Walt Frazier sees ‘a lot of similarities’ in current Knicks to his championship teams

Walt “Clyde” Frazier knows what it looks like. 

He’s played on championship Knicks teams.

He’s followed ones that have come close.

The legendary Knicks player and announcer believes the current ensemble, fortified by the addition of Mikal Bridges, has what it takes to break through at some point soon after back-to-back trips to the Eastern Conference semifinals. 

“I see the vibes,” Frazier said Friday. “I see a lot of similarities with [our] championship teams, starting with the coach. [Tom Thibodeau] is a lot like Red Holzman. He holds the guys accountable, and they’re defensive oriented, and the players actually like each other. 

“I think this is going to be our year. Obviously, health is going to play a big factor into it. But if the Knicks can stay healthy, I think we can get back to our former grandeur.” 

Frazier, 79, was at the Jacob Javits Center for the inaugural Fanatics Fest NYC, on a Knicks panel entitled “Bing Bong” alongside players Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart, actor Ben Stiller and award-winning director Spike Lee.

The hour-long event inside the theater at the Javits Center was full of Knicks fans eager to shower Brunson and Hart with applause and praise.

They erupted into “Ja-Len, Brun-Son” chants before he took the stage and broke into “M-V-P” chants when the team’s newest captain emerged. 

Frazier offered Brunson a huge compliment during the panel, in which the talk of the Knicks winning their first title since 1973 was one of the main points. 

“We know, in this town, the expectations are always overwhelming, so to rise to the occasion his first two years and accept the challenge, catapulting the team, he’s definitely got a chance to be one of the greatest Knicks ever, if not the greatest Knick ever,” Frazier said. “I did a video — I wasn’t able to be at the induction when he was inducted as the captain — I told him, he reminds me a lot of Willis Reed. They’re both lefties, they both have tenacious work ethic, they’re always sharing and caring, and team-first concept. They’re always thinking of the team, not themselves.” 

A major factor in the heightened expectations with the Knicks is a strong offseason, highlighted by the return of OG Anunoby and the addition of Bridges by way of a trade with the Nets.

Bridges, of course, played with Brunson, Hart and Donte DiVincenzo at Villanova and is another quality two-way player on a roster full of them. 

“What he brings is he fits the puzzle perfectly,” Brunson said. “He can do whatever you ask him to do and then more. To say who he is as a person, the man got off the plane from London last night, and then he was in the gym today bright and early.” 

The 67-year-old Lee brought the crowd to its feet when he was asked why the Knicks matter.

He talked about his life as a Knicks fan, growing up during the team’s heyday, when they won two titles in the span of four seasons. 

“I think the time is now and f–k Boston,” he said, referring to the champion Celtics. 

Later, Lee brought out one of the MSG nets, encased in glass, from Game 7 of the 1970 finals.

He asked Frazier to recite his stats from that memorable Game 7 — 36 points, 19 assists, seven rebounds and five steals — when the Knicks ousted Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West and the Lakers. 

“1972-73? C’mon now,” Lee said, as the crowd roared in approval. “Let’s go, let’s go get another ring. Orange and blue skies, let’s go.”