Former NBA guard and analyst Jon Barry recently gave his list of the greatest duos in NBA history while appearing on Byron Scott’s ‘Fast Break’ podcast, and unsurprisingly, the legendary pairing of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal made the cut.
When asked whether Kobe and Shaq were the greatest duo ever, Barry admitted they absolutely belonged near the top.
Question: “Since you played with Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, and Shaq still says they’re the best duo ever in NBA history, can you give me your top five duos?”
Jon Barry: “Certainly they’re right there. I think Larry Bird, I don’t know who you pair him with. Maybe Kevin McHale. To me, Kevin McHale is one of the most underrated power forwards ever. I sat with Michael Jordan at an All Star Game. We were at Michael Wilbon’s house, and we got Mike talking, which was great because he never does that. We were discussing the greatest power forwards ever, and I said Kevin McHale. Michael said, I agree. Now maybe this was before Tim Duncan fully got going, but he said Kevin McHale was a monster.”
“Then you’ve got John Stockton and Karl Malone. Those guys were ridiculous…. Then obviously Michael and Scottie Pippen. Although with Michael, you could probably say Craig Hodges and still be good. Me and Tracy McGrady combined for 71 points one night. He had 62, and I had nine. Hell of a night.”
While Barry joked around, his own NBA career lasted over a decade and earned him strong respect around the league as a smart role player and shooter.
Barry played 14 NBA seasons from 1992 to 2006 across multiple teams, including the Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings, Detroit Pistons, Atlanta Hawks, and Houston Rockets.
Over his career, Barry averaged 5.7 points, 1,8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists while shooting 43.4% from the field and 39.2% from three-point range. His best statistical season came during the 2001-02 campaign with the Kings, when he averaged 9.0 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 3.3 assists while shooting 48.9% from the field and 46.9% from three-point range.
Barry was never a superstar, but he carved out a long NBA career through basketball IQ, shooting, and versatility. He also comes from one of basketball’s most famous families. His father, Rick Barry, is a Hall of Famer and one of the greatest scorers in NBA history, while his brothers Brent, Drew, and Scooter Barry also played professional basketball.
As for Barry’s all-time duo rankings, his list covered multiple eras of basketball dominance.
Kobe and Shaq brought unstoppable physical dominance and won three straight championships. Jordan and Pippen created arguably the greatest dynasty ever. Stockton and Malone became the NBA’s all-time assist and scoring connection. Bird and McHale helped build the legendary Celtics dynasty of the 1980s.
And judging by Barry’s comments, he clearly believes all of them belong in the same elite conversation.
