Dick McGuire

Who was Dick McGuire?

Richard Joseph "Dick" McGuire was an American professional basketball player and coach.

One of the premier guards of the 1950s, McGuire spent eleven seasons in the NBA, eight with the New York Knicks and three with the Detroit Pistons. McGuire led the league in assists during his rookie season with a then-record 386 assists, and was among the league's top ten playmakers for ten of his eleven seasons. He was an NBA All-Star seven times, and was named to the All-NBA Second Team in 1951.

McGuire became player-coach for the Pistons in his last season, and coached them until 1963. He also coached the Knicks for three seasons, beginning in 1965. He compiled a 197-260 coaching record. McGuire was working as a senior consultant for the Knicks when he died on February 3, 2010 of a ruptured aortic aneurysm at age 84.

McGuire's brother Al was also a prominent figure in basketball who coached Marquette University to the 1977 NCAA basketball championship. They are the only pair of brothers inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. His nephew, Allie, also played in the NBA.

The Knicks retired number 15 a second time for McGuire in 1992.