How Good Was Rick Barry REALLY? 

How would Rick do in the modern NBA? (Rick has said he would dominate) NOTE: Sorry if the sound is weird on this one. I tested positive for the Virus, so its messed up my voice a bit. Other than an annoying fever, I'm doing alright though :)

There was a piece in Sports Illustrated on him some years ago where he explained the brilliant logic behind the "granny." He said that shooting free throws should be considered a separate part of the game - offense, defense, free throws - and that players adapt their regular shooting form to free throws, but that muscle fatigue from shooting rebounding defense and pushing guys, dribbling etc., affects keeping one's hand steady when shooting from the line, especially late in games. But the granny style has a natural, relaxed motion that is unaffected by fatigue. Also, the ball goes to the rim more softly so you don't shoot bricks that bounce around. He said that if you're shooting 80% from the line, don't mess with it. But if you're shooting less you might consider it. And while Shaq and fans make fun of it and say it's embarrassing, the real embarrassment is shooting bricks and missing throws with the game on the line.

His winning the '74 - '75 title with Golden State was one of the most memorable upsets ever. One of the greatest scorers I've ever seen.

I shared Typing Class with this man in the 9th Grade at Roselle Park High School, New Jersey. I was nobody and he was the GOAT of the High School. Despite the chasm he was kind, decent, helpful, and an outstanding classmate to every single person in that class. A true Gentleman at all times. One of a kind personality and we all loved him. He put his basketball talent into a separate box and treated all of us as he would have wanted to be treated if he wasn't a STAR. All Aces to Rick Barry!

Barry's father in law was also in charge of the Oakland Oaks, another reason he jumped to the ABA. Barry is also the only man EVER to lead the NCAA, NBA and ABA in scoring in a season.

Something the video did not mention is when Rick Barry was playing for the Houston Rockets in 1980, as a 35 year old in his final season, he set a single game record for most 3 pointers, hitting 8; a record that stood for 10 years.

I am in my early sixties and I watched him play. He was one of the best. He certainly deserves more recognition that he has received. He use to light it up for real! Ball control, shooting, defense...overall court awareness on both sides of the ball and let's not forget his free throw technique. Yes! Let's not forget Rick Barry when mentioning some of the greatest.

Rick Barry = one of the GREATS. Period.

I went to a basketball camp with RB in high school. He was with Billy Cunnngham. They came out one day and shot for 30 minutes & didn't miss a shot. Then we worked on 3 on 3 fast breaks & he complemented me on a pass i threw. My greatest bb achievement!

GREAT player...whose ability always seemed to be overshadowed by his mouth and attitude. I had a poster of this guy hanging in my bedroom when I was a kid. The '74-'75 Warriors were one of the greatest original Cinderella stories in NBA playoff history.

Rick would light up today's NBA. Would of been interesting to see him play in the NBA his entire career when he played in the ABA for a couple seasons. Rick is a class act. I remember watching Rick interview Magic after he had that great game with 42 points in gm 6 of the 1980 NBA Finals w/o Kareem.

Top 5 small forward, the strongest position in the pros. I didn't like him, but his game was beautiful. Beautiful form on his jumper, great driver, see all those short-range running shots off the backboard. Very special, very unusual player.

Extremely underrated player, all time great . He average all those points without a 3point line- so add 5-6 points a game to his total. Yes he quit on game 7,but let’s be honest would you appreciate none of your teammates coming to back you up during a fight ?

0:59 am I the only one that finds this form beautiful. It's one of the most fundamentally looking shots I've ever seen

I was a Bullets fan back in the 70s and I am still amazed by his performance in that 4 game sweep in the '75 finals. Just incredible!

Rick Barry is one of the most underrated players in NBA history. Who agrees?

Yes - been waiting for that one. He was deadly. More than any other player from that era, his game was designed for today.

Maybe the most underrated player of all time!

Let's remember that Rick's 35.6 avg in his sophomore year was accomplished without the three-point shot. His game was well suited to today's game. He could shoot long range, defend the perimeter, and handle the ball.

Was reading Jerry West's autobiography, and in it he said he thought Rick Barry might be as good as Larry Bird, my favorite player. Thanks for the career round-up, very informative.

I'm one of the people requesting this video. I'm hoping for Artis Gilmore next! Thanks Jonny!

I followed him throughout his entire career. He was an amazing player in every aspect of the game. Sadly, he was unpopular with fellow players because he said what was on his mind. Re the incident against the Suns in Game 7 of that series, try to imagine how you would feel if you saw the footage at halftime and realized that none of his teammates came to help. True, he didn't start shooting again until it was too late, but his passing was on target (as usual). His teammates simply missed one shot after another. They lost that second half, not Barry.

Casuals: Hes that guy that shot granny-style right? Edit: I put casuals because thats all people that don't follow basketball know about Rick Barry, that he shot underhand/granny-style free throws.

