Kori Ellis
01-04-2005, 02:13 PM
Brent Barry Interview
Bones talks Spurs, shooting, and surfing.
http://sports.ign.com/articles/576/576569p1.html
January 03, 2005 - Watching him get off the team bus is like watching Woody Harrelson walk off the bus in "White Men Can't Jump".
San Antonio Spurs forward Brent Barry may look like your average neighbor but his game is anything but average. He goes by the nickname "Bones" but his personality is all heart, and the Spurs new acquisition could be that one piece that puts the Spurs back in the NBA Finals. Barry's ability to knock the three from outside along with his great passing skills can create match-up problems for any team trying to contain Tim Duncan and Tony Parker.
And if you think white men can't jump, think again.
In 1996, he won the slam dunk contest, soaring from the free throw line ala Dr. J and Air Jordan.
IGN Sports caught up with the son of Hall of Fame player Rick Barry to talk about his new team in Texas, his passion for shooting and his off season get away.
IGN Sports: How important is it to be on a team with some good veterans that are used to winning, especially when you have stretches in the schedule where you have back-to-back road games and you are going to get some guys struggling in the first half of the season that do not have the legs to log 40 minutes night-after-night?
Brent Barry: It is not going to be there every night, but if our ball club can maintain its composure and maintain its basketball IQ every night we are going to have a good chance to win games. So those nights when guys are cold or the shots are not falling, we can still execute our offense and play the type defense that San Antonio is known for. This gives ourselves great chances to win on the road, and that is so important for a team to position themselves to where they want to be.
IGN Sports: How important was it for you to join a team that has won and has a legitimate chance to win a championship this year?
BB: No, really, this team was at a championship level last year. Point four seconds might have taken them away from that last year. I am just here to enhance what has already been given to this franchise and it starts with Tim Duncan and I think Manu (Ginobili) this year is poised for the type of season that he has to be considered for an All-Star, he is off to a great start for us. Tony Parker, at least now has a long tenure in San Antonio, and he is going to be there for the next few seasons. If he continues to improve, the core group of guys in San Antonio are going to be there for a longtime and that is really important for the confidence in each of the players and important to the franchise that these guys are working hard.
IGN Sports: Was that a big part of your decision this off season knowing that you have a shot to win it all?
BB: Absolutely, that is one thing I have missed in my career is to play in big games and play deep into the playoffs. I have only played 13 career playoff games. So, it is going to be a whole other experience for me if we have that opportunity this year. That is what I am really looking forward to. Also just the type of basketball this team plays and the way Pop coaches (Greg Popovich), it is exciting to have this type of opportunity.
IGN Sports: What is it like playing with a young talented point guard like Parker who has such great point vision with but with so little experience in the NBA?
BB: Tony is still learning the position, which for a lot of people may be a scary scenario being as young as he is. But he is so quick with the ball and he is improving every time that he has an opportunity to play. It is so exciting to be out there with him and it is very difficult for teams to match up against us because I do not know how you stop Tony's penetration if you are worried about Tim Duncan posting up and Manu is doing everything else and Bruce Bowen is shutting down your best offensive player, it seems like it is something hard to solve. That is the way we want to approach each game.
IGN Sports: Do you feel like this team does not get the credit it deserves for what it does on the defensive end?
BB: Well, that is the staple of what San Antonio brings to the table, and as long as that effort is there on the defensive end every night like I talked about, those nights when shots are not falling or guys are off, you can always rely on each other on the defensive end to do the job to help a teammate out and to keep ourselves in a ballgame.
IGN Sports: Your father was a great shooter and you definitely have learned a thing or two from him. When did you pick up the passion for being a great shooter?
BB: I think probably when I was in college and given the opportunity to go to the Bay Area where I grew up during the summer time and work out with Chris Mullin. I had the opportunity to watch one of the greatest shooters of all time, work out, shoot, practice, and to get that kind of work ethic, Chris was basically a role model for me in terms of how to shoot the ball. Definitely working with Chris made a difference, he was a phenomenal shooter. Everybody says it is a lost art, I don't agree with that necessarily. The NBA has great shooters. It is the type of game that is played that sometime detracts from what guys are capable of doing. Not a lot of people want to come and see guys shot 14 of 15, putting up shots all night. They rather see guys flying to the rim, posting guys up, shake-and-bake…that sells tickets and that's all well and good, but there are some guys in this league that can shoot, and sometimes you just don't notice that.
