Barry attended the University of Miami in Florida where he put up awesome numbers. In four years there he averaged 30 points and 17 rebounds in 77 career games.

The San Francisco Warriors drafted Barry with the second pick in the 1965 NBA draft. Barry made an immediate impact and a fairly decent team which was going through some hard times. Barry would average 26 points and 11 rebounds a game his rookie season and be named rookie of the year.

In his second season Barry lead the NBA in scoring with 36 points a game. He was named to the all-star team and won all-star game MVP honors. Later that season he lead the Warriors to the NBA finals where they lost to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Barry would try to join the Oakland Oaks of the ABA the next season because he wanted to make more money. Unfortunately for him the courts ordered him to sit the season out because he was still under contract with the Warriors. The ensuing publicity scandal made him one of the most disliked players of the era.

Once Barry was able to join the Oaks he helped make them an immediate contender. But an injury would limit him to just 35 games and he was forced to sit and watch as the Oaks won the eventual ABA championship. The Oaks where the only ABA franchise to directly compete with an NBA franchise and because of this they had poor attendance. After the season the team was sold and moved to Washington DC and renamed the Caps.

Barry did not want to join the Caps when they moved to Washington but was eventually forced to by the league. He played in only 52 games and some say gave a half hearted attempt in the playoffs as he was trying to get out from his contract. Following the season the Caps where moved again and became the Virginia Squires, but Barry did not make the transition with them. He was traded to the New Jersey Americans.

Barry’s best ABA days where with the Americans. He lead the league in scoring twice and lead the team to the ABA finals. But Barry was unhappy with New Jersey as well and wanted to play elsewhere, but before his contracted ended the courts ruled that if Barry was to ever play basketball again he would have to play for the Warriors. After the 1972 season he signed with the Warriors.

Barry rejoined a solid Warriors team, who had now changed their name to the Golden State Warriors. Barry had been having knee problems throughout most his ABA days but once he joined the NBA they seemed to have gone away. Barry played in 80 or more games in all but 2 of his last 8 seasons and never played fewer than 72 in a season.

The Warriors made an improbable run to the NBA finals in 1975. They where not thought of as an NBA championship contender and stunned the Chicago Bulls in the western finals. The Warriors ended up claiming the NBA title which marks the last time the franchise has won a title.

Barry played 6 years with the Warriors and solidified himself as one of the franchises best players. But following the 1978 season Barry signed with the Houston Rockets where he played his last two season.

Rick Barry appeared in 1020 career NBA and ABA games and owns averages of 25 points 7 rebounds and 5 assists. He was named to the hall of fame in 1987 and the 50 greatest players in 1996. His sons Jon, Drew, and Brent also made the NBA in the 1990s.

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