, including Reeds No. From the lens of George. You can count on him.. But Kalinsky had already snapped the photo of the year. Knicks fans stood and cheered Willis Reed, and Walt Frazier tossed him a ball, as he emerged from the Madison Square Garden tunnel to warm up for Game 7 of the 1970 N.B.A. He put his whole career on the line for the team, Bradley said. Hed loan you his car. Please,

Ball & Order is a weekly podcast where self-proclaimed sports historians/Attorneys Gabe Ibrahim and Alex Lange debate sports and tell historical sports stories. All columns may be sorted by clicking the column name. [1] In 1996, he was voted one of the "50 Greatest Players in NBA History". Willis Reed celebrates in the locker room after the Knicks win the 1970 NBA championship. Thats the type of applause, said television play-by-play man Chris Schenkel, that has been reserved for boxers like Sugar Ray Robinson in the old Garden, Tony Zale and Rocky Graziano and a host of other great fighters.. He hits it. For more information, as well as all the latest NBA news and highlights, log onto the league's official website at http://www.NBA.com Subscribe on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/nbaSubscribe to NBA LEAGUE PASS http://www.nba.com/leaguepassDownload NBA Game Time http://www.nba.com/mobileLike us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/nbaFollow us on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/nbaFollow us on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/nbaFollow us on Tumblr http://nba.tumblr.comShop for NBA Gear: http://store.nba.com They crafted the leagues top defense, with Reed capturing league MVP, All-Defensive First Team and, for good measure, All-Star Game MVP. Reed's return is said to have sparked the Knicks's victory and their first world championship. The Knicks went 36-11 following the DeBusschere trade, finishing 54-28 before falling in the second round to the Russell-John Havlicek-Sam Jones Celtics in six games. And he clicked. Bradley calls it the best seventh game of any NBA player. Hed be dunking on you and everything. Willis Reed It was a classic moment in basketball history when a courageous Willis Reed hobbled through the tunnel at Madison Square Garden, reemerging on the floor for game seven of the 1970 NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers. Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals is remembered for one moment: Willis Reed emerging from the tunnel to play despite tearing his quadricep four days earlier. The entire playing career for Willis Reed is displayed below. The Knicks went on to grab an emotional 113-99 victory and the Larry OBrien trophy. We knew we had to win it for Willis.". Condon didnt announce the fourth starter Frazier for 28 seconds. Kalinsky had captured that moment, too, a forever image of Reeds face, in closeup, writhing in agony on the Garden floor. When he walked onto that court to be with us for this game we knew what we had to do. But Willis Reed was not a quitter.. Jerry West had heard the question, and he wasnt pleased. Bradley scores 17 and dishes for five assists. Everyone knew what kind of competitor Reed was. If you dont play as a team, youre not getting in the game. Reed was ruled out for Game 6, and he was deemed "unlikely to play" if the series went to Game 7. Because what happened was I played forward, and I had to pass the ball to the center all the time, who was Walt Bellamy, and never got many assists for it. In what is arguably the most significant moment in New York sports history, Reed limped down the Garden tunnel 15 minutes before tip-off after receiving injections. I was hoping that once they gave me the cortisone shot that I would be great. In Game 5 of the 1976 Finals, Garfield Heard's wild shot forced the first triple overtime in Finals history. Durant, a four-time scoring champion, now sets his sights on Hakeem Olajuwon in 12th place. If you see my handwriting, my handwriting is like his., Penmanship, Frazier believes, reveals much about a person: their intelligence, their mood, even their ego. Despite his relatively average stature for a basketball player, he made up for his lack of height by playing a physical game, often ending seasons with respectable averages in blocking and rebounding. In Reeds sixth season, the Knicks raced to a franchise-record 60 wins, at one point rattling off a then-record 18 straight victories. Reed knew everyone, and everyone knew him. In 1971-72, Frazier was better (Reed almost missed the entire season). Follow us on twitter: @ballthroughages. I say, Well, it wasnt the greatest game Ive ever played. Darnell Mayberry is a senior writer for The Athletic covering the Chicago Bulls. When the Garden was Eden, about the Knicks boys of yore. Saturday, President Nixon would make a surprise predawn visit to the Lincoln Memorial to talk with some of the 100,000 whod gathered to march on The Mall that day, helping to ensure a peaceful demonstration. Dr. A's weekly risers and fallers: Jeremy Sochan, Christian Wood make the list, NBA Power Rankings: Kevin Durant's return could rock the West. The theory of hollow earth is that the inside of the earth is concave, and the continents are concave. Theres a certain gasp of annoyed disbelief when you go to the movies, and its an action film, and just one man is making like Achilles, effortlessly bashing the brains out of the dozens of hulky villains attacking him. Maybe they like the idea of the fans having the chance to cheer the players as