basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...

American Basketball Association The American Basketball Association (ABA) was a major professional basketball league that operated for nine seasons from 1967 to 1976. The upstart ABA operated in direct competition with the more established National Basketball Association thr ...

National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...

National Collegiate Athletic Association The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...

free throw In basketball, free throws or foul shots are unopposed attempts to score points by shooting from behind the free-throw line (informally known as the foul line or the charity stripe), a line situated at the end of the restricted area. Free throws ...

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts. It serves as basketball's most complete library, in addition to promoting and pre ...

50 Greatest Players in NBA History The 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, also referred to as NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, were chosen in 1996 to honor the 50th anniversary of the founding of the National Basketball Association (NBA). It was the third anniversary team ...

NBA 75th Anniversary Team The NBA 75th Anniversary Team, also referred to as the NBA 75, was chosen in 2021 to honor the 75th anniversary of the founding of the National Basketball Association (NBA). It was the fourth and most recent anniversary team in the league. S ...

Jon Barry Jon Alan Barry (born July 25, 1969) is an American former professional basketball player and television analyst for American Broadcasting Company, ABC and ESPN. Barry is currently the lead analyst for NBA_on_ESPN_Radio, ESPN Radio's coverage of ...

College of William & Mary The College of William & Mary (abbreviated as W&M) is a public university, public research university in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1693 under a royal charter issued by King William III of England, William III and Queen ...

retired Retirement is the withdrawal from one's position or occupation or from one's active working life. A person may also semi-retire by reducing work hours or workload. Many people choose to retire when they are elderly or incapable of doing their j ...

Elizabeth, New Jersey Elizabeth is a City (New Jersey), city in and the county seat of Union County, New Jersey, Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.Roselle Park, an urban middle-class community. As a fifth-grader, he played with the varsity basketball team, for which his father Aldo served as coach, however, baseball was his best sport and he was a fan of local New York Giants superstar

Willie Mays Willie Howard Mays Jr. (May 6, 1931 – June 18, 2024), nicknamed "the Say Hey Kid", was an American professional baseball center fielder who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of ...

, who wore jersey number 24. Barry once skipped school to shake Mays's hand at the Polo Grounds, where the Giants played no far from his home. he would wear the same number in tribute to the outfielder throughout his basketball career. In 1962, he graduated from Roselle Park High School in Roselle Park, New Jersey.

College career

Barry fielded over 30 scholarship offers before choosing the

University of Miami The University of Miami (UM, UMiami, Miami, U of M, and The U) is a private university, private research university in Coral Gables, Florida, United States. , the university enrolled 19,852 students in two colleges and ten schools across over ...

, largely because the

Hurricanes A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system with a low-pressure area, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depending on its locat ...

adhered to an up-tempo, pro-style system under head coach Bruce Hale that was conducive to Barry's skill set and athleticism. It was there that the three-time All-American met his future wife Pamela, who was the daughter of the head coach. Barry averaged 19.0 points and 14.6 rebounds per game in his first season of eligibility. After those numbers made sizable jumps to 32.2 and 16.6 as a junior, he entered his final season as a consensus preseason

All-America The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed on outstanding athletes in the United States who are considered to be among the best athletes in their respective sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an Al ...

selection. Some believed that only his hair-trigger temper could prevent it. While widely lauded for his unselfishness and leadership, he had developed a reputation as something of a hothead, especially as it concerned the referees. A more mature and dominant Barry emerged in his brilliant final season. In December, the senior made headlines in the 1965 Hurricane Classic, in which he scored 14 of his team's final 17 points in an 80-73 conquest of Maryland in the championship game and was named Most Valuable Valuable of the tournament. Barry went on lead the country with an average of 37.4 points per game, the third-highest mark in NCAA history at the time. Included were games of 59, 55, 54, 51 and 50 points as well as five others of 40 or more. His 475 rebounds (18.3 per game) also ranked No. 4 in the nation. While the Hurricanes rolled to a 22-4 record, the second best win percentage in school history, Barry and his teammates were ineligible for the NCAA tournament. The basketball program was on probation for one season, which limited his national recognition and opportunity to be the No. 1 pick in the

1965 NBA draft The 1965 NBA draft was the 19th annual draft of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The draft was held on May 6, 1965, before the 1965–66 season. In this draft, nine NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball player ...

. Barry finished his college career with 2.298 points (29.8 per game) in 77 appearances, 61 in which he had 20 points or more. He still owns 15 single-game, season or career records, including most points and most rebounds. In 1976, Barry was inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame. His number 24 jersey is one of only two to have been retired by the university.

Professional career

San Francisco Warriors (1965–1967)

Barry was drafted by the

San Francisco Warriors The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. Founded in 1946 i ...

with the second pick of the NBA draft. In his pro debut, the team more than doubled its wins total from 17 to 35 and was in playoff contention until the final game of the regular season. Nicknamed the "Miami Greyhound" by longtime

San Francisco Bay Area The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a List of regions of California, region of California surrounding and including San Francisco Bay, and anchored by the cities of Oakland, San Francisco, and San Jose, California, S ...

broadcaster Bill King because of his long and slender physical build, whippet-like quickness, and remarkable instincts, the Barry won the

NBA Rookie of the Year Award The National Basketball Association's Rookie of the Year is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given to the top rookie(s) of the regular season. Initiated following the 1952–53 NBA season, it confers the Eddie Gottlieb Tr ...

after averaging 25.7 points and 10.6 rebounds per game in the 1965–66 season. Barry squashed any thoughts of a sophomore slump the following year, when he captured the

1967 NBA All-Star Game The 1967 NBA All-Star Game was the 17th All-Star Game played January 10, 1967, at the Cow Palace in Daly City, California. The coaches were Red Auerbach, Boston Celtics (Eastern Division) and Fred Schaus, Los Angeles Lakers (Western Division). ...

