Tag: Rick Barry
Hall of Famer Rick Barry recommends Ben Simmons shoot free throws underhand like he did
Should he really do this?
Ben Simmons is one of the most unique basketball players of all time. But one of the original pioneers for his style of play was Rick Barry.
Much like Simmons, during his professional basketball career, Barry was celebrated for his versatility and his well-roundedness. He knows a thing or two about making an impact on his team in a variety of ways.
Barry and Simmons are two of ten players in league history to have career averages of at least 15.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. The others are Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Clyde Drexler, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, and LaMelo Ball.
(Simmons and Ball are the only two players in that group who did not make the NBA’s 75th-anniversary list for the greatest to ever play the game.)
But if you sort those players by career free-throw percentage, Barry ranks first (90.0%) while Simmons ranks last (59.7%). During All-Star weekend, veteran basketball reporter Marc Stein said this about his conversation with Barry (via Substack):
“He naturally had lots to say when I asked him if he’d like the opportunity to try to work with Ben Simmons on his wayward free-throw shooting.”
We do not need to relitigate why Simmons ought to improve at the free-throw line or how much it would help the overall productivity of his game.
But some quick numbers that help illustrate this point, per Cleaning the Glass: Relative to players at his position, when it comes to drawing shooting fouls, Simmons has ranked in the 96th percentile or better during each of his non-rookie campaigns in the NBA.
However, when it comes time to convert and-1 opportunities, he has never ranked above the 65th percentile and he has only once ranked above the 50th percentile. This is something that frustrates the 1975 NBA Finals MVP, who aired his grievances to Stein:
“He definitely could be fixed,” Barry said of Simmons. “Somebody already told me he said he would never want to do it, but I don’t understand: What difference does it make how you do it? If he was an 80-percent shooter, with his size, he would be like Shaq. You could take him and post up those little guards and he would just abuse them — and he could hope he got fouled. He would be such a dominant factor. He becomes one of the best players in the league.”
Stein concluded that Barry is “under no illusions” and knows it will “never happen” because Simmons is “known to recoil” from any criticism.
But one reason why it is particularly interesting for Simmons: Some believe that the former No. 1 overall pick actually shoots with the wrong hand. This is something we first wrote about it at For The Win nearly four years ago.
Simmons is a left-handed shooter but in 2016, he said he believes he was supposed to be right-handed. He had previously laughed off the notion of switching hands for a jumper, though back in June 2021, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported that Simmons would actually consider shooting with his other hand.
76ers' Ben Simmons considering switching his dominant shooting hand, report says https://t.co/2wFJtoWqbn pic.twitter.com/jsvwfE9CvQ
— Sporting News NBA (@sn_nba) June 22, 2021
However, although we still haven’t seen him play an NBA game since then, Simmons’ workout footage from August 2021 tells us that such a change did not happen.
The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor, who is the public thought leader of this theory, has long felt Simmons is releasing his shot with the wrong hand.
According to his research, during his one-and-done season while at LSU, the left-handed jump shooter released only ten of his “non-jumpers” (e.g. layups, dunks, floaters, runners, hooks, etc.) with his left hand but 39 were with both hands.
Ben Simmons took 95 shots in the playoffs. He tried…
67 shots using his right hand
19 shots using both hands
9 shots using his left handIn his career, over 70% of his shots are righty.
Simmons in 2016: "I think I was supposed to be right-handed." https://t.co/6Ox3L37jdY
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) June 21, 2021
In fact, the most recent time that we saw Simmons on the basketball court, we also saw him take more shots with both hands than he did with his left hand.
Considering he has a tendency to release his shot with both hands more often than he does with his left hand, but he still decides to shoot free throws as a lefty anyway, an underhanded free-throw using both hands would make some sense.
This is something people have postured about on message boards including Reddit, RealGM, and Inside Hoops. People have argued that his soft touch on passes suggests he could have similar luck at the charity stripe if he decided to take Barry’s advice.
