11Feb/095:22 PM

Barry reminisces about ‘75 All-Star Game in Phoenix

By Vince Marotta

Photo: Fanster.com

Thirty-four years have passed since the NBA’s All-Star Game was first held in Phoenix. But that doesn’t stop Hall of Famer Rick Barry from having vivid memories of that game.

“It was a great experience. I remember if we had won, I probably would have been the MVP because I had really good numbers, but unfortunately our team came up a little short in the score, so they have a tendency to give the MVP, and justifiably so, to a member of the winning team,” Barry said while doing a memorabilia signing at U.S. Airways Center on Wednesday.

The Eastern Conference All-Stars, led by New York’s Walt Frazier, won the game 108-102. Frazier won the MVP after scoring a game-high 30 points. Barry, then a member of the Golden State Warriors, scored 22 points, while handing out 8 assists. By the way, the Warriors beat the Washington Bullets in four games to win the NBA Finals just 3 months later. Not bad for a consolation prize.

The NBA All-Star Weekend has become one of the premier sports attractions in America. Barry remembers a much different experience when he wore the All-Star uniform in the 70’s. “We used to play a game on Friday, get in on Saturday night (for the All-Star Game), have a banquet, play the game on Sunday, and then play a game on Monday. Now it’s a big weekend. It’s a whole extravaganza. The NBA has done an amazing job marketing it. All the other sports copy it now,” he said.

Barry stays close to the game, and I asked him about the rampant trade rumors that the hometown Phoenix Suns might be shopping All-Star forward Amare Stoudemire. Barry says he doesn’t understand any player’s willingness to be traded from Phoenix. “Why would any player in their right mind not want to play with Steve Nash? I mean seriously, I would pay to play with Steve Nash. This guy is such an amazing player and makes life so much easier on offense. What is Shawn Marion thinking? What is Amare thinking? They think they’re going to go somewhere else and have a guy that’s going to make their life that much easier? They’re out of their minds!”