Rick Barry details why he was a big fan of Elgin Baylor growing up

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Rick Barry was one of the best scorers of the 20th century, regularly averaging 30+ points per game across different seasons. He was an offensive juggernaut because he could score while driving into the paint and pull up for mid-range jump shots. At the same time, he also had superb playmaking skills, looking like an early point-forward prototype.

While Barry was one of the best offensive players of that era, he did take some inspiration from other players. His biggest inspiration was Los Angeles Lakers legend Elgin Baylor, who he credits as the player who taught him how to drive into the paint properly and get the right shot.

"I grew up as a big fan of Elgin Baylor. I like the fact about his aggressiveness and his body control and could change his shot in mid-air," Barry said about Baylor. "I used to practice that, making shots where I can pull the ball back, and trying the diversification of the way I can get a shot off, and I got that from watching Elgin Baylor."

Baylor was worthy of the praise

While most people might neglect Baylor for his lack of a championship in his career, he was an undeniable talent. Elgin deserved all his accolades, including his 11 All-Star Game appearances and ten All-NBA First Team nods.

He was such a good player that opponents struggled to defend against him. His best campaign was during the 1961/62 season when he scored 38.3 points and grabbed 18.6 rebounds per game. Those were absurd numbers, as Baylor took advantage of his athleticism and basketball IQ, knowing he could overpower anyone who went against him.

Baylor had a reputation for being a powerhouse and a physical player, but he only stood at 6'5", which is on the smaller end for forwards, and weighed a standard 225 lbs. However, Baylor's mentality of being an unstoppable player helped him become like a wrecking ball on the court.

He became more influential than he thought because fearlessness when driving into the paint is required nowadays, and this was one of the most notable aspects of his game. Back in the day, most players preferred having finesse in their playstyle, but due to Baylor, Oscar Robertson, and Wilt Chamberlain, players started to force the issue and dominated.

Barry implemented his learnings well

Barry had many incredible moments in his career due to observing and learning from Baylor. He was a phenomenal scorer because he could do everything on the offensive end. Rick could emulate Baylor's willingness to drive on every possession, but he could also stretch out the floor for a jump shot or keep drawing fouls.

Rick is known for his unique underhanded free-throw shot, which was very effective since he shot 90% from the charity stripe due to that style. It was also a vital part of his game because drawing fouls meant he could score easy points, and he knew the shot was reliable enough to be a focal point of the offense.

With the lessons he learned from Baylor and what he kept developing on his own, Barry became a top-tier scorer and one of the most impressive forwards of his generation.