All-Around Game: More Than a Scorer

Many think Barry was only a scorer; in truth he was an early "all-around forward." In the back half of his career, as age and team needs shifted, he willingly gave up the ball to run the offense—one season he averaged over 10 assists, rare for a forward.

His rebounding nose was solid too, a small forward steady at 5-6 boards; defensively he read passing lanes and stripped ball-handlers, a steals-list regular. In the 1975 title run he carried the overachieving Warriors precisely with three-line output: scoring, playmaking, defense.

That versatility balanced Barry between "pure scorer" and "system core." He was no Jordan aerial type, but the kind who broke the game down with his head—which is also why coaches both loved and feared him (too hot-tempered).

Related Reading

• 1975 NBA Finals MVP: Rick Barry (Golden State Warriors)
• Historical Standing: Why Barry Is the "Most Underrated Scoring King"
• The "Granny" Free Throw: Barry’s Famous Oddity and 90% Touch
• College Days: The Scoring Machine at San Francisco
• A Basketball Family: The Barry Bloodline