Hall Of Famer Rick Barry On Free Throw Shooting, Decline In College Hoops
PITTSBURGH (93-7 The FAN) - NBA Hall of Famer Rick Barry shot 89 percent from the free throw line during his career in the NBA, using the underhand technique and he joined Starkey, Miller and Muller on 93.7 The FAN to talk about why that style isn't adopted by more players today.
Barry said players don't use the "granny style" shot from the free throw line because of their egos, but big men like Shaquille O'Neal and Dwight Howard could have changed the way they contributed to their teams if they would have actually tried it.
"Back when I was a kid growing up, the girls used to shoot underhand," he said. "And I told my Dad I didn't want to do it that way, and he said, 'son, if you're making them, they can't make fun of you,' and he was right."
Barry also talked about some of the other lost arts in basketball and how he's trying to teach them to one of his sons who is playing college basketball now.
"I actually work with my son trying to at least do a little bit of running hook shot which is a great shot," he said. "The sky hook is probably the single most unstoppable and one of the most difficult shots I've ever seen."
With the college hoops product taking a step back this year in terms of quality, Barry said he attributed that to so many teams being terrible from the free throw line.
The Fan also asked Barry if he thinks Lebron James has a chance of topping Michael Jordan as the greatest player of all time.