MVP award with a 38-point outburst as the West team stunned the East team that featured

Wilt Chamberlain Wilton Norman Chamberlain ( ; August21, 1936 – October12, 1999) was an American professional basketball player. Standing tall, he played Center (basketball), center in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 14 seasons. He was enshrin ...

,

Oscar Robertson Oscar Palmer Robertson (born November 24, 1938), nicknamed "the Big O", is an American former professional basketball player who played for the Cincinnati Royals and Milwaukee Bucks in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Robertson played ...

,

Bill Russell William Felton Russell (February 12, 1934 – July 31, 2022) was an American professional basketball player who played Center (basketball), center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. He was t ...

and head coach

Red Auerbach Arnold Jacob "Red" Auerbach (September 20, 1917 – October 28, 2006) was an American professional basketball coach and executive. As a head coach in the National Basketball Association (NBA), he led the Boston Celtics to an unprecedented champio ...

, among other all-time greats. He also led the NBA in scoring with a 35.6 point per game average, which currently ranks as the eighth-highest single season ppg average in league history. Along with All-Star center

Nate Thurmond Nathaniel Thurmond (July 25, 1941 – July 16, 2016) was an American professional basketball player who spent the majority of his 14-year career in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the Golden State Warriors franchise. He played the ...

, Barry carried the Warriors to the 1967 NBA Finals, which they lost to the

Philadelphia 76ers The Philadelphia 76ers, also known colloquially as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlan ...

in six highly competitive games, something that Russell and the

Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), ...

could not do in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Despite an injured left knee that required cortisone shots on game days, Barry averaged 40.8 points per game in the series, an NBA Finals record that stood for nearly three decades. "The guy was so good that we had to have three different guys guard him at different times,"

Wilt Chamberlain Wilton Norman Chamberlain ( ; August21, 1936 – October12, 1999) was an American professional basketball player. Standing tall, he played Center (basketball), center in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 14 seasons. He was enshrin ...

said. "'Cause he would run them all ragged."

Joining the ABA (1968–1972)

At odds with Warriors owner Franklin Mieuli over unpaid incentive monies due him, Barry moved to the ABA's Oakland Oaks (owned by singer

Pat Boone Patrick Charles Eugene Boone (born June 1, 1934) is an American singer, songwriter, actor, author, television personality, radio host and philanthropist. He sold nearly 50 million records, had 38 Top 40 hits, and has acted in many films. Boone ...

), who overwhelmed him with a historic contract offer. Bruce Hale, who coached at Miami and was Barry's father-in-law, was tapped to serve as head coach. Barry became the first marquee NBA player to jump to the rival league. Barry signed for a salary of $75,000 along with 15 percent ownership of the Oaks and 5 percent of Oaks' gate receipts above $600,000. When asked about the deal, he stated, "I know what a lot of people think of me. They call me a traitor. Is that fair? If they would just look at it the same way they do their own businesses. This is the way I support my family. Why should I be called unloyal? They change their jobs and nobody says they're unloyal. If everything was based just on loyalty, no one would ever make any money." At the time, all NBA teams had one-year options on player contracts and the Warriors were quick to exercise theirs. The courts ordered Barry to sit out the 1967–68 season for the Oaks, upholding the validity of the

reserve clause The reserve clause, in North American professional sports, was part of a player contract which stated that the rights to players were retained by the team upon the contract's expiration. Players under these contracts were not free to enter into ano ...

in his Warriors contract. Barry's court case preceded by two years that of

St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Centra ...

' outfielder

Curt Flood Curtis Charles Flood Sr. (January 18, 1938 – January 20, 1997) was an American professional baseball center fielder and activist. He played 15 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Redlegs, St. Louis Cardinals, and Washin ...

, whose own challenge to the reserve clause went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Although Flood's challenge is better known, Barry was in fact the first American professional athlete to bring a court action against a major league. The ensuing publicity cast Barry in a negative light, portraying him as selfish and money hungry. He was hardly alone in his vision, however, as numerous NBA players also saw the rival league as a rare opportunity to enhance their careers.

Oakland Oaks (1968–1969)

The Oaks finished 22–56 in their ABA debut, which Barry spent as part of their broadcast team. Prior to the 1968–69 season, they hired his former

San Francisco Warriors The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. Founded in 1946 i ...

coach

Alex Hannum Alexander Murray Hannum (July 19, 1923 – January 18, 2002) was an American professional basketball player and coach. As a player, Hannum played for six different teams, most notably with the Milwaukee (later St. Louis) Hawks, where he played ...

to replace Hale, who moved to a front office position. If there was any question about whether Barry would remain the most dominant player in professional basketball, he quickly answered it. In his ABA debut, he averaged a league-high 34.0 points per game and the Oaks became the first West Coast team to capture a league championship in professional basketball history. Barry also paced the league in free-throw percentage in the regular season, a feat he would repeat in the 1970–71 and 1971–72 seasons. Barry had his season come to an abrupt halt on December 27, 1968, when late in a game against the

New York Nets New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 ** "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, 1995 * "New" (Daya song), 2017 * "New" (No Doubt song), 1 ...

, he was blindsided by Ken Wilburn on a drive to the basket and tore left knee ligaments on the play. He attempted to come back in January 1969, only to aggravate the injury and sit out the remainder of the season. He took part in only 35 games but still was named to the ABA All-Star team. Even without the arguably the best all-around player in basketball, the Oaks barely skipped a beat. They finished with a 60–18 record under Hannum, dominating the Western Division by 14 games over the second-place

New Orleans Buccaneers The New Orleans Buccaneers were a charter member of the American Basketball Association. After three seasons in New Orleans, Louisiana, the franchise moved to Memphis, Tennessee, where it became the Memphis Pros, Pros, Memphis Tams, Tams, and Me ...

