Jim Barnes

Jim Barnes was an American basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association. In 1969, he became an NBA Champion with the Boston Celtics.

Player Profile and Personal Life

Velvet Jim Barnes was born on April 13, 1941, in Tuckerman, Arkansas, USA.

He stood 203 cm tall and weighed 95 kg during his playing career. Barnes played as both a center and power forward throughout his career.

Growing up in poverty, Barnes often played basketball wearing socks due to his family's inability to afford shoes. His grandfather was reportedly 7'0" tall, and Barnes himself reached 6'6" by age 13.

Barnes was a member of the U.S. men's basketball team that won the gold medal at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

Barnes passed away on September 14, 2002, at the age of 61 due to heart problems. He was survived by his wife, Gerri, and three daughters.

High School and College Career

He attended Stillwater High School in Oklahoma, where he was named Oklahoma High School Player of the Year.

Barnes began his college career at Cameron University from 1960 to 1962 before transferring to Texas Western College (now the University of Texas at El Paso) from 1962 to 1964.

Barnes was a dominant force in college, earning second-team All-American honors from the NABC and third-team All-American recognition from the AP and UPI in 1964.

Professional Career

Selected first overall by the New York Knicks in the 1964 NBA Draft, Barnes had a promising start to his professional career.

He was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 1965 after averaging 15.5 points and 9.7 rebounds per game for the Knicks.

Barnes played for several teams, including the Baltimore Bullets, Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls, and Boston Celtics.

He won an NBA championship with the Celtics in 1969, although injuries limited his playing time during the playoffs.

Career Highlights:

• 1964 - Olympic Gold Medalist
• 1964 - Second-team All-American (NABC)
• 1964 - Third-team All-American (AP, UPI)
• 1965 - NBA All-Rookie First Team
• 1969 - NBA Champion (with the Boston Celtics)
• No. 45 retired by UTEP Miners