Rick Barry On LeBron: 'He Has Major Flaws'

[e3lal]

Former NBA great Rick Barry had some pointed comments for LeBron James during an interview with Comcast SportsNet Bay Area that will air on Wednesday night.
"He's got major flaws in his game," Barry said. "He's six years into the NBA. How can a man six years into the NBA with his talent have a major flaw in his shot? How can he not use screens effectively? . . I watch the game very carefully - he doesn't use screens effectively and this is not LeBron's fault. It's the fault of the people who are teaching him. . . . There is no doubt in my mind that LeBron, if shown these things would do them, because he wants to be a great player, he wants to win a championship. As great as he is, he should be better."

Yes another LeBron thread

We all knew that his shot was not perfect but I didn't know about his flaws when he comes off a screen. I wonder why his coaches and trainers haven'tgotten on him and corrected his flaws.

At him nowhere near hispotential

If this turns into a circus, feel free to lock it up.

 

[kiddin like jason]

I wouldn't say his shot is "majorly flawed", not anymore at least. But, is there room for improvement there? Absolutely.

He doesn't need to use screens effectively, really.

 

[frenchblue23]

Anyone can improve their jumpshot.

How come Rick Barry always opens his big mouth?

It's not the first time.

 

[the technodrome]

I would say his free-throws

 

[i nasmatic i]

He's just nitpicking.

 

[doublejs07]

Rick Barry always has something to say about someone. For all that Rick Barry knows, he should have been the logo for the NBA. I can see why his sons hate him.

 

[sohi 23]

Yea, but when you're that good it doesn't really matter.

But honestly he was right with alot of it.
The Cavs. coaching staff doesn't put him in a position to excel.

Take the Lakers game for example.
Mo Williams should have been dominating the ball, driving and dishing. I mean, he had DFish on him.
Instead you had Bron with the ball in his hand going up against one of the best on ball defenders in the league.
With the help D that the Lakers had, he wasn't able to drive as well as he normally does.

 

[frankie valentino]

I hope Lebron dunks on him, and not in some exhibition game. I'm talking about real life 'catch him in the hallways ESPN' out of the blue dunk.

 

[seymore cake]

Hmmmmph! Rick Barry needs to critique his sons lack of physicality

 

[clutchshooter]

from a skill point of view of course he's flawed.

what makes him exceptional in today's L is the fact that he combines an above average (but not elite) skillset with a very rare combo ofsize/atheticism/agility/mobility.

 

[e3lal]

Didn't realize that he has nitpicked on others before. I haveseen him on all those better basketball commercials that I think he knows all the fundamentals. If Bron does some simple things wrong, then they should beeasy to correct.

 

[casperjr]

i do think bron can get a better shot but its hard to change something that work cuz its gone be that time in between were it feels worst before it gets betterso sometime you feel the need to go back to the old shot

 

[Mister Meaner]

Originally Posted by Clutchshooter

from a skill point of view of course he's flawed.

what makes him exceptional in today's L is the fact that he combines an above average (but not elite) skillset with a very rare combo of size/atheticism/agility/mobility.

mmhmm, the man is freakishly fast for someone so big and strong.

That really is the only thing he's got going for him, in addition to the other accolades mentioned in the quote.

 

[downtown43]

i mean, he's averaging 28PPG so you can't really say anything to him now.

but i guarantee that down the road in Lebron's career, some of those "flaws" will start to stand out more and more.

 

[bigmike23]

Originally Posted by DoubleJs07

Rick Barry always has something to say about someone. For all that Rick Barry knows, he should have been the logo for the NBA. I can see why his sons hate him.

 

[doublejs07]

Originally Posted by DOWNTOWN43

i mean, he's averaging 28PPG so you can't really say anything to him now.

but i guarantee that down the road in Lebron's career, some of those "flaws" will start to stand out more and more.

I don't think so...you gotta remember that Lebron hasn't even scratched the surface as far as his potential. Dude is just getting by on his talent. He is one of the most dominant players the NBA has seen, and IMO once he "figures it out," he's gonna take his game to the next level. It'snot like he's plateaued and the rest of the NBA is catching up or passing him. Dude is head and shoulders better than 99% of his peers.

 

[CP1708]

This the guy that shot free throws underhanded right?

And played the game 30 years ago right?

And probably couldn't even imagine what the athletes can do today right?

Rick should just learn to shut his trap. Right?