. In the

1969 ABA Playoffs The 1969 ABA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the American Basketball Association's 1968–69 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Division champion Oakland Oaks defeating the Eastern Division champion Indiana Pacers, fo ...

, the Oaks ousted the

Denver Rockets Denver ( ) is a consolidated city and county, the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. It is located in the Western United States, in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains east of ...

in a seven-game series then swept the Buccaneers in the Western Division finals. In the championship round, they made short work of the

Indiana Pacers The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...

, 4–1, to capture the league title. In lieu of a parade in downtown Oakland, a modest victory celebration was held at a restaurant in Jack London Square. It was there that Barry announced, "I see no hope for the rest of the teams in the league."

Washington Caps (1969–1970)

Despite their on-court excellence, the Oaks were a disappointment at the gate, partly because of Barry's absence in the final five months of the season, partly because they were the only ABA member that competed in the same market as an NBA team, that being the more established Warriors across the bay. They averaged just 2,800 fans per home game at the state-of-the-art Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena, slightly more than the league average. By that time, entertainer-business entrepreneur

Pat Boone Patrick Charles Eugene Boone (born June 1, 1934) is an American singer, songwriter, actor, author, television personality, radio host and philanthropist. He sold nearly 50 million records, had 38 Top 40 hits, and has acted in many films. Boone ...

had become the majority team owner, and after more than $2 million in losses over two seasons, he wanted out of the basketball business. In August 1968, the franchise was sold to a group headed by real estate attorney and former Baltimore Bullets owner

Earl Foreman Earl Marin Foreman (March 29, 1924 – January 23, 2017) was an American lawyer and sports executive. Foreman practiced law in the District of Columbia. He was the owner of the short-lived Washington Whips professional soccer club of the NASL a ...

, who immediately moved it to Washington, D.C., even though there was no suitable arena in the vicinity at the time. Reluctantly, Barry played the 1969–70 season with the ABA's Washington Caps. He refused to report to the team at the outset, at one point commenting: "If I wanted to go to Washington, I'd run for president!" He missed the first 32 games before he joined the team, which played in the Western Division, making for a grueling travel schedule. The Caps still managed to finish with a respectable 44–40 record, good for third place in the Western Division. Appearing in only 52 games because of a knee injury, Barry finished the season with 1,442 points (27.7 per game), second-best in the league. The Denver Rockets edged the Caps, 4–3, in the Western Division semifinals. In Game 7 on the road, Barry went off for 52 points, which set a new ABA record for points in a playoff game (later topped a month later by Roger Brown). It is still the most points scored in a seventh and deciding game in professional basketball history.

New York Nets (1970–1972)

The Washington Caps became the

Virginia Squires The Virginia Squires were a basketball team based in Norfolk, Virginia, and playing in several other Virginia cities. They were members of the American Basketball Association from 1970 to 1976. The team originated in 1967 as the Oakland Oaks, a ...

after the 1969–70 season, but Barry was openly despondent about playing in Virginia. At the same time, he wanted to continue playing in the ABA. Featured on the August 24, 1970, cover of ''

Sports Illustrated ''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with a circulation of over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellen ...

'' in a Squires jersey, he indicated that he would not return to the NBA if the league paid him "a million dollars a year." He denounced the Squires (and, subsequently, never suited up for them), saying he did not want his kids growing up with a Southern accent. On September 1, 1970, the Squires traded Barry to the

New York Nets New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 ** "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, 1995 * "New" (Daya song), 2017 * "New" (No Doubt song), 1 ...

for a draft pick and $200,000. The negative comments were not the primary reason; rather, Squires owner Earl Foreman was mired in financial troubles and sold Barry to help meet expenses. After the Squires dealt Barry to the

New York Nets New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 ** "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, 1995 * "New" (Daya song), 2017 * "New" (No Doubt song), 1 ...

, he played in only 59 games in the 1970–71 season because of a knee injury but still made the ABA All Star team. He repeated as an ABA All Star during the 1971–72 season. During the 1970–71 season he led the league in scoring (29.4 points per game) and led the league again in 1971–72 with 31.5 points per game. In both of those years he also led the ABA in free throw percentage as he had in 1968–69. Barry also became the ABA record holder for most consecutive free throws in one game with 23. In the 1970–71 season, the Nets finished 40–44, good for fourth place in the Eastern Division and a place in the

1971 ABA Playoffs The 1971 ABA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the American Basketball Association's 1970–71 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Division champion Utah Stars defeating the Eastern Division champion Kentucky Colonels, ...

. The Virginia Squires defeated the Nets 4 games to 2 in the Eastern Division semifinals. The 1971–72 Nets finished the season at 44–40, making the

1972 ABA Playoffs The 1972 ABA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the American Basketball Association's 1971–72 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Division champion Indiana Pacers defeating the Eastern Division champion New York Nets, fou ...

by claiming third place in the Eastern Division, 24 games behind the 68–16

Kentucky Colonels The Kentucky Colonels were an American professional basketball team based in Louisville, Kentucky. They competed in the American Basketball Association (ABA) from 1967 to 1976. The name is derived from the historic Kentucky Colonels. The Colo ...

. In the Eastern Division semifinals the Nets shocked the ABA by defeating the Colonels 4 games to 2. The Nets then eked out a 4–3 game victory over the Virginia Squires in the Eastern Division finals. The Nets were then edged by the Western Division champion

Indiana Pacers The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...

, 4 games to 2, in the 1972 ABA Finals. On June 23, 1972, a United States District Court judge issued a preliminary injunction to prohibit Barry from playing for any team other than the

Golden State Warriors The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. Founded in 1946 i ...

after his contract with the Nets ended, due to a 5-year contract signed in 1969. On October 6, 1972, the Nets released Barry and he returned to the Warriors.