they run across the court, Reed said in a telephone interview from his home in Grambling, La. The night belonged to Walt Frazier, another Kalinsky favorite (naturally, it was Kalinskys candid pictures that helped create, and popularize Clyde), who had 36 points and 19 assists. Willis Reed.. Willis Reed's age is 80. Reed trotted out of the tunnel at the tail end of warmups. In Game 3 of the 1970 Finals, Jerry West connected on a 60-foot rainbow to force overtime. Kalinsky had already earned a seismic reputation with his camera. It was really amazing. The club introduced Reed. Adande, Greatest entrance in NBA history: Willis. It wasnt until a fourth coach arrived midway through Reeds fourth season that the Knicks took off. Yet on the Knicks first possession, following an airball by Baylor that triggered a fast break, Reed hauled in a pass from Frazier and walked into a free-throw line pull-up. Walt Fraizer finishes with 36 points, 19 assists, and 7 reboundsCrucial momentsWillis Reed coming into gameKnicks first 5 minutesFraziers second quarter runFrazier 7-9 in the 3rd quarter, really puts the game awayWho Lived up to the HypeWillis ReedWalt FraizerThe Knicks and MSGJerry WestWilt ChamberlainTime Machine (what most took you back to that time or what looks the weirdest now)Short shortsWilts underhand layupsTip offs at the start of every quarterNames of the guys in this gamePlayoff format and geographyCivil War tape jobsLegacyThis should be the Clyde Frazier game!Bill Bradley and Dave DebusschereBest time ever for Knicks, Jets, Mets fansNixons wild night Stuff that didnt make it Jerry West had an 81 inch wingspan despite being 63The New York Times story on the Lakers was a bit dramatic: WALT FRAIZER HAD 36 POINTS AND 19 ASSISTS. [1] mais conhecido por sua carreira de jogador no New York Knicks, onde atuava como piv.Foi introduzido no Basketball Hall of Fame em 1982.. Depois de se aposentar como jogador, Reed atuou como assistente e treinador principal com vrias equipes por quase uma dcada e depois foi . If you dont play defense, youre not getting in the game. Find New York Knicks Willis Reed stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. I said to myself, Man, weve got these guys. That gave me so much confidence. The NBA has had some incredible ones over the years: Bill Russell's 11th championship win in a Game 7 as the underdogs in his farewell tour, the Heat comeback Game 7 after Ray Allen's Game 6 3-pointer, Magic overcoming Isiah Thomas' 3rd quarter heroics in 1988, the Willis Reed Tunnel game in 1970, and the Kyrie Irving step-back 3 to sink the After all these years, 50 years, hes still The Captain., Career stats: G: 650, Pts. And it never gets dusty in its retelling, especially on its 50th anniversary. [9] He compiled a 3377 record with the Nets. [citation needed], Reed's most famous performance took place on May 8, 1970, during game seven of the 1970 NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers in Madison Square Garden. Willis was a juggernaut, man. He gushes about his friend and former teammate with whom he spent his first seven NBA seasons in New York. GRAMBLING, La (KMSS/KTAL) - Before he took the NBA world by storm, basketball legend Willis Reed was shined at Grambling. Reed stood toe to toe with some of the games all-time great big men Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Nate Thurmond, Jerry Lucas, Wes Unseld and Elvin Hayes. He played all 10 of his seasons with the Knicks. Knicks defeated the Los Angeles Lakers. Willis Reed really did fight the entire Los Angeles Lakers bench in 1966. 44 on The Athletics NBA 75 list. 25 May 1942 in Hico, Louisiana), Hall of Fame center and power forward, coach and basketball executive, who scored two of the most memorable baskets in National Basketball Association (NBA) history.Reed was the only child of Willis Reed, Sr., an industrial laborer, and Inell Ross Reed, a domestic worker. In the first game, Willis Reed scored 37 points and lifted the Knicks to a hard-fought victory. Reed spent his entire 10-year career with the Knicks and was a team captain. Thats good enough for me.. He had the ultimate game, Frazier said. It never mattered to him who stood in front of him. In this draft, nine NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players. As senior vice president of basketball operations, he led them to the NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003. I was trying to get on par with Oscar Robertson, West. The Department of Athletics welcomes . Here's No. Reed made a surprise appearance despite having recently torn a muscle in his right thigh. [1], Reed attended Grambling State University, a historically black college. If you played me, Id carry you. He was the head coach at Creighton University from 1981 to 1985 and volunteer assistant coach for St. John's University. Frazier flew that night., When I started the game I had no idea Id score like that, said Frazier, then in his third season. Willis Reed's walking through that door! 42 years ago today, Willis Reed emerged from the tunnel in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. They were Reeds only baskets. Reed was the heart and soul of the New York Knicks and the unquestioned leader of the team. There was Willis, approaching the Knicks layup line, every fan on their feet. The Department of Athletics welcomes the Tiger community to be a part of a what is sure to be another exciting basketball season. Zombie Apocalypse Tunnel Surviv.. The dude is about 45 minutes