IGN Sports: You mentioned flying through the air, a lot of basketball fans forget you won a slam dunk championship.
BB: I forget, not a lot of people, I forget! Even Tim was like, "oh yeah, I forgot you can still do that."
IGN Sports: Would you ever even consider doing that again?
BB: No, that was ten years ago. That was a long time ago and I can't jump like that any more. I've never really been a big dunker and it was strange to win that thing. It is all kind of cool, but it was just exhibition, more of a show. I think I have learned my lesson not to go back in there any more.
IGN Sports: Did you know that if you enter the 3 point shootout again this year and win it, you could become the first player to win the slam dunk contest and the 3 point shootout in the NBA?
BB: Yeah that would be kind of cool, that would put a nice feather in my cap. Again those are just exhibitions and more for fun, but it will be something I would love to have the opportunity to do. I only had one chance to shoot in the 3 point competition and that was in Atlanta and Peja (Stojakovic) was hot that day…Peja is always hot. Maybe there is a chance in the next couple of years to get back in it and add another one of those trophies. That would be cool.
IGN Sports: I know you like to ride the waves, are you surfing when you have free time?
BB: Oh Yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
IGN Sports: What kind of board do you have?
BB: I have a ten-foot Stewart, a 9-2 MacTavish and an 8-6 MacTavish. I went down to Costa Rica for about 10 days after the season last year to surf down there.
IGN Sports: Is that one of your favorite places to surf in the off season?
BB: Yeah, that is one of my favorite places to go. I go with a couple of buddies and it is a great place to just relax and be as far away, as remote as you can be from this (basketball).
IGN Sports: Where do you stay at when you are on the coast of Costa Rica?
BB: I stay at a little town called Tamarindo, located in the northwest part of the country. It is known for some of the most consistent waves all year around. So it is really kind of a chill spot to go. There are a lot of beginning surfers there, and then there are some really good breaks down there for other guys who are pretty good. It is kind of a little surf village down there. It is a cool place to go and just chill and veg out. They have volcanoes you can hike, monkeys in the trees and bike rides in the nude, it is a real cool spot.
-- Victor Kelly
Bones talks Spurs, shooting, and surfing.
http://sports.ign.com/articles/576/576569p1.html
January 03, 2005 - Watching him get off the team bus is like watching Woody Harrelson walk off the bus in "White Men Can't Jump".
San Antonio Spurs forward Brent Barry may look like your average neighbor but his game is anything but average. He goes by the nickname "Bones" but his personality is all heart, and the Spurs new acquisition could be that one piece that puts the Spurs back in the NBA Finals. Barry's ability to knock the three from outside along with his great passing skills can create match-up problems for any team trying to contain Tim Duncan and Tony Parker.
And if you think white men can't jump, think again.
In 1996, he won the slam dunk contest, soaring from the free throw line ala Dr. J and Air Jordan.
IGN Sports caught up with the son of Hall of Fame player Rick Barry to talk about his new team in Texas, his passion for shooting and his off season get away.
IGN Sports: How important is it to be on a team with some good veterans that are used to winning, especially when you have stretches in the schedule where you have back-to-back road games and you are going to get some guys struggling in the first half of the season that do not have the legs to log 40 minutes night-after-night?
Brent Barry: It is not going to be there every night, but if our ball club can maintain its composure and maintain its basketball IQ every night we are going to have a good chance to win games. So those nights when guys are cold or the shots are not falling, we can still execute our offense and play the type defense that San Antonio is known for. This gives ourselves great chances to win on the road, and that is so important for a team to position themselves to where they want to be.
IGN Sports: How important was it for you to join a team that has won and has a legitimate chance to win a championship this year?
BB: No, really, this team was at a championship level last year. Point four seconds might have taken them away from that last year. I am just here to enhance what has already been given to this franchise and it starts with Tim Duncan and I think Manu (Ginobili) this year is poised for the type of season that he has to be considered for an All-Star, he is off to a great start for us. Tony Parker, at least now has a long tenure in San Antonio, and he is going to be there for the next few seasons. If he continues to improve, the core group of guys in San Antonio are going to be there for a longtime and that is really important for the confidence in each of the players and important to the franchise that these guys are working hard.