Golden State Warriors (1972–1978)

Upon Barry's return to the Warriors and the NBA, Barry moved his game away from the basket, where he arguably became the first so-called point forward in league history. That is, Barry took on a role similar to that of a point guard and became the chief facilitator of the offense. While his offensive forays were not as frequent as in the past, on March 26, 1974, he scored a career-high 64 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a 143–120 win over the visiting

Portland Trail Blazers The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (N ...

. In training camp prior to the 1974–75 season, Barry was elected captain by his teammates. The Warriors went on to capture the Pacific Division crown as Barry had the best all-around season of his career. He averaged 30.6 points per game. Barry led the league in free throw percentage (.904) and steals per game (2.9) and ranked sixth in assists per game (6.2), the only forward among the top 10 in the category. In the playoffs, the upstart Warriors turned back the Seattle SuperSonics and

Chicago Bulls The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference. The team was founded on January 16 ...

to capture the Western Conference crown. In the 1975 NBA Finals, the Warriors faced the

Washington Bullets The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference. The team plays i ...

, who were led by future Hall of Famers

Elvin Hayes Elvin Ernest Hayes (born November 17, 1945), nicknamed "the Big E", is an American former professional basketball player and radio analyst for his alma mater Houston Cougars. He is a member of the NBA's 50th and 75th anniversary teams, and ...

and Wes Unseld, winning the series in four games. Barry was named

NBA Finals Most Valuable Player The Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (formerly known as the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player) is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1969 NBA Finals. The award is decided by a panel of eleven medi ...

after averaging 29.5 points, 5.0 assists and 3.5 steals per game. In the 1975 NBA draft, the Warriors selected point guard Gus Williams in the first round. Barry was not required to contribute as much during the 1975–76 season, and his scoring average dipped to 21.0 points per game as a result. Barry's relationship with his teammates continued to deteriorate, to the point where during the final game of the 1976 Western Conference Finals, when Suns rookie Ricky Sobers assaulted Barry away from the ball in the first quarter, none of his teammates came to his aid (in response, Barry took very few shots for the rest of the game, leading to speculation that Barry "quit on the team"). In the 1976–77 season, the Warriors won 46 games with Barry, Phil Smith, and Williams sharing the majority of the scoring and ball-handling responsibilities but were eliminated in the second round by the

Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...

. Reportedly, Barry and Williams clashed over the ball-handling role, and Williams was subsequently traded after the season to the Seattle SuperSonics. Barry averaged 23.1 points per game in his farewell season (1977–78) with the Warriors.

Houston Rockets (1978–1980)

Barry finished his career with the

Houston Rockets The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA) ...

, playing through the

1979–80 NBA season The 1979–80 NBA season was the 34th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Los Angeles Lakers winning the NBA Championship, beating the Philadelphia 76ers 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals The NBA Finals ...

. The Rockets signed him as a free agent in June 1978, and the league awarded veteran guard John Lucas to the Warriors as compensation. Due to

Moses Malone Moses Eugene Malone Sr. (March 23, 1955 – September 13, 2015) was an American professional basketball player who played in both the American Basketball Association (ABA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1974 through 1995. A ...

already wearing the jersey number 24, Barry settled on an unusual arrangement wherein he would wear No. 2 at home and No. 4 on the road. In the twilight of his career, Barry continued to make history. In his Rockets debut, he assumed a new role as the first player off the bench. It was not long before he elevated the point forward position to another level. Barry finished with a career-high 502 assists to become the first true small forward to reach the 500 mark in one season. Until then, swingman

John Havlicek John Joseph Havlicek (often nicknamed Hondo) ( ; April 8, 1940 – April 25, 2019) was an American professional basketball player who spent his entire career with the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A swingman, Hav ...

had been the only forward with as many as 500 assists in a season, but the Boston Celtics swingman also spent considerable time at the off guard spot. Barry averaged 13.5 points per game and established a new NBA record (since broken) with a .947 free throw percentage. Barry was less of a factor in his final season. The Rockets were swept by the Celtics in the 1980 Eastern Conference semifinals, and when contract talks with Boston and the Seattle SuperSonics failed to produce a contract, he decided to retire.

Career statistics

Regular season

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San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...

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San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...

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Oakland Oakland is a city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. It is the county seat and most populous city in Alameda County, with a population of 440,646 in 2020. A major West Coast port, Oakland is ...

(ABA) , 35 , , , , 38.9 , , .511 , , .300 , , style="background:#cfecec;", .888* , , 9.4 , , 3.9 , , , , , , 34.0* , - , style="text-align:left", , style="text-align:left;", Washington (ABA) , 52 , , , , 35.6 , , .499 , , .205 , , .864 , , 7.0 , , 3.4 , , , , , , 27.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

(ABA) , 59 , , , , 42.4 , , .469 , , .221 , , .890 , , 6.8 , , 5.0 , , , , , , 29.4 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

(ABA) , 80 , , , , style="background:#cfecec;", 45.2* , , .458 , , .308 , , .878 , , 7.5 , , 4.1 , , , , , , 31.5 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Golden State (NBA) , style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , , , 37.5 , , .452 , , , , style="background:#cfecec;", .902* , , 8.9 , , 4.9 , , , , , , 22.3 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Golden State (NBA) , 80 , , , , 36.5 , , .456 , , , , .899 , , 6.8 , , 6.1 , , 2.1 , , 0.5 , , 25.1 , - , style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;", † , style="text-align:left;", Golden State (NBA) , 80 , , , , 40.4 , , .464 , , , , style="background:#cfecec;", .904* , , 5.7 , , 6.2 , , style="background:#cfecec;", 2.9* , , 0.4 , , 30.6 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Golden State (NBA) , 81 , , , , 38.5 , , .435 , , , , style="background:#cfecec;", .923* , , 6.1 , , 6.1 , , 2.5 , , 0.3 , , 21.0 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Golden State (NBA) , 79 , , , , 36.8 , , .440 , , , , .916 , , 5.3 , , 6.0 , , 2.2 , , 0.7 , , 21.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Golden State (NBA) , 82 , , , , 36.9 , , .451 , , , , style="background:#cfecec;", .924* , , 5.5 , , 5.4 , , 1.9 , , 0.5 , , 23.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...

