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Marvin Barnes

From Alfawiki
Marvin Barnes
Born
Marvin Jerome Barnes

(1952-07-27) 27 July 1952 (age 74)
Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.
Died8 September 2014(2014-09-08) (aged 62)
Other names"Bad News"
OccupationProfessional basketball player
Years active1974–1981
Known forABA Rookie of the Year (1974–75), ABA and NBA career as forward/center

Marvin Jerome "Bad News" Barnes (July 27, 1952 – September 8, 2014) was a professional basketball player from the United States. Playing as a forward, he earned All-American honors at Providence College and competed professionally in both the American Basketball Association (ABA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA).

College career

In 1973, Barnes set an NCAA tournament record by successfully converting all 10 of his field goal attempts, a feat that stood until Kenny Walker surpassed it in 1986. During the 1973–74 season, he led the nation in rebounds and posted a school-record 52 points against Austin Peay on December 15, 1973. Over 89 games at Providence College under coach Dave Gavitt, Barnes averaged 20.7 points, 17.9 rebounds, and 2.7 assists.

Professional career

Barnes was selected by the Denver Rockets (now known as the Nuggets) in the 1973 ABA Draft and was also chosen second overall in the first round of the 1974 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. Although he went undrafted in the ABA's 1974 draft, he signed with the Spirits of St. Louis, competing in the ABA from 1974 until the league's merger with the NBA in 1976, then continuing his career in the NBA until 1980. His contract with the Spirits allowed Denver to receive an additional draft pick that they used to select Marvin Webster. Barnes distinguished himself in the ABA by earning Rookie of the Year honors for the 1974–75 season and tying the ABA record for most two-point field goals made in a single game with 27. In tribute to his impact, the ABA’s second incarnation named one of its divisions after him in 2005.

Barnes was known for his flamboyant character; on one occasion, he declined to board a flight from Louisville to St. Louis due to confusion over time zones and instead chose to rent a car for travel.

Over two seasons in the ABA (144 games), Barnes averaged 21.4 points, 13.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game. In his NBA career spanning 171 games, he posted averages of 9.2 points and 5.5 rebounds per contest. His combined statistics across both leagues were an average of 16.0 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 2.1 assists.

After being selected by the Detroit Pistons in the 1976 ABA Dispersal Draft, Barnes’ period with Detroit was troubled despite his solid on-court performances. He encountered legal problems including an arrest for probation violation involving possession of a firearm at Detroit Metropolitan Airport and was eventually removed from the starting lineup. Pistons center Bob Lanier later reflected that Barnes’ considerable talent was overshadowed by off-court difficulties and negative influences on teammates.

At the beginning of the 1978–79 NBA season, Detroit traded Barnes to the Buffalo Braves. He then spent one season with the Boston Celtics, where he later confessed to using cocaine during games—an admission that contributed to his professional decline.

Barnes concluded his NBA tenure with the San Diego Clippers in 1980 before briefly playing for Italy’s Pallacanestro Trieste during the 1980–81 Lega Basket Serie A season.

Nickname

The moniker "Bad News" originated from Barnes' repeated off-court troubles beginning in his senior year at Central High School. He was implicated in an attempted bus robbery but quickly identified due to wearing his state championship jacket. In 1972 while at Providence College, Barnes assaulted a teammate with a tire iron; he pleaded guilty, paid a $10,000 fine, and was placed on probation. In 1976, he violated probation when authorities discovered an unloaded pistol and ammunition in his bag at Detroit Metro Airport. The following year he served a sentence of 152 days at the Adult Correctional Institute in Cranston, Rhode Island before rejoining the Detroit Pistons. Subsequent arrests involved burglary, drug possession, and trespassing charges. His NBA career was ultimately derailed by substance abuse issues that led to homelessness in San Diego during the early 1980s. After completing rehabilitation, Barnes dedicated time to mentoring youth in South Providence, cautioning them against making similar mistakes.

Death

Marvin Barnes passed away on September 8, 2014, at the age of 62. His death was verified by Kevin Stacom, a scout for the Dallas Mavericks and a former teammate from Providence College’s 1973 Final Four squad. Although Barnes had maintained sobriety for several years, he experienced a relapse shortly before his death.

Legacy

In recognition of his impact, Providence College retired Barnes' jersey in March 2008, placing him in the company of Ernie DiGregorio and Jimmy Walker. He shares the school's single-game scoring record of 52 points, a mark later matched by MarShon Brooks. Barnes was also inducted into the Providence Athletics Hall of Fame in 1992.

See also

External links

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