IGN Sports: Was that a big part of your decision this off season knowing that you have a shot to win it all?
BB: Absolutely, that is one thing I have missed in my career is to play in big games and play deep into the playoffs. I have only played 13 career playoff games. So, it is going to be a whole other experience for me if we have that opportunity this year. That is what I am really looking forward to. Also just the type of basketball this team plays and the way Pop coaches (Greg Popovich), it is exciting to have this type of opportunity.
IGN Sports: What is it like playing with a young talented point guard like Parker who has such great point vision with but with so little experience in the NBA?
BB: Tony is still learning the position, which for a lot of people may be a scary scenario being as young as he is. But he is so quick with the ball and he is improving every time that he has an opportunity to play. It is so exciting to be out there with him and it is very difficult for teams to match up against us because I do not know how you stop Tony's penetration if you are worried about Tim Duncan posting up and Manu is doing everything else and Bruce Bowen is shutting down your best offensive player, it seems like it is something hard to solve. That is the way we want to approach each game.
IGN Sports: Do you feel like this team does not get the credit it deserves for what it does on the defensive end?
BB: Well, that is the staple of what San Antonio brings to the table, and as long as that effort is there on the defensive end every night like I talked about, those nights when shots are not falling or guys are off, you can always rely on each other on the defensive end to do the job to help a teammate out and to keep ourselves in a ballgame.
IGN Sports: Your father was a great shooter and you definitely have learned a thing or two from him. When did you pick up the passion for being a great shooter?
BB: I think probably when I was in college and given the opportunity to go to the Bay Area where I grew up during the summer time and work out with Chris Mullin. I had the opportunity to watch one of the greatest shooters of all time, work out, shoot, practice, and to get that kind of work ethic, Chris was basically a role model for me in terms of how to shoot the ball. Definitely working with Chris made a difference, he was a phenomenal shooter. Everybody says it is a lost art, I don't agree with that necessarily. The NBA has great shooters. It is the type of game that is played that sometime detracts from what guys are capable of doing. Not a lot of people want to come and see guys shot 14 of 15, putting up shots all night. They rather see guys flying to the rim, posting guys up, shake-and-bake…that sells tickets and that's all well and good, but there are some guys in this league that can shoot, and sometimes you just don't notice that.
IGN Sports: You mentioned flying through the air, a lot of basketball fans forget you won a slam dunk championship.
BB: I forget, not a lot of people, I forget! Even Tim was like, "oh yeah, I forgot you can still do that."
IGN Sports: Would you ever even consider doing that again?
BB: No, that was ten years ago. That was a long time ago and I can't jump like that any more. I've never really been a big dunker and it was strange to win that thing. It is all kind of cool, but it was just exhibition, more of a show. I think I have learned my lesson not to go back in there any more.
IGN Sports: Did you know that if you enter the 3 point shootout again this year and win it, you could become the first player to win the slam dunk contest and the 3 point shootout in the NBA?
BB: Yeah that would be kind of cool, that would put a nice feather in my cap. Again those are just exhibitions and more for fun, but it will be something I would love to have the opportunity to do. I only had one chance to shoot in the 3 point competition and that was in Atlanta and Peja (Stojakovic) was hot that day…Peja is always hot. Maybe there is a chance in the next couple of years to get back in it and add another one of those trophies. That would be cool.
IGN Sports: I know you like to ride the waves, are you surfing when you have free time?
BB: Oh Yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
IGN Sports: What kind of board do you have?
BB: I have a ten-foot Stewart, a 9-2 MacTavish and an 8-6 MacTavish. I went down to Costa Rica for about 10 days after the season last year to surf down there.
IGN Sports: Is that one of your favorite places to surf in the off season?
BB: Yeah, that is one of my favorite places to go. I go with a couple of buddies and it is a great place to just relax and be as far away, as remote as you can be from this (basketball).
IGN Sports: Where do you stay at when you are on the coast of Costa Rica?
BB: I stay at a little town called Tamarindo, located in the northwest part of the country. It is known for some of the most consistent waves all year around. So it is really kind of a chill spot to go. There are a lot of beginning surfers there, and then there are some really good breaks down there for other guys who are pretty good. It is kind of a little surf village down there. It is a cool place to go and just chill and veg out. They have volcanoes you can hike, monkeys in the trees and bike rides in the nude, it is a real cool spot.
-- Victor Kelly