(NBA) , 80 , , , , 32.1 , , .461 , , , , style="background:#cfecec;", .947* , , 3.5 , , 6.3 , , 1.2 , , 0.5 , , 13.5 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...

(NBA) , 72 , , , , 25.2 , , .422 , , .330 , , style="background:#cfecec;", .935* , , 3.3 , , 3.7 , , 1.1 , , 0.4 , , 12.0 , -class=sortbottom , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career (NBA) , 794 , , , , 36.3 , , .449 , , .330 , , .900 , , 6.5 , , 5.1 , , 2.0 , , 0.5 , , 23.2 , -class=sortbottom , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career (ABA) , 226 , , , , 41.3 , , .477 , , .277 , , bgcolor="EOCEF2", .880 , , 7.5 , , 4.1 , , , , , , 30.5 , -class=sortbottom , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career (ABA/NBA) , 1.020 , , , , 37.4 , , .456 , , .297 , , .893 , , 6.7 , , 4.9 , , 2.0 , , 0.5 , , 24.8 , -class=sortbottom , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", All-Star (NBA) , 7 , , 6 , , 27.8 , , .486 , , , , .833 , , 4.1 , , 4.4 , , bgcolor="EOCEF2", 3.2 , , 0.1 , , 18.2 , -class=sortbottom , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", All-Star (ABA) , 4 , , 0 , , 20.5 , , .432 , , , , .857 , , 6.0 , , 4.5 , , , , , , 11.0 , -class=sortbottom , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", All-Star (ABA/NBA) , 11 , , 6 , , 25.1 , , .473 , , , , .842 , , 4.8 , , 4.4 , , , , , , 15.6

Playoffs

, - , style="text-align:left;",

1967 Events January * January 1 – Canada begins a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Canadian Confederation, Confederation, featuring the Expo 67 World's Fair. * January 6 – Vietnam War: United States Marine Corps and Army of ...

, style="text-align:left;",

San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...

(NBA) , 15 , , , , 40.9 , , .403 , , , , .809 , , 7.5 , , 3.9 , , , , , , 34.7 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1970 Events January * January 1 – Unix time epoch reached at 00:00:00 UTC. * January 5 – The 7.1 1970 Tonghai earthquake, Tonghai earthquake shakes Tonghai County, Yunnan province, China, with a maximum Mercalli intensity scale, Mercalli ...

, style="text-align:left;", Washington (ABA) , 7 , , , , 43.1 , , .532 , , .333 , , .912 , , 10.0 , , 3.3 , , , , , , 40.1 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1971 * The year 1971 had three partial solar eclipses (Solar eclipse of February 25, 1971, February 25, Solar eclipse of July 22, 1971, July 22 and Solar eclipse of August 20, 1971, August 20) and two total lunar eclipses (February 1971 lunar eclip ...

, style="text-align:left;",

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

(ABA) , 6 , , , , 47.8 , , .519 , , .519 , , .814 , , 11.7 , , 4.0 , , , , , , 33.7 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1972 Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using Solar time, ...

, style="text-align:left;",

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

(ABA) , 18 , , , , 41.6 , , .473 , , .377 , , .856 , , 6.5 , , 3.8 , , , , , , 30.8 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1973 Events January * January 1 – The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark 1973 enlargement of the European Communities, enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union. * January 14 - The 16-0 19 ...

, style="text-align:left;", Golden State (NBA) , 11 , , , , 26.5 , , .396 , , , , .909 , , 4.9 , , 2.2 , , , , , , 16.4 , - , style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;",

1975 It was also declared the ''International Women's Year'' by the United Nations and the European Architectural Heritage Year by the Council of Europe. Events January * January 1 – Watergate scandal (United States): John N. Mitchell, H. R. ...

† , style="text-align:left;", Golden State (NBA) , 17 , , , , 42.7 , , .444 , , , , .918 , , 5.5 , , 6.1 , , 2.9 , , 0.9 , , 28.2 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1976 Events January * January 2 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 18 – Full diplomatic ...

, style="text-align:left;", Golden State (NBA) , 13 , , , , 40.9 , , .436 , , , , .882 , , 6.5 , , 6.5 , , 2.9 , , 1.1 , , 24.0 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1977 Events January * January 8 – 1977 Moscow bombings, Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group. * January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (no ...

, style="text-align:left;", Golden State (NBA) , 10 , , , , 41.5 , , .466 , , , , .909 , , 5.9 , , 4.7 , , 1.7 , , 0.7 , , 28.4 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1979 Events January * January 1 ** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the ''International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the ''Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the song ...

, style="text-align:left;",

Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...

(NBA) , 2 , , , , 32.5 , , .320 , , , , 1.000 , , 4.0 , , 4.5 , , 0.0 , , 1.0 , , 12.0 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1980 Events January * January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a United States grain embargo against the Soviet Union, grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission. * January 6 – Global Positioning Sys ...

, style="text-align:left;",

Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...

