WATERVILLE -- By his own admission, Thomas College sophomore guard T.J. Pettus is not a good shooter. But after just a few minutes listening to Hall of Famer Rick Barry discuss proper shooting form, Pettus feels like he'll get better.

"I learned a lot. He's definitely a legend. I do have some flaws in my shot," Pettus said. "I can't shoot at all, but fundamentally, the things he said, I've got to pay attention to. He knows what he's talking about."

Barry was at Thomas College to speak to area players and coaches about the current state of basketball and offer a brief clinic Saturday.

Barry was invited to Thomas by Fran Day, the school's Vice President for Institutional Advancement, through a mutual friend.

"It's always fun to go and talk about a sport that I love so much and has been so good to me and provided my family with a great life," Barry said. "My one big passion in life was basketball, other than family and friends. I've gotten into fishing, fly fishing especially, so I have something else that gives me passion, but basketball is what it was about."

A 12-time all-star, Barry averaged more than 24 points per game during his career and is the only player to lead the NCAA, ABA and NBA in scoring. Barry won the 1975 NBA title with the Golden State Warriors.

For approximately two hours Saturday morning, Barry took questions and explained how to properly execute a pick and roll. When it came time to teach shooting fundamentals, Barry asked Pettus to take a handful of mid-range jump shots.

"He does what 90 percent of players do," Barry said after watching Pettus' first shot. "He's too upright."

Barry boiled proper shooting to five fundamentals: Keep your hand under the basketball, keep your wrist cocked, keep your arm straight, shoot up to the basket, not at it, and follow through.

"My knees were shaking, but some of the things he said, I do wrong," Pettus said.

Barry said the lack of basketball fundamentals is a problem that reaches all the way to the NBA.

"I'm very analytical when I watch games, and I'm appalled by the lack of fundamentals that players have," Barry said. "Players today are so gifted athletically, they have so much natural ability going for them, quickness and speed. So many of them are amazing physical specimens, but they don't know what to do with it because they weren't schooled in the fundamental principles and concepts of what the game is about."

For instance, Barry added, LeBron James -- regarded by many as the best player in the league -- could be even better if he corrected a flaw in his shot. James' elbow flies out on his shot, Barry said, which drops his accuracy.

"LeBron James should be better than he is, and he would be if somebody had taught him some of the things that he lacks right now, which is a major flaw in his shot. ... I want to see a player be as great as he can be," Barry said. "Great players keep working at their game. The one thing you have to do is be honest with yourself and be willing to admit you have some flaws in your game."

Barry said one of the biggest assets the Boston Celtics have is assistant coach Clifford Ray. Ray was a teammate of Barry's with Golden State, and Barry called him one of the best big men coaches in the game.

"I just talked to Clifford the other day. He's kind of happy with where things are right now," Barry said. "He just makes them better players. Hell, he had Shawn Bradley getting triple doubles with the Nets. The Celtics are lucky to have that going for them."

Although he was known as an offensive force throughout his career, Barry stressed defense throughout his talk at Thomas.

"You can always be good defensively. It's just a matter of effort and concentration," Barry said.

Travis Lazarczyk -- 861-9242

tlazarczyk@centralmaine.com