"Pistol Pete" Maravich is another great one from a bygone era.

Johnny you're the greatest analyst of RU-vid so upload more man

10 Rick Barry Fun Facts, at least one of which you did not know . . . 10. He grew up a Willie Mays fan, basket catches and all, hence jersey No. 24. 9. In the mid-1970s, he became the first so-called point forward, a hybrid position that combined small forward and point guard skills. 8. He is the only pro player to wear one number at home (2) and another on the road (4). (The Rockets' Moses Malone already had 24 when Barry arrived in Houston.) 7. He would have concluded his career with Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics, but when roster sizes were reduced to 11 per game because of financial considerations, it never came to pass. 6. His career 30.5 points-per-game average and .900 free-throw percentage rank first in ABA history. 5. At 26-4, the 1968-69 Oakland Oaks were on a pace for a 68-10 record when Barry went down with his first major knee injury. 4. He is one of four players to win ABA and NBA championships. 3. His record 40.8 points-per-game average in the 1967 NBA Finals stood for 26 years. (Michael Jordan, 41.0.) 2. He accomplished No. 3 despite two cortisone injections to his bum knee on game days. 1. He's the only player to score 50 points in Game 7 of a playoff series (52, 1970, at Denver).

Rick Barry passed the ball. stole the ball, and shot free throws as well as any small forward that's ever played. In addition, he was one of the best scorers in NBA history and a phenomenal Finals performer. That should put his career in perspective.

I was a kid when Rick Barry played at the University of Miami. I went to watch him at a home game (the Hurricanes were playing Loyola of New Orleans). My dad and I got to the game a few minutes late and it wasn't until very late in the game after Rick had scored his 43rd and 44th points that someone next to us said that's the first time Barry had smiled all night, 'after knocking that guy out in the first minute of the game'. I read the next day where he had done just that and that the refs had completely missed the action (I don't know how). He had a real temper for sure and he probably lost the NCAA Player Of The Year honor to Bill Bradley (Princeton) for things like that. But no one in my lifetime has ever made the game look any smoother, no one had a prettier jump shot. He was so very poetic. He was a great slasher before his knee surgery. No one could guard him. I think the year they won the NBA title one of his Warrior teammates (I think it was Jeff Mullins or Phil Smith) said that all season long it seemed Barry could have scored 50 points anytime he wanted. He was just that good. I think he was a top three small forward along with Larry Legend and LeBron. I am not sure in what order. I also loved Dr. J at that position and many, many others (Dominique, Elgin Baylor, John Havlicek, and even Durant--I'm sure there are a couple of more I've left out here). But Barry was incredible, even amongst that bunch.

Everybody respected Rick Barry and as good as advertised, thumbs up.

Rick Barry was a fuckn scoring machine and a good rebounder, free throw shooter and assist man definitely one of the most recognize guys when I started playing hoops and watching NBA basketball. Dudes outside shooting was phenomenal

One of the greatest minds in NBA history. Can listen to him talk all day

Rick Barry was my sports HERO. As a 10 year old his book "Confessions of a Basketball Gypsy", was my constant "companion". Thank you for the memories. Barry dropped more (30 foot) BOMBS than all WW2 fighter pilots put together. The creepy kneeling NBA can ignore you but you will never be forgotten. THANK YOU, RICK!

Rick is easily in the the top twenty basketball players of all-time, probably in the top 10.

He was great in all aspects of the game a superstar..should be on anyones top 30 player all time list

the man literally could’ve won another chip but decided to be spiteful.....that’s hilarious! love Barry! love doing the Granny shot!

I saw the great Rick Barry play and he's as good as any wing player in history and yes, that includes Lebron and Larry Legend and I'm a big fan of both those players. Barry could score with anybody ever and was also a GREAT all around player because he was an elite passer, rebounder (pre knee injuries), and had as high a basketball IQ as anybody ever, that's how good he was. Too often people classify him as the guy that shot underhand free throws or jumped to the ABA or sometimes acted like John McEnroe. But to do that distracts from his greatness as one of the best ever. The year he led the warriors to the chip was a masterpiece of a season but the players were voting for MVP and they gave the MVP to McAdoo. Barry was not popular with opponents because he had Jordan level competitiveness and was not afraid to tell teammates, refs and opens what he thought. But Barry DID play team basketball and was amazing.

I put him in Golden State Warriors Mt. Rushmore along with Steph, Klay, and Chris Mullin

Rick Barry was an absolutely a legend ......and hey how good a team mate was Jordan ......enough said ....

Rick Barry needs respect. Great stats he's overshadow.