late, man, Frazier said. The Garden rejoiced. But a rising threat was forming. Brooks will serve his 1-game suspension Sunday when the Grizzlies visit the Clippers. "When (the fans) pulled down the roof for Willis, it lifted us sky high," said Knicks forward Bill Bradley. Still, he earned Finals MVP. In the hallway the scene was chaotic as Ray was placed on a gurney while television reporters looked for an update. finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Knicks' first trip to the Finals since 1953 would end sourly. Most know it as the "Willis Reed Game," but Clyde remembers that game for a different reason. It was Fraziers first taste of the Willis Reed rules. When I knew I had to face Willis Reed during a series or maybe four or five times during the course of the year, I didnt need anything else to psych me up, because I knew if I wasnt ready, youll probably get your face walked in, the late Unseld said. [citation needed]. Reed briefly took a backseat in his second season after the Knicks acquired Bellamy from the Baltimore Bullets and the leg-kicking, sweet-shooting lefty Dick Barnett from the Lakers. Willis Reed had heard a few weeks ago that the Madison Square Garden tunnel he made famous in 1970 by merely walking through it was gone. When Willis came out everybody stopped. He did it on the court. It was so emotional and the crowd never shut up from that point on. The best insights from the ultimate insiders, 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Knicks' stomping of Celtics left little doubt they're for real, Knicks get perfect chance to show where they stand as Celtics visit Garden, Jalen Brunson rare NY star who has been better than advertised, Keith Urgo's Fordham team recapturing spirit of 1971. We get pulled over by the cops. Same deal in New York, where the tunnel was fondly known as "The Willis Reed Tunnel,'' in memory of the night the Knicks center limped out to the court to help defeat the Lakers in the 1970 . At 6-foot-10 and 240 pounds during his playing days, few dared step in to try to stop him. Reed's career was cut short by injuries, and he retired after the 197374 season. For the season, he averaged 20.9 points and 13.7 rebounds per game, but the Knicks were eliminated by the Baltimore Bullets in the Eastern Conference Finals. They were so concerned Willis was going to play.. "Reed's courage is incredible. Win it for Willis they did. The arena rumbled. He heard the Garden nearly implode with a roar thats never really left his ears, or his memory. As indelible as that moment is, though, itll be hard for anyone to scrub their mind of the image of Reed as a mercilessly punching tornado after watching this clip. Frazier had just been drafted fifth overall by the Knicks, and Reed was sent to retrieve him from the airport. willis reed 4608 GIFs. (Associated Press), Reed won two NBA Finals MVP awards, first in 1970 and this one in 1973. He led the Tigers to one NAIA title and three Southwestern Athletic Conference championships. The Polar Express Train Adventu.. GI Joe Viper Reef Scuba Trainin.. Sahara The Objective - Defuse T.. If I couldve been the MVP, that wouldve meant a lot at that time., Instead, being a Knicks champion became everlasting. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. In 1970, Reed became the first player in NBA history to be named the NBA All-Star Game MVP, the NBA regular season MVP, and the NBA Finals MVP in the same season. I appreciate that.. Yet, the story of these NBA Finals reaches far beyond that moment. That was the lede typed in by New York Post columnist Milton Gross 50 years ago Friday in salute of Reeds heroism on May 8, 1970. I was thinking about having to play against Wilt Chamberlain on one leg and that all these people cheering had some high expectations for me, he said. The New York Knicks and the New York Rangers are on 6 game winning streaks at the same time. Reed quickly made a name as a fierce, dominating and physical force on both ends of the floor. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1970 TOPPS #110 WILLIS REED AS PSA 8 11259684 at the best online prices at eBay! May 8, 1970: It's Game 7 of the NBA Finals and the Knicks were filled with pressure, no one more so than Willis Reed. He has great handwriting, Frazier said. It was 1967. This year's Legend's Night will honor Grambling State's own and former NBA Legend Willis Reed. The prices shown are the lowest prices available for Willis Reed the last time we updated. Reed has insisted that inspiration and courage were the last things on his mind as he came out. Hes a very meticulous person. With Willis Reed crippled by a torn thigh muscle, the Knicks appeared to be in dire straits. He played all 10 of his seasons with the Knicks after they selected him in the second round of the 1964 draft out of Grambling State, a historically Black university in Grambling, La. I owe a lot to him for that. At 6 feet 9 inches, but solidly built, he could battle near the basket with giants like Wilt Chamberlain but also score . Reed proved to be a clutch playoff performer throughout his career. Anxiety in New York ran deeper. Reed was the rare 6-foot-10 post player who could shoot from the perimeter in those days. It became clear the Knicks, with their smaller style, could not only survive but thrive. viewing, beginning with the Knicks. Reed had crumpled to the court with the torn thigh early in Game 5 at the Garden. This one came over Chamberlain, who was forced to flee his comfort zone in the paint.