If there’s anything basketball fans know about Hall of Famer Rick Barry, it’s that he shot free throws underhanded and he was pretty darn good at it.
His career free-throw percentage of .899 was the best of any NBA player at the time of his retirement in 1980, though he is currently fourth all-time (Steph Curry tops the all-time list at .9116).
The other thing to know about Barry is that he’s developed a long-standing reputation for being one of the biggest jerks in the game. “He was a vain, egotistical, offensive jerk who rarely missed an opportunity to offend,” wrote Reason’s Nick Gillespie in 2013.
So, knowing both of those things, let’s listen in on a conversation during the NBC Sports Bay Area broadcast of Friday’s game between the Golden State Warriors and the Portland Trail Blazers, featuring announcer Bob Fitzgerald, analyst and former Warriors Kelenna Azubuike, and Barry, who was on hand as part of a celebration for the 1975 NBA champion team.
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” pic.twitter.com/rOF6x8qlnT
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 22, 2025
“So, Rick, here’s Buddy Hield trying to shoot underhand free throws,” said Fitzgerald over footage of the Warriors player practicing underhanded free throws.
“He still made one, but his form is terrible. Your hands don’t go flying out. But it’s proven scientifically to be the most efficient way to shoot a free throw, and yet people won’t do it. It doesn’t make any sense,” said Barry. “My youngest son, Canyon, who played in the Olympics in 3×3, and actually got up. He was a 90% shooter.”
“Well, I gotta be honest with you, Rick,” added Azubuike. “I tried it and I struggled with it. So I might need your pointers as well.”
“But the thing about it is that you’re not a player,” responded Barry.
“Wait, what? Kelenna played in the league, Rick,” said Fitzpatrick.
“I played in the league,” added Azubuike, chuckling.
“No, but, you’re not a player,” said Barry, matter-of-factly. “I mean, a real player would have learned how to do it properly. If you really had the skills and the desire to do it, you would be a better free-throw shooter. But if I had taught you the right technique, you probably would have done it. But there’s nobody around teaching it properly. That’s the problem.”
“Shots fired from Rick Barry, alright,” responded Azubuike. “Well, he’s a legend.”
Was Barry being dead serious, or was there a glint in his eye? Did he actually not realize Azubuike played at Kentucky and spent five seasons in the NBA? Was he truly admonishing him, or was he being playful?
Such is the dilemma of Rick Barry.
Credit to Azubuike for not letting the commentary get to him and just rolling with it. However, he did seem to offer up a bit of a response on X after the game by resharing something his wife had posted.
— Kelenna Azubuike (@KelennA7) November 22, 2025