Getty Images First of all, Rick Barry thinks the Miami Heat should have won the NBA title in four games, and that they “handed” the championship to the Mavericks. But above all he thinks that the reason LeBron doesn’t play to his true potential is that all of his coaches over the years have dropped the ball. In an interview with KHTK in Sacramento, Barry — the Warriors icon who had his own sports show on KNBR-San Francisco for several years — put the Heat failure squarely on the shoulders of LeBron’s coaches.
“His shot, first and foremost, because I think that’s where it all comes down to. If you don’t have confidence in your shot, it destroys the rest of your game. … Then, little nuances, facing up, learning how to be the guy learning to use y0ur first dribble to go by instead of everything off the dribble … learning how to use screens probably, then of course the coach running more plays for him where he can run off double and triple staggered screens, learning to curl it properly, learning how to do the little things in the game which, unfortunately, have not been taught to him, which I don’t blame him for. I blame the people who have coached him over the years. To have a talent like this and to not maximize the full potential of this talent is inexcusable and reprehensible to me and the coaches who have had him should be ashamed of themselves.”
Barry of course is one of the all-time greats, and in fact had lobbied heavily for the Warriors head coaching job back before Don Nelson’s second term. He really knows the game. But one of the reasons he’s never been given a shot at coaching in the NBA is that he’s an incredible hothead; a loose cannon in a way that make guys like Mark Cuban look like altar boys. That usually doesn’t make for a good coach, but it does make for great quotes.
And while “reprehensible” may be a tad strong, Barry has a point. LeBron was never coached to be a complete player because his coaches were too busy kissing his posterior. And of course not playing in college didn’t help. One has to imagine that LeBron would have a couple of titles already if he’d played for someone like Brad Stevens or Bobby Knight.
***
Rick Barry: All of LeBron James’ Coaches Should be Ashamed of Themselves [Sports Radio Interviews]
-
- cleanslaton - Jun 15, 2011 at 4:13 PM
-
Yeah Rick, teach him to shoot free-throws underhand-granny-style. An athlete can get all the coaching in the world, but he has to perform what he’s been coached to do. Who’s to say LeBron hasn’t taken artistic license to play like he wants to when he’s on the court? LeBron also doesn’t surround himself with people that hold him accountable or inspire him to be more than what he is at that moment…not that we all wouldn’t like an entourage of butt-kissers.
-
- davemmm - Jun 15, 2011 at 4:32 PM
-
Here comes another person who blames somebody OTHER than LeBron for his not manning up.
-
- Rick Chandler - Jun 15, 2011 at 4:43 PM
-
Rick Barry NBA career free throw percentage: .900. Including .947 in 1978-79. Underhand free throws should be taught along with reading and math.
-
- originalkingjames - Jun 15, 2011 at 4:55 PM
-
LeBron does what LeBron does. I don’t think he is coachable because he believes he is the wise veteran. He needed at least two years in a college program but that would have meant two years without hundreds of millions. His priorities are where every twenty-somethings priorities would be, blowing money and having fun.
If he was true to his statement that a championship is all he wants he would ask for help from his coaches. You can have the greatest work ethic but if you are working on it wrong you will never improve.
-
- goforthanddie - Jun 15, 2011 at 5:25 PM
-
leb wouldn’t have lasted a week under Bobby Knight.
Bottom line…leb *could* have been the best baller ever, but at some point he decided he was “King James” and didn’t need to knuckle down. Is that coaching’s fault? To a point, but you have to want to get better before you can be taught.
-
- redsghost - Jun 15, 2011 at 6:51 PM
-
Rick Barry who??? Didn’t he manage to win ONE championship after Boston and LA were drafted and sent off to war (what other plausible reason could it be?)
Pretty sure he used to be somebody in the NBA world.