(NBA) , 6 , , , , 13.2 , , .364 , , .250 , , 1.000 , , 1.0 , , 2.5 , , 0.2 , , 0.2 , , 5.5 , -class=sortbottom , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career (NBA) , 74 , , , , 36.8 , , .426 , , .250 , , .875 , , 5.6 , , 4.6 , , 2.2 , , 0.8 , , 24.8 , -class=sortbottom , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career (ABA) , 31 , , , , 43.2 , , .497 , , .412 , , .861 , , 8.3 , , 3.7 , , , , , , 33.5 , -class=sortbottom , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career (ABA/NBA) , 105 , , , , 38.7 , , .448 , , .394 , , .870 , , 6.4 , , 4.3 , , , , , , 27.3

Coaching career

On October 30, 1992, Barry accepted an offer to become the head coach for the Cedar Rapids Sharpshooters of the Global Basketball Association (GBA). He had led the team to a 12–4 record – the best in the GBA that season – when the league folded in December 1992. On January 25, 1993, Barry was appointed as head coach for the Fort Wayne Fury of the

Continental Basketball Association The Continental Basketball Association (CBA), originally known as the Eastern Pennsylvania Basketball League, and later as the Eastern Professional Basketball League and the Eastern Basketball Association, was a men's professional basketball m ...

(CBA). He was fired on March 8, 1994, after the Fury had a 12-game losing streak. Barry coached in the United States Basketball League (USBL) for the

New Jersey ShoreCats The New Jersey ShoreCats were a professional basketball team in the United States Basketball League (USBL) from 1998 to 2000. The team was based in Asbury Park, New Jersey and played home games at Asbury Park Convention Hall. The ShoreCats wer ...

in 1998 and 1999, and Florida Sea Dragons in 2000.

Post-playing career

Barry is part owner and promoter for the Ektio basketball shoe, which doctor and former college basketball player Barry Katz designed to reduce ankle injuries. He also serves on the company's board of directors. Barry finished second in his division at the 2005 World Long Drive Championship.

Broadcasting career

Barry was among the first professional basketball players to make a successful transition to the broadcasting profession. He began broadcasting during the 1967–68 season broadcasting Oakland Oaks games because of contractual matters that kept him off the court. Barry continues to work in the field, a career that began with his own radio show in San Francisco and CBS while still an active player and then with TBS. While working as a CBS analyst during Game 5 of the 1981 NBA Finals, Barry made a controversial comment when CBS displayed an old photo of colleague

Bill Russell William Felton Russell (February 12, 1934 – July 31, 2022) was an American professional basketball player who played Center (basketball), center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. He was t ...

, who is

African-American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...

. He tried to joke that "it looks like some fool over there with that big watermelon grin". Barry later apologized for the comment, claiming that he did not realize that a reference to watermelons had racial overtones. Russell said that he believed Barry with regard to Barry's racial attitudes, but nonetheless, the two men are reported not to have been particularly friendly for other reasons, unrelated to that comment. CBS did not renew Barry's employment for the subsequent season. Producers later cited the general negative tone of his game commentary, which did not sit well with some players and agents around the league. The next season Barry filled in on a few Seattle SuperSonics broadcasts, but a plan for a full-time position fell through when he insisted that his then-wife be allowed to join him when the team was on the road, which would have been contrary to team policy. The next year, Barry was featured in a lengthy ''

Sports Illustrated ''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with a circulation of over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellen ...

'' article written by

Tony Kornheiser Anthony Irwin Kornheiser (; born July 13, 1948) is an American television sports talk show host and former Sports journalism, sportswriter and columnist. Kornheiser is best known for his endeavors in three forms of media: as a writer for ''The Wa ...

in which he lamented the failure of his broadcasting career to that point, as well as the fact that he'd left a reputation within NBA circles for being an unlikeable person. After this, Barry worked with TBS and later on,

TNT Troponin T (shortened TnT or TropT) is a part of the troponin complex, which are proteins integral to the contraction of skeletal and heart muscles. They are expressed in skeletal and cardiac myocytes. Troponin T binds to tropomyosin and helps ...

into the 1989–90 season, mostly as a color analyst but sometimes as a play-by-play announcer paired with Bill Russell. One of the more notable games Barry called as play-by-play announcer on TBS was Game 5 of the 1985 Eastern Conference Finals between the

Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), ...

and the

Philadelphia 76ers The Philadelphia 76ers, also known colloquially as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlan ...

, where

Larry Bird Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "the Hick from French Lick" and "Larry Legend" Bird is widely regarded a ...

made a last-second steal which sealed the win and the Eastern Conference Championship for the Celtics. After the 1989–90 season, Barry became the color analyst for Atlanta Hawks games that aired on TBS, paired with Skip Caray. In a rare non-sports venture, he hosted the pilot for the mid-1980s game show ''

Catchphrase A catchphrase (alternatively spelled catch phrase) is a phrase or expression recognized by its repeated utterance. Such phrases often originate in popular culture and in the arts, and typically spread through word of mouth and a variety of mass ...

''; however, when the series debuted in the fall of 1985, game show veteran Art James replaced him (the series itself was short-lived in the US, but was brought over to the UK and is still running). In September 2001, Barry began hosting a sports talk show on KNBR in San Francisco until June 2003, when KNBR paired him up with Rod Brooks to co-host a show named ''Rick and Rod''. The show aired on KNBR until August 2006, when Barry left the station abruptly for reasons not disclosed to the public.

Personal life

Barry is of Irish, English, French, and Lithuanian descent. He is a member of

Kappa Sigma Kappa Sigma (), commonly known as Kappa Sig or KSig, is an American collegiate social fraternity founded at the University of Virginia in 1869. Kappa Sigma is one of the five largest international Fraternities and sororities in North America, fr ...

fraternity. He was raised

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

and later became a

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...

. As of 2017, Barry resided in

Colorado Springs, Colorado Colorado Springs is the most populous city in El Paso County, Colorado, United States, and its county seat. The city had a population of 478,961 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, a 15.02% increase since 2010 United States Census, 2 ...

with his wife, Lynn Norenberg Barry. While their youngest son, Canyon, played basketball for the

University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida, United States. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida and a preem ...

