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Richard Francis Dennis Barry III (born March 28, 1944 in Elizabeth, New Jersey), was a professional basketball player. He was an All-pro forward for the NBA San Francisco/Golden State Warriors and also the New York Nets of the ABA, 1966-1979.
Named one of the 50 Greatest Players ever by the NBA, Barry is still considered one of the best forwards in history. He is the only player in history to lead the NCAA, ABA and NBA in scoring.
College career
Barry played at the University of Miami (Florida) in the early-mid 1960s, where he lead the NCAA in scoring.
Pro career
Teamed with star center Nate Thurmond in San Francisco, the 6'7" Barry led the NBA in scoring and led the Warriors to the NBA Finals in his second season. Angered at not receiving incentive monies he felt owed for these feats from San Francisco manager Al Bianchi, Barry sat out his next season and jumped to the ABA for a much larger contract.
Barry starred in the less-talented league, often averaging well over 30 points per game, and he led the Oakland Oaks to the league championship in 1970. Seeking better competition and a return to his old team, Barry returned to the NBA in 1972. In 1975, he led the now-Golden State Warriors to the NBA championship. The following year, the Warriors were upset in the playoffs by the sub-.500 Phoenix Suns. In 1977, they lost to the eventual champion Portland, and its star Bill Walton, in the Western Conference playoffs.
Rick Barry was traded to the Houston Rockets in return for John Lucas. Now in the twilight of his career, he averaged a modest 13.5 points. He did set a new NBA record, however, by posting a .947 free-throw percentage for the season. He retired in 1980.
Broadcasting
Controversial and outspoken, Barry continues to work in the field of broadcasting, a career he began after retiring from pro basketball. As of 2005, Barry broadcasts on KNBR-AM in San Francisco.
Basketball career
- All-NBA First Team (1966, 1967, 1974, 1975, 1976)
- Eight time NBA All-Star (1966, 1967, 1973-78)
- ABA All-Star First Team (1969-72)
- NBA 50th Anniversary All-Time Team (1996)
Basketball blood
Rick Barry has four sons Scooter, Drew, Jon, Brent who are professional basketball players.
See also
- Global Basketball Association
- CBA's Fort Wayne Fury
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