Rick Barry

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Lore & Background

Barry's professional career began when he was drafted by the San Francisco Warriors with the second pick of the 1965 NBA draft. In his pro debut, the team more than doubled its wins total from 17 to 35. Nicknamed the 'Miami Greyhound' by broadcaster Bill King, Barry won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award after averaging 25.7 points and 10.6 rebounds per game in the 1965–66 season. He later moved to the ABA's Oakland Oaks, signing for a salary of $75,000 along with 15 percent ownership of the Oaks and 5 percent of gate receipts above $600,000. Barry 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.'

In Their Own Story

In the 1969 ABA Playoffs, the Oaks ousted the Denver Rockets in a seven-game series then swept the New Orleans Buccaneers in the Western Division finals. In the championship round, they made short work of the Indiana Pacers, 4–1, to capture the league title. Barry had his season come to an abrupt halt on December 27, 1968, when he was blindsided by Ken Wilburn on a drive to the basket and tore left knee ligaments. 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. The Oaks finished with a 60–18 record under coach Alex Hannum, dominating the Western Division by 14 games over the second-place Buccaneers.

Reader's Guide

Barry played for the Washington Caps in the 1969–70 season, missing the first 32 games before joining the team. The Caps finished with a 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. In Game 7 of the Western Division semifinals against the Denver Rockets, Barry scored 52 points, setting a new ABA record for points in a playoff game. It is still the most points scored in a seventh and deciding game in professional basketball history. After the Caps became the Virginia Squires, Barry was traded to the New York Nets on September 1, 1970, for a draft pick and $200,000.

Did You Know?

• Barry is the only player to lead the NCAA, ABA, and NBA in points per game in a season.
• His 36.3 points per game are the most in NBA Finals history.
• Barry was the first American professional athlete to bring a court action against a major league, challenging the reserve clause.
• He scored 52 points in Game 7 of the 1970 Western Division semifinals, still the most points in a seventh and deciding game in professional basketball history.
• Barry's career .880 free throw percentage ranks No. 1 in ABA history.