, they rented a condominium in

Gainesville, Florida Gainesville is the county seat of Alachua County, Florida, United States, and the most populous city in North Central Florida, with a population of 145,212 in 2022. It is the principal city of the Gainesville metropolitan area, Florida, Gainesv ...

to watch him play. He has four sons and a daughter with his first wife Pam: Scooter, Jon, Brent, Drew and Shannon. All of Barry's sons were professional basketball players, and he is the only NBA player to have three sons also play in the NBA (Jon, Brent, and Drew). Barry wrote an autobiography, ''Confessions of a Basketball Gypsy: The Rick Barry Story'' with

Bill Libby William Melvin "Bill" Libby (November 14, 1927 – June 17, 1984) was an American writer and biographer best known for books on sports including 65 on sports figures. Early years Libby graduated from Shortridge High School in Indianapolis, also a ...

that was published in 1972. With his third wife Lynn he also has a son,

Canyon A canyon (; archaic British English spelling: ''cañon''), gorge or chasm, is a deep cleft between escarpments or cliffs resulting from weathering and the erosive activity of a river over geologic time scales. Rivers have a natural tendency t ...

, who is a professional player, playing for Chinese club Hunan Jinjian Miye in the 2018–19 season and later for the United States 3x3 men's basketball team. When his son Brent won the NBA Championship in

2005 2005 was designated as the International Year for Sport and Physical Education and the International Year of Microcredit. The beginning of 2005 also marked the end of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Internationa ...

with the

San Antonio Spurs The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...

, Rick and Brent became the second father-son duo to both win NBA Championships as players, following Matt Guokas Sr. and Matt Guokas Jr. Later, this would be repeated by Bill and

Luke Walton Luke Theodore Walton (born March 28, 1980) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is the lead assistant coach for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played 10 seasons in the NBA as a ...

, Mychal and

Klay Thompson Klay Alexander Thompson (born February 8, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played his first 13 seasons with the Golden State Warriors, where Thompson ...

, and

Gary Payton Gary Dwayne Payton Sr. (born July 23, 1968) is an American former professional basketball player who was a point guard in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Widely considered one of the greatest point guards of all time, he is best know ...

and

Gary Payton II Gary Dwayne Payton II (born December 1, 1992) is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). As a junior and senior playing college basketball for the Oregon State Beavers ...

. Jon and Brent have also moved to broadcasting after retirement. Jon serves as a game analyst on

ESPN ESPN (an initialism of their original name, which was the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by the Walt Disney Company (80% and operational control) and Hearst Commu ...

while Brent worked as a studio and game analyst on TNT and

NBA TV NBA TV is an American sports-oriented pay television network owned by the National Basketball Association (NBA) and operated by Warner Bros. Discovery through TNT Sports. Dedicated to basketball, the network features exhibition, regular se ...

until 2018 when he took a job with the

San Antonio Spurs The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...

to be vice president of basketball operations. Scooter won titles in the CBA and the top Belgian League.

Career achievements

* Roselle Park High School – Roselle Park, New Jersey (1957–1961) ** Two-time All-State selection *

University of Miami The University of Miami (UM, UMiami, Miami, U of M, and The U) is a private university, private research university in Coral Gables, Florida, United States. , the university enrolled 19,852 students in two colleges and ten schools across over ...

(1961–1965) **

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...

First-Team All-America (1965) ** ''

The Sporting News ''The Sporting News'' is a website and former magazine publication owned by Sporting News Holdings, which is a U.S.-based sports media company formed in December 2020 by a private investor consortium. It was originally established in 1886 as a ...

'' All-America Second Team (1965) ** Consensus All-America (1965) ** Led the nation in scoring (37.4 ppg) as a senior * NBA

San Francisco Warriors The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. Founded in 1946 i ...

(1965–1967) ** NBA Rookie of the Year (1966) **

NBA All-Rookie First Team The NBA All-Rookie Team is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) honor given since the 1962–63 NBA season to the top rookies during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the NBA head coaches who are not allowed to vote for play ...

(1966) ** NBA leading scorer in 1967 (35.6 ppg) ** ABA leading scorer in 1969 (34.0 ppg) ** NBA highest free-throw percentage 1973, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1980 ** ABA highest free-throw percentage 1969, 1971, 1972 **

NBA All-Star Game The National Basketball Association All-Star Game is the annual all-star game hosted each February by the National Basketball Association (NBA) and showcases 24 of the league's All-star, star players. Since 2022, it was held on the third Sunday of ...

MVP MVP most commonly refers to: * Most valuable player, an award, typically for the best performing player in a sport or competition * Minimum viable product, a concept for feature estimating used in business and engineering MVP may also refer to: ...

(1967) * ABA Oakland Oaks (1968–1969) * ABA Washington Caps (1969–1970) * ABA

New York Nets New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 ** "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, 1995 * "New" (Daya song), 2017 * "New" (No Doubt song), 1 ...

(1970–1972) * NBA

Golden State Warriors The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. Founded in 1946 i ...

(1972–1978) ** All-NBA Second Team (1973) **

NBA Finals The NBA Finals is the annual championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern and Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference champions play a best-of-seven series to determine the league ...

MVP (1975) **

NBA champion The NBA Finals is the championship series for the National Basketball Association (NBA) held at the conclusion of its postseason. All NBA Finals have been played in a best-of-seven format, and are contested between the winners of the Easter ...

(1975) * NBA

Houston Rockets The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA) ...

