Assertion Supported AI assessment confidence: 95% certainty 5/5 debate potential 1/5

Rick Barry shot over 94% on free throws using underhand technique

Rick Barry · Shake Shack's Danny Meyer: When to ignore conventional wisdom | Masters of Scale · Mar 24, 2023 · at 14:00

Rick Barry was not on this episode. A recording of them was played into it, so these are their words but not an appearance on Masters of Scale. It still counts as said, and it is kept out of every score on their page.

NBA Hall of Fame player Rick Barry recounts his career free-throw shooting statistics achieved by shooting underhand.

0:00 / 0:09exact quote · 9.6s

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“My last six years, I shot over 92%. My last two years, I shot over 94% and only missed 10 free throws in one season and nine free throws in another”

quote is from the automated transcript, cleaned for reading: filler sounds and stutters are removed, nothing is rephrased. names can be misheard (the analysis reads context, assessments check outside sources). how →

The claim, plainly

Rick Barry shot over 92% on free throws in his final six NBA seasons and over 94% in his final two seasons, missing only 10 free throws in one season and nine in another.

a quote alone can be ambiguous, so this restates it with the references and context of the conversation around it resolved. AI-written; the tape below the player is the source.

Assessment

Official NBA career statistics confirm every part of Rick Barry's statement: across his final six NBA seasons (1974–75 through 1979–80), Barry made 1,721 of 1,870 free throws for a 92.032% free throw percentage (exceeding 92%); across his final two NBA seasons (1978–79 and 1979–80), he made 303 of 322 free throws for a 94.099% free throw percentage (exceeding 94%); and in those final two individual seasons, he missed exactly 9 free throws (1978–79: 160 of 169) and 10 free throws (1979–80: 143 of 153).

NBA historical statistics show Rick Barry shot 1,721/1,870 (92.03%) from the free-throw line across his final six seasons (1974-75 to 1979-80).
NBA historical statistics show Rick Barry shot 303/322 (94.10%) from the free-throw line across his final two seasons (1978-79 and 1979-80).
In the 1978-79 season, Barry missed exactly 9 free throws (160/169), and in the 1979-80 season, he missed exactly 10 free throws (143/153).

Checked against

[1] realgm.com [2] whatifsports.com

"Rick Barry" "1974-75" "1975-76" "1976-77" "1977-78" "1978-79" "1979-80" FT FTA "Rick Barry" free throw "160" "169" "143"

assessed as of 2026-08-27

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Mentioned

NBA Rick Barry

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Assertion Supported

Barry: Physics proves underhand free throws are the most efficient technique

“There has been a lot of research done with regard to the underhanded free throw. Physicists have done that, and it's proven that it is the most efficient way to do it. There are less moving parts. It's a softer shot, and yet people are reluctant to try to do i…”

Rick Barry Mar 24, 2023 ▶ 15:12 Shake Shack's Danny Meyer: When to ignore conventional wisdom | Masters of Scale

Rick Barry shot over 94% on free throws using underhand technique

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