Rick Barry has not changed at all. Still a prick.

[1987_Lakers]

Rick Barry went after Kelenna Azubuike because he can’t shoot underhand free throws

"You’re not a player…a real player would have learned how to do it properly"

https://x.com/awfulannouncing/status...%3Ft%3D2483400

[SouBeachTalents]

He’s a colossal prick, but this was hilarious.

[bdonovan]

I guess Michael Jordan and Larry Bird aren't real players either, by that same logic.

Whenever some acts like an ass, it's good to consider where that anger is coming from. Barry consistently shot 89% career FT; and several years had an amazing 95% FT%. Which is insanely good.

But the grief he gets.... When younger players talk about players back in the 50's they mock them as plumbers and point to Barry's underhanded FT's as a sign of the amateurishness of the times.

I bet he takes that personally esp towards the younger crop of players (ie: JJ Reddick) but Kulena is in that category too. So this was his way of unloading his frustration on the younger gen for mocking his technique (all the more frustrating because it worked).

Kulena got the brunt of it for no real reason; but even him acknowledging the underhanded technique is hard made Barry lash out at him to get back at all the "youngens" mocking him.

So in short- yes Barry is an insecure prick who threw a pointless tantrum on national TV, but that might explain the reasoning behind it.

[BarberSchool]

Last clip I saw from him, a year or two back,
I never heard him speak before,
and I immediately liked him.

Not too many old time players I do like.
But Barry is def one of em.

It was some sharp critique of a modern player/system. I forget.