Coming to town: 10 things to know about Dick Barnett, Tennessee State legend, NBA champion

Starting Thursday, Tennessee State University will celebrate its former basketball players, including Dick Barnett, one of the program's legends.

And why not? During his playing days, Barnett, a left-handed jump shooter, was a high school state champion in Indiana. He also is Tennessee State's all-time learning scorer, an NAIA All-American, winner of three consecutive NAIA titles (from 1957-59), an NBA All-Star, an NBA champion, an American Basketball League champion and an inductee into multiple halls of fame.

Tennessee State will honor its past legends during halftime of Thursday's basketball game against Southeast Missouri State (the 1957-59 NAIA national champions) and Saturday's game against Tennessee Tech (30th anniversary of the 1992-93 Ohio Valley Conference championship).

Here are 10 things to know about Barnett, who will be honored during basketball alumni weekend.

No. 10: Best college basketball team in Tennessee you've never heard of?

Barnett led Tennessee State University to three consecutive NAIA championships, winning tournament MVP twice. The feat made the Tigers the first historically Black college or university to win an integrated national championship.

Howard Gentry Jr., former Tennessee State athletic director, son of former head football coach and athletic director Howard C. Gentry: "When I was a little boy, (Barnett) was at Tennessee State. We have been in contact over the years, even more in contact as I have grown older. There's certain things he's been trying to do for the (basketball) team that they're so deserving of."

Ron Thomas, author of "They Cleared the Lane: The NBA's Black Pioneers" (2002): "(They were) dealing with the nation's skepticism about Black people at the time. About our competence. About our intelligence. About our ability to comport ourselves correctly in public. All those things were in question back in the 50s."

No. 9: 'Too late; fall back, baby'

During his career, he earned the nickname, "Fall Back Baby," thanks to an unorthodox jump shot and some choice trash talk.

Steve Baumley, executive director, Dr. Richard Barnett Foundation: "Growing up on the courts of Gary, Indiana, he always said it was put up or shut up. He was probably one of the early pioneers of trash talking, honestly. When he'd play, whether it was high school into college to the NBA, when he put his shot up, he'd yell at the defender, 'Fall back, baby,' meaning get back on defense because it's going in."

Thomas: "As a kid learning how to play basketball, he realized he was shooting just like everybody else; except he would kick his legs up when he shot. It was a style he didn't try to develop, but it was distinctive. (Later in his playing career) he would tell his teammates this shot was going in. So fall back on defense because the shot was going in."

No. 8: Supporting students

The Dr. Richard Barnett Foundation annually supports 50 high school sophomores with scholarships. His ninth cohort will launch this month. Learn more at alisteducation.com/dr-richard-barnett-foundation-scholarship-program/.

No. 7: Life after basketball

From 1977-1990, Barnett served as president of the Athletic Role Model Education Institute, a nonprofit that improves access to academic resources for at-risk students.

No. 6: Checkmate

Barnett was an avid chess player, playing the game all across the country, according to friends, teammates and family.

No. 5: A New York legend

Playing with the likes of Willis Reed and Walt "Clyde" Frazier, Barnett was a member of the 1970 and 1973 New York Knicks teams that won two NBA championships. His No. 12 jersey hangs from the rafters of Madison Square Garden. Barnett's college jersey, No. 35, was also retired at Tennessee State.

Baumley: “(Growing up in Gary) he used to listen to boxing fights on the transistor radio. His dad would borrow a transistor radio from a friend at work in the steel mills he worked in. He’d take it home once in a while. They’d listen to boxing matches from Madison Square Garden, live from New York City. He said to himself, I wanna grow up to be a professional basketball player one day and play there. And his jersey now hangs there in the rafters."

No. 4: Consulting for companies

Barnett has worked as a consultant for several corporations, including PepsiCo Inc., IBM and the NFL.

No. 3: Continuing education off the court

After playing in the NBA for 15 seasons, Barnett earned his doctorate in education at Fordham University. Barnett later worked as an assistant professor of sports management at St. John's University.

Thomas: "He turned out to be a scholar. He turned out to be more serious about education (after his playing days), defying the stereotype of an athlete. I think it just shows the potential that sometimes athletes don't discover about themselves (until they retire from sports)."

No. 2: Dreaming about the hall of fame

"The Dream Whisperer" documentary (2022) details Barnett's quest to get his Tennessee State title teams inducted into the Naismith College Basketball Hall of Fame. In 2019, he got his wish.

Rico Beasley, former Tennessee State basketball standout, helped the Tigers win back-to-back Ohio Valley Conference titles (1993-94): "Growing up here in Nashville, I always heard about Dr. Barnett. ... He was one of the greats. ... They laid the path for young guys like us to come along to Tennessee State. It's just an honor to be able to come, being a person like that.

"I plan on being there (Friday to watch the documentary), and my teammates plan on being there. I know it's going to be something special."

No. 1: History making at TSU

In 1957, Barnett was named to the NAIA's All-America team, marking the first African American to earn the honor. He left TSU as the school's all-time leading scorer, with 3,209 points.

Gentry Jr.: "His (college) stats were consistent his entire career. He was the backbone of the greatest team in the nation at that level (NAIA). ... He's just had a career of success at a high level."

Reach reporter Craig Shoup by email at cshoup@gannett.com and on Twitter @Craig_Shoup. To support his work, sign up for a digital subscription to www.tennessean.com.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: This week: Tennessee State set to honor NAIA championship teams, alums