Like Magic Johnson. But not like the other ex-player on-set with him on ABC's NBA Finals coverage: journeyman Jon Barry, who averaged 5.7 points playing with nine teams over a 13-year NBA career.

"A lot of times, (TV) might just be buying a name," he says. "I just wanted to be good. When I'm watching games, I don't tune in for who's doing it. I just want somebody good."

And Barry didn't think of TV work because his Hall of Fame father Rick went into broadcasting. Though he did a boffo sportscast in an eighth-grade speech — "my teacher said that was going to be my job" — he "never thought about anything past college" when he was playing at Georgia Tech. Not even about the NBA: "I didn't know I even had a chance at the NBA until I was a senior." But by his final NBA seasons, he was already networking in TV: "Anytime we were on TV, I'd meet the producers and announcers — to make contacts."

Given his family, which includes brothers who also starred in basketball, everybody knew his name. In high school, he says, "when you did something, it was, 'that's Rick Barry's son.' " His sons Tyler, 12 and Eli, 9, "are already expected to be the best players. It's funny what people expect."

Now, viewers and players can expect Barry to stand out in being direct on-air. He says he gets feedback "from a lot of very sensitive (players). But I don't make personal attacks. And if you're not honest about what you're doing, you'll be sniffed out."