(1978–1979) * All-NBA First Team (1966, 1967, 1974, 1975, 1976) * Eight-time NBA All-Star (1966, 1967, 1973–1978) * ABA All-Star First Team (1969–1972) * NBA 50 Greatest Players (1996) * NBA 75 Greatest Players (2021) * Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame (1988) * Sports Hall of Fame of New Jersey (1994) * University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame (1976) * Golden Plate Award of the

American Academy of Achievement The American Academy of Achievement, colloquially known as the Academy of Achievement, is a nonprofit educational organization that recognizes some of the highest-achieving people in diverse fields and gives them the opportunity to meet one ano ...

(1975) * 15 games in NBA career scoring 50 or more points (5th in NBA history) * 115 games in professional career scoring 40 or more points — 70 NBA, 45 ABA (4th in professional basketball history after Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant)

NBA records

Regular season

* Only player in history to lead the

NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...

, ABA, and

NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...

in scoring ** Led the NCAA in scoring in 1964–65 (973 points, 37.4 ppg) ** Led the NBA in scoring in (2,775 points, 35.6 ppg) ** Led the ABA in scoring in (1,190 points; 34.0 ppg) * Youngest player to score 57 points in a game: (57 points, San Francisco Warriors at New York Knicks, ) * Free throws, consecutive, ABA game: 23, at Kentucky Colonels, * Assists, forward, game: 19, at Chicago Bulls, November 30, 1976

Playoffs

* Scoring 30 or more points in all games, any playoff series: 6 games, vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 1967 NBA Finals * Points, 7-game ABA series: 281, vs. Denver Rockets, 1970 Semifinals * Points scored, Game 7, any ABA-NBA playoff series: 52, at Denver Rockets, * Field goal attempts, 6-game series: 235, vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 1967 NBA Finals * Field goal attempts, game: 48, vs. Philadelphia 76ers, * Steals, quarter: 4, second quarter, at Chicago Bulls, ** Tied with many other players

NBA Finals

* Highest scoring average (career): 36.3 * Scoring 30 or more points in all games, any championship series: 6 games, vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 1967 NBA Finals ** Tied with

Elgin Baylor Elgin Gay Baylor ( ; September 16, 1934 – March 22, 2021) was an American professional basketball player, coach, and executive. He played 14 seasons as a forward in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lak ...

,

Michael Jordan Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials MJ, is an American businessman and former professional basketball player, who is currently a minority owner of the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Ass ...

,

Hakeem Olajuwon Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon ( ; ; born January 21, 1963), nicknamed "the Dream", is a Nigerian and American former professional basketball player. From 1984 to 2002, he played Center (basketball), center in the National Basketball Association (NB ...

,

Shaquille O'Neal Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal ( ; born March 6, 1972), commonly known as Shaq ( ), is an American former professional basketball player who is a sports analyst on the television program ''Inside the NBA''. He is a and Center (basketball), center ...

, and

Kevin Durant Kevin Wayne Durant (born September 29, 1988), also known by his initials KD, is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Durant has won two List of NBA champions, NBA champ ...

. * Field goals made, game: 22, vs. Philadelphia 76ers, ** Tied with Elgin Baylor * Field goal attempts, 6-game series: 235, vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 1967 NBA Finals * Field goal attempts, game: 48, vs. Philadelphia 76ers, * Field goal attempts, quarter: 17, at Philadelphia 76ers, * Steals, 4-game series: 14, vs. Washington Bullets, 1975 NBA Finals (3.5 spg)

NBA All-Star Game

* Highest steals average (career): 3.2 * Field goal attempts, game: 27 (

1967 Events January * January 1 – Canada begins a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Canadian Confederation, Confederation, featuring the Expo 67 World's Fair. * January 6 – Vietnam War: United States Marine Corps and Army of ...

) * Steals, game: 8 (

1975 It was also declared the ''International Women's Year'' by the United Nations and the European Architectural Heritage Year by the Council of Europe. Events January * January 1 – Watergate scandal (United States): John N. Mitchell, H. R. ...

) * Personal fouls, game: 6, twice (

1966 Events January * January 1 – In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa takes over as military ruler of the Central African Republic, ousting President David Dacko. * January 3 – 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état: President Maurice Yaméogo i ...

,

1978 Events January * January 1 – Air India Flight 855, a Boeing 747 passenger jet, crashes off the coast of Bombay, killing 213. * January 5 – Bülent Ecevit, of Republican People's Party, CHP, forms the new government of Turkey (42nd ...

) * Disqualifications, career: 2 ** Tied with

Bob Cousy Robert Joseph Cousy ( , born August 9, 1928) is an American former professional basketball player. He played point guard for the Boston Celtics from 1950 to 1963, and briefly with the Cincinnati Royals during the 1969–70 season. A 13-time NBA ...

References

External links

Basketball Hall of Fame profile
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Barry, Rick 1944 births Living people ABA All-Stars All-American college men's basketball players American Basketball Association announcers American men's basketball players American people of Lithuanian descent American sports radio personalities American tennis commentators Basketball coaches from New Jersey Basketball players from Colorado Springs, Colorado Basketball players from Elizabeth, New Jersey Big3 coaches Continental Basketball Association coaches Golden State Warriors players American golf commentators Houston Rockets players Miami Hurricanes men's basketball players Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees NBA All-Stars NBA broadcasters NBA players with retired numbers New York Nets players Oakland Oaks players People from Roselle Park, New Jersey Radio personalities from San Francisco Roselle Park High School alumni San Francisco Warriors draft picks San Francisco Warriors players Small forwards United States Basketball League coaches Washington Caps players

Early life

College career

Professional career

San Francisco Warriors (1965–1967)

Joining the ABA (1968–1972)

Oakland Oaks (1968–1969)

Washington Caps (1969–1970)

New York Nets (1970–1972)

Golden State Warriors (1972–1978)

Houston Rockets (1978–1980)

Career statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

Coaching career

Post-playing career

Broadcasting career

Personal life

Career achievements

NBA records

Regular season

Playoffs

NBA Finals

NBA All-Star Game

See also

References

External links