It is unlikely Simmons ever concedes to the underhand free-throw, but as Malcolm Gladwell noted in this episode of the Revisionist History podcast, this is something he ought to at least consider if he wants to improve at the line.
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Rick Barry naturally had lots to say …
“He definitely could be fixed,” Barry …
Where ESPN ranks Rockets greats among NBA’s Top 75 players of all-time
The official NBA 75 list of the league’s greatest all-time players includes 11 former Rockets. Here’s where ESPN ranks them, historically.
Founded in 1967 in San Diego before moving to Houston in 1971, the Rockets are clearly one of the NBA’s flagship franchises. With 2,286 wins and 2,074 losses, the team’s .529 winning clip entering the 2021-22 season ranks eighth among the league’s 30 active clubs, and they are one of only 11 teams with multiple championships (1994, 1995).
As such, it wasn’t a surprise to see Houston well represented with more than 10 former players on the historic NBA 75 list. The NBA 75 is the league’s official 75th anniversary team, honoring the 75 greatest players in league history as selected by a panel of media and current and former players, coaches, general managers and team executives. (Because of a tie in voting, there were ultimately 76 players named.)
Many of those 76 players were honored on Sunday, Feb. 20, as part of a celebration at the 2022 NBA All-Star Game in Cleveland.
What the league office did not do, however, is rank those 76 all-time greats in comparison to each other. An independent ESPN panel recently took that additional step, and here’s where the 11 players with Houston ties ended up. Scroll on for further statistics, career data, and analysis.
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Cade Cunningham named MVP in Rising Stars Challenge
The Rising Stars Challenge became the latest part of All-Star Weekend to undergo a format change, and it was a success. The event, which features the top first- and second-year NBA players, employed an entirely new format this season. Rather than …
Source: Tim Bontemps @ ESPN
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Cade Cunningham lands MVP honors, Team Barry wins Rising Stars Challenge #NBAAllStar
eurohoops.net/en/nba-news/13… – 3:00 AM
‘He’s big time’: Cade Cunningham says #Cavs‘ Evan Mobley could have been Rising Stars MVP beaconjournal.com/story/sports/p… via @beaconjournal – 1:11 AM
#Pistons Cade Cunningham, Rising Stars MVP. pic.twitter.com/RNhV076gOD – 12:51 AM
Voting results for the 2022 Clorox Rising Stars MVP Award, won by Cade Cunningham pic.twitter.com/FzuJ4FILew – 12:23 AM
Big winners in NBA Rising Stars game? New format and Cade Cunningham nba.nbcsports.com/2022/02/19/big… – 12:02 AM
Full transparency: I debated Jae’Sean Tate, Evan Mobley and Cade Cunningham for Rising Stars MVP. They were all really close. Cade got the nod because of his late-game plays in the championship game. – 11:49 PM
Cade Cunningham Rising Stars MVP. #NBAALLSTAR pic.twitter.com/En2w8lz7kI – 11:48 PM
#Pistons Cade Cunningham on playing against Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart in the final: “We had been talking trash for two weeks. To meet up with them in the championship game was how it was supposed to play out, and now I’m going to flex on them with the win.” – 11:47 PM
#Pistons Cade Cunningham on MVP and Rising Stars win: “It means a lot. This is a game I was looking forward to, to be around so much big-time talent, to have fun and compete.” – 11:46 PM
Mom watching Cade Cunningham’s postgame interview: “Who does he play for? Clorox?” – 11:31 PM
#Pistons Cade Cunningham, the Rising Stars MVP, is coming to the podium next. – 11:30 PM
Cade Cunningham, Rising Stars MVP. Great showing for the Pistons tonight – 11:20 PM
Pistons rookie Cade Cunningham is the Rising Stars MVP.
theathletic.com/3093022/2022/0… – 11:20 PM
Pistons rookie Cade Cunningham was named the Rising Stars game MVP. – 11:20 PM
Pistons rookie guard Cade Cunningham was MVP of the Rising Stars Challenge. – 11:19 PM
The 2022 NBA Rising Stars MVP is Detroit’s Cade Cunningham.
