Harthorne Wingo, a former Knicks forward and cult hero, has died at the age of 73, according to sources.
Wingo, a native of North Carolina, played four seasons with the 1970s Knicks before going overseas. Wingo was a bit of a player on the 1972-73 league team who played 13 games, averaging four minutes.
But later on, the 6-foot-6 unsuccessful striker became a fan favorite and was immortalized in the Beastie Boys song “Lay It On Me” with the lyrics: “My Favorite New York Knick Was Harthorne Wingo “.
Wingo was tall and lanky and known for an awkward jump shot that captivated fans when he actually walked in. His career scoring average was 4.8 points, but he played in all 82 games in the 1974-75 season, pulling 46%.
Wingo was living in New York at the time of his death and had attended the anniversary events for the 1973 team.