 

[bigtimejerky]

He comes off screens for the mismatch... not to roll off them. It seems to work, seeing how he gets most of his points driving to the basket or in the paint.

 

[ady2glude707]

^^^
Yea, but there are so many ex basketball players that are now coaches, assistants, mentors, etc.

 

[biggie62]

Originally Posted by CasperJr

i do think bron can get a better shot but its hard to change something that work cuz its gone be that time in between were it feels worst before it gets better so sometime you feel the need to go back to the old shot

Hey, Tony Parker couldn't buy a jumper and now he's consistent from midrange and even okay from the 3. Lebron can definitely improve his jumper by along way. I think he's just critiquing him because Lebron does have the potential to be the best of all time. But he might not get there unless he putsin more work. There is nothing wrong with critiquing someones mistakes. If anything it's wrong to amp someone up to think they are better than they are.

Look at Derrick Character or numerous other HS phenoms who were amped up. A lot of them turned out to be busts or just avg players. Lebron is already elite. But he can be legendary if he puts in more work!!! Lebron got better on defense this year by being challenged by Kobe during the Olympics. Now with someonechallenging him on his jumper, hopefully he puts in work to improve that this summer as well. Hell everyone has been critiquing his jumper every year. And hehas yet to make any strides. Atleast he's hitting FTs at a respectable rate now. And at his age, he has yet to reach his peak, so lets just hope we seemore.

With finishing all that.

LBJ NY Knicks 2010!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[tommykairaa]

Francis

 

[clutchshooter]

Originally Posted by DoubleJs07

Originally Posted by DOWNTOWN43

i mean, he's averaging 28PPG so you can't really say anything to him now.

but i guarantee that down the road in Lebron's career, some of those "flaws" will start to stand out more and more.

I don't think so...you gotta remember that Lebron hasn't even scratched the surface as far as his potential. Dude is just getting by on his talent. He is one of the most dominant players the NBA has seen, and IMO once he "figures it out," he's gonna take his game to the next level. It's not like he's plateaued and the rest of the NBA is catching up or passing him. Dude is head and shoulders better than 99% of his peers.

i dont get why people always say things like this.

of course he has.

you really think one season he's going put up season averages like this 45 ppg 17 reb, 21 ast, 11 stl, 9 blk, 73 fg%, 65 3pt%, 99 ft% ?

he's at least 85 and more likely closer to 95% potential fulfilled. he's not getting much better than this.

but some people really think that there is some magical unicorn wish season in store for him yet.

this is it. you're watching the peak years right now.

it's not that he's going to have a higher peak, it's that his peak is going to last longer, and over more years.

 

[ezflash26]

yea I officially tuned Rick Barry out when he started talking out the side of his neck about Pippen...dude stay either hating, or just on some negative %%+%...

 

[2wenty thre3]

Rick Barry stays hating on the superstars... jealousy

 

[outacontrol music]

Its the one disservice that we as an organization have done Bron. Look around, these teams with big investments/plans for young franchise players all go out their way to put a respectable NBA vet or even legend in some cases, at that said youngsters disposal for their development.

Dont know Chris Jent personally, seems like a likable knowledgeable guy, but cmon! Knowledgeable to the extent of his experience in the league... and that was tea time during a few training camps.

Dwight Howard and Yao Ming have picked Ewing's brain and studied his fundamentals for 2-3 year apiece. Deron Williams skyrocketed into the elite pg's after 2 strong summers with John Stockton. Andrew Bynum is in the process of growing out of his mangina under Abdul Jabbar's watch.

I know the whole world is amazed at LeBron's raw abilities. But imagine how easy the game would be for him if he was actually being instructed and refined to make the game easier for himself. Ease of the game = more years in the game.

I actually admire LBJ even more, because I know that the things he does out there, are probably 75% natural god given ability, and the rest you can attribute to skilled development on a pro level. At SVSM, they scored about 70% of their buckets in transition off their press. And when it was offense time, LeIso was sufficient every night pretty much.

The only "Pick" he saw, needed or used in high school was the one with the afro fist on the handle that he used to keep his fro looking fresh to death.

This is basically the reason why many NBA 'experts' pick Kobe over LeBron in those "who's better" arguments. LeBron may be theunstoppable force of nature, but Kobe does more of the "little things".

And I agree, to a certain extent. There's a lot of little things that LeBron (and the Cavs) could be doing to refine LeBron's game.

Even with all that being said, the kid is still the most dominant, unguardable force in the NBA.