Barry is in that league with Jerry West, Bird, Jordan, any of them, he's that great

I saw Rick Barry play for the Nets in 70-71 and 71-72 and watched him carry a team of nobodies to win the 1975 NBA championship against the Washington Bullets with Elvin Hayes and Wes Unseld. If television coverage back then was as extensive as it is today, Barry would be rated as one of the top ten players to ever play in the NBA. He was an excellent shooter, great passer, and elevated bad teams by his court vision and understanding of the game. He was as good as Bird and much quicker but wasn’t surrounded by as much talent. If Barry played in today’s era, he would average over 30 points per game with his great outside shooting and quickness. It’s also likely that his knee problems would have been more effectively treated by modern orthopedic surgical advances, which would also add to his greatness and longevity. The only negative was his personality which irked many people including his sons, but didn’t affect his performance on the court on which he made average players look much better than their abilities. He also doesn’t receive enough credit for challenging the reserve clause and missed a season in his prime because of it. Overall, a unique talent way ahead of his time who is one of the most underrated superstars because of his many teams and personality. A definite top 10 all time NBA player.

Rick Barry was both tenacious and a perfectionist giving him the traits of a great player.

I was an NBA freak in 1974. A Sonic fan transplanted to Sacramento. Got all the Warrior games on TV. I couldn't count how many clutch/game winning shots this guy made that year. You came to expect it. I never liked the guy but he was just that good

I'm from the Bay Area and I saw Barry play many times and theres no doubt he doesn't get the recognition he deserves. A vastly underrated player who in 74-75 season had one of the best years I've ever seen anyone have, and I believe still finished 4th in MVP voting. I think that's when the players voted and they didn't like him much

Great analysis and perspective. I grew up watching the "Miami greyhound" and loved his game. Complete player with a complete skills set as you have outlined. Just like Jerry West. No question he would be a leader in any era.

Saw him in Giessen, Germany when he visited his son who played there. He shot a few free throws during halftime, amazing.

I had season tickets in 1975 at the then Oakland Alameda County Coliseum Complex. Saw Rick Barry play. He had a great basketball IQ, and was a great passer and scorer. Great at the free throw line, and a very underrated defender.

As a very young kid I remember Rick Barry and the Golden State Warriors just edging one of my favorite Chicago Bulls teams in the 1975 playoffs. Jerry Sloan and Norm Van Lier were the backcourt with center Nate Thurmond and Chet Walker and Bob Love at the forwards. It was the last go around for that veteran Bulls team. Rick Barry was that good. It seemed like every clutch shot Barry would shoot he would make. Heartbreaker.

I saw him play a number of times including pickup games at Hofstra University when he was with the Nets. He was a beast. He did whatever he wanted to in those pickup games. My two guys for classic jump shot form are Barry and West. West has said Barry was Bird before Bird. His passing and court smarts were greatly unappreciated.

this was before the 3-point line in the NBA. He was amazing.

I heard a story about RB, that he set his self at the free throw line, put on a blindfold and hit ten free throws in a row, as his underhand stroke never changed. Pretty amazing as a lot of players today can't hit 10 in a row with no blindfold.

As usual....awesome vid with great insight. If barry played in today's league I think he'd average about 30 ppg. Can you please do one on Elvin Hayes

Rick Barry was an Aries, their extremely competetive and driven

Wilt said Rick is almost impossible to stop. (I dont remember the exact quote)

Thanks for this video it was easy to show the greatness of him. Definitely a top 10 all time SF.

Educational for me; did not know this about Rick Barry. I knew he won an NBA title in 1975 against a tough Washington Bullets team. Dude was good! Thanks for your post.

Thank you for this video I was just getting into learning more about Barry, who I am mostly unfamiliar with! This video had perfect timing for me! Another great and insightful video!

You should do one on bob peti or Wes unseld

He’s right. He’d be a perennial all star in any era. His championship season was amazing.

He's definitely top 20 NBA players of all time. Definitely top for his position

He led the NCAA, ABA, and NBA in scoring. He was way ahead of his time. He never took time off for "load management". Read his biography. He was making $38,000 a year and led the NBA in scoring. The Warriors offered him a $5,000 raise to $43,000 a year, which Rick considered an insult. He sat out the next year, and eventually played in the ABA before returning to the NBA. Most of us never saw him play. A few of us were fortunate to see him play. I rank him in the top 10 all time.

BARRRYYYYY, we might do a video on this beast soon too!

Have always been a fan of Rick Barry. That championship Warriors team was great.

Was just discussing the elder Berry, with my youngest brother last week. He didn’t know much about him, although he loves basketball. I told him that Rick was highly underrated and I didn’t know why, until now. Thanks for the video!

Lmao I remember back in 2016 with all the Warriors bandwagon hype days, they’d show this dude & ask the fake fans “do you know who this player is?”

The Dude was a monster. One of the best of all time. I'd put him up there with Larry Bird and Jerry West as the best white guy of all time in the NBA.

