One of the greatest basketball players in history, Rick Barry, was born on March 28th, 1944, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. His father was a coach at the time, so he developed an early base in the sport. Barry went on to play for the University of Miami after starring for Roselle Park High School. That success earned him NCAA Division I scoring champion honors for the 1964-65 season.
Basketball Career
Rick Barry became the first pick in the 1965 NBA Draft, beginning his career with San Francisco, now Golden State Warriors. A sensational player, he was the NBA Rookie of the Year and All-NBA First Team in his rookie year.
During the 1966-67 season , Barry led the ABA in scoring with an incredible average of 35.6 points per game to convince everyone just how much of a potent offensive weapon this forceful jump-shooting forward had indeed become. While playing for the Golden State Warriors, he led them to an NBA Championship in 1975 with a pin of 30.6 points per game, proving his iconic status as one of those on-court dominators.
The Signature Moves & Playing Stances
What truly made Rick Barry stand out was his bizarre underhand free-throw shooting style, which is said to be the reason he became an excellent shooter from the charity stripe. His trailblazing 900 career free-throw percentage was a record when the personable star retired in '07.
Barry was also known for his scoring ability and creative style of play. He had a unique package of skills that he brought to the court, which was ballhandling second-to-none; defensive talents beyond any other guard in history combined with tremendous control and agility in mid-air allowed him to make acrobatic shots amounting only to grace.
Legacy and Impact
Rick Barry was an eight-time All-Star and a five-time All-NBA First Team selection. He also won one NBA championship (1977) and three ABA championships. His heroics in bringing the Golden State Warriors an NBA championship in 1975 cemented him as one of the all-time greats.
Rick Barry's influence on hoops is wide-ranging and long-lasting. His undeniable scoring prowess, weird free-throw style, and tremendous impact on the game established him as one of basketball's all-time greats.
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