Jae’Sean Tate did not win. – 11:19 PM
Team Barry wins Rising Stars, 25-20. Cade Cunningham leads the way, and may be the MVP. – 11:17 PM
Team Barry (Cade Cunningham) beats Team Isiah (Stew, Bey) in Rising Stars title game. Clutch 3 from Cade late. – 11:16 PM
They run the play for Precious Achiuwa
Precious, with Cunningham on him
OK PRECIOUS
Achiuwa is taking over here
Achiuwa’s in that conversation for MVP
how did we get here lmao pic.twitter.com/f3lU5VIt8t – 11:15 PM
Franz Wagner wins the #NBARisingStars game for Team Barry after hitting his first free throw.
Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley and Jae’Sean Tate each had 5 points while Wagner finished with 3 to beat Team Isiah. – 11:15 PM
Cade Cunningham with the deep 3 and dish to Wagner for, likely, the win. – 11:14 PM
Cade Cunningham, king of the 2022 #RisingStars. He balled out.
#NBAAllStar – 11:14 PM
#Pistons Cade Cunningham brought the whole bag to Rising Stars. pic.twitter.com/syC5vhOKk5 – 11:13 PM
Team Barry 20, Team Isiah 18
Bey: 5 pts
Stewart: 3 rebs
Cunningham: 2 pts, 2 rebs, 3 assts – 11:07 PM
Cade finished with 13 pts, 6 ast and 5 reb in a game to 50 lol – 10:33 PM
Team Barry knocks off Team Payton on a driving layup by Jae’Sean Tate. Team Barry will now face Team Isiah in the final game.
Mobley/Cunningham: 13 points each
Jaden McDaniels: 12 points – 10:31 PM
Cade vs. Beef Stew and Saddiq in the championship. This is fun – 10:31 PM
Team Barry wins, 50-48
Cunningham: 13 pts, 5 rebs, 6 assts
Mobley: 13 pts, 8 rebs – 10:30 PM
Cade Cunningham misses a potential game-winning, but Team Barry fouls. – 10:29 PM
Team Barry 48, Team Payton 47
A basket here can win it for #Pistons Cade Cunningham and Team Barry. – 10:27 PM
Someone in Pistons Twitter is gonna write a blog about Cade’s chemistry with Mobley and why the Pistons need to pair Cade with an athletic big. I can feel it coming – 10:15 PM
Team Barry leads Team Payton 41-38 at the second timeout.
Evan Mobley: 12 points, 6 rebounds
Cade Cunningham: 11 points, 6 assists
Bones Hyland: 10 points
Jaden McDaniels: 9 points – 10:14 PM
Team Barry 41, Team Payton 38
Mobley: 12 pts, 6 rebs
Cunningham: 11 pts, 3 rebs, 6 assts, 2 blks – 10:13 PM
Ummm … #Pistons Cade Cunningham has 6 assts … in an exhibition. pic.twitter.com/7kA3zWpjUM – 10:12 PM
Team Barry leads Team Payton at the first timeout, 21-18. Cade Cunningham and Evan Mobley each have 8 points for Team Barry while Jaden McDaniels has 9 to lead Team Payton. – 10:03 PM
Team Barry 21, Team Payton 18
Cunningham: 8 pts, 2 rebs, 3 assts
Mobley: 8 pts, 4 rebs – 10:01 PM
#Pistons Cade Cunningham and #Cavs Evan Mobley on the same squad: 2 of America’s Most Wanted. pic.twitter.com/7UgFioK9AY – 9:55 PM
#Cavs Evan Mobley was cool and calm — as always — while practicing for tonight’s Rising Stars. He will be part of Team Barry with Isaac Okoro and Cade Cunningham, among others. pic.twitter.com/fL0Sd2HDIu – 1:36 PM
And a few minutes with Tate, Sengun. With Cunningham, Mobley, Wagner the Rising Stars favorites? pic.twitter.com/FTkm8Xj5WN – 11:42 AM