Another well-researched piece. Mad talented to be sure. You have to respect someone who is willing to stand up for what they believe in despite the repercussions.

One comment about Rick Barry which I believe was said by one of his teammates was "he didn't suffer fools well". If Barry thought you were stupid he wasn't known for being diplomatic about it.

One of the best forwards in basketball history !!! - 24

Great player but also his own worst enemy it seems. Coulda been a back to back champ.

Rick Barry was one of a kind...truly a great player..IQ through the roof...

Great video. I remember Rick Barry’s playing days. But did not know the backstory. The final game with the fight and players not coming to his aid was sure telling...

He was awesome definitely a forgotten star

1990's teenager - Oh yeah! That guy is Jon and Brent's dad!

Look at the placement of his hands on the free throw shot. They are near the top of the ball and Barry used them to place spin on the ball. It's not simply an underhanded shot that my coach in 6th grade asked me to try since I wasn't getting the ball to the basket. He was an excellent shot and he would be nailing three-pointers today.

I grew up with that Warrior team in the early 70's. Barry was the unquestioned leader.

His OTHER problem: being WIDELY disliked

Old heads used to say when it came to the sf position it was Baylor, Barry and Bird.

I saw Rick Barry while at the top of the key throw a dead eye behind-the-back pass to a teammate on the baseline, it got there in a second. Such amazing accuracy a strength!

One of the best players I’ve ever seen. Especially in the clutch. He made so many last second shots for the Warriors in that championship season.

He was really good. I was a little kid when they played Hayes and Unsel in the NBA championship. He ALWAYS ran his mouth and was controversial.

Come on now, it really doesn't matter how much you dislike your teammate, if he's having a scrap with someone not apart of your team, you back the guy up. Especially if that teammate is your best player and you need him to win the game. What Rick Barry did was childish but those teammates of his were dick heads too.

Rick Barry would humilate todays forward in the nba No one today could come close to guarding him. Saw him drop 50 on the rockets one nightnin the 72 73 season made it look easy and if you fouled him the ol granny free throw shot was good for 90 percent . top 5 forward of all time

*UNDERRATED PLAYER !!!* Rick Barry was amazing basketball player.

Re. the Game 7 against the Suns where Barry refused to shoot for a large part of the 2nd half (7:03), Barry was benched by his coach for the start of the 4th quarter, and the Warriors took the lead. Toward the end of the game, while it was still close, Barry started taking shots. But it was too little, too late. The Suns won 94-86 and Barry led the Warriors with 20 points. It was odd that his teammates didn't rush to his aid during the fight with Sobers (wasn't much of a fight), but even more amazing is that his coach Al Attles wasn't out there. Remember what Attles did when Mike Riordan took a cheap shot at Barry in the 1974-75 Finals? The Destroyer was ready to attack Riordan, and was only stopped doing so because Wes Unseld held him back.

Rick Barry could have played at any time. Did not seem very pleasant, but he was an all time great, and could have played now.

Criminally underrated is absolutely true! Next to Steph Curry, Barry was the best shooter I've ever seen. I was privileged to witness his 64 point game versus Portland in March 1974. Many of his shots were from 3 point range... and that was BEFORE the 3 point shot (line) was instituted (1979). I'd say at least 15 of his made shots would have been 3 pointers!

I saw him score 51 again the Sixers when Dr J (scored 34) first came to the NBA. Hit his first 6 jumpers. Electric player, when he got hot he was impossible to stop. One or the greatest small forwards who ever lived.

I respectfully request Tom Chambers.

I'd of thrown a finals game 7 to if my mates didn't come to back me up in a fight.

Great content my man, keep it up!

Easily one of the most underrated...many under the age of 50 dont even know who he is. I certainly do.

In answer to the question, he was certainly an all-time great. As a person, however, I have long heard that he was an angry asshole and that teammates rarely liked him, as evidenced by no one coming to his aid in that brawl that time. One of his two NBA-playing sons--Brett, I think--is said to have inherited a lot of Rick's persona, though was not in his league (pun intended) as a player and so couldn't get away with nearly as much prima donna behavior as dad did. Of course, few human beings have EVER been in Rick Barry's league as a player.

I remember watching NBA Open Court, one of the legends did day Rick was a bit of a prick lol i think his son was in that episode

Rick Barry is a top 10 forward. Do not forget to mention his competitive drive. It was on par with anybody. He did what you needed him to do. If you needed him to play power forward he did, if you needed him to rebound, he did. If his shot was off he would find another way to beat you. People just didn't like his personality on the court. He would irritate people to get himself pumped up.

so many old school players I would love to see play in the modern era.

People forget that 75 title team maybe the one time that a single player carried a team

Greater than Larry Bird. A very serious player one of NBA greats.

I watched every game in 1975 - Barry was awesome! I loved your post -

I remember him when I was a little kid and he was absolutely one of the best ever.