Miami Basketball legend Rick Barry and former Hurricanes star Robert Hite will both participate in the second season of the Big Three this year. Barry is back as a coach for the Ballhogs. Hite is playing for Tristate in his first season in the league.
Under Barry, the Ballhogs finished in a tie for last place last season with a 2-6 record. The Ballhogs lost their opening game this past weekend. Barry’s co-captains this season are Celtics legend Brian Scalabrine and former Stanford star and Atlanta Hawks player Josh Childress.
Other players on the Ballhogs roster are DeShawn Stevenson, Jermaine Taylor, Andre Owens and Corsley Edwards. Stevenson had 17 points and four rebounds in the Ballhogs opening game loss. He shot just five for 17 from the floor and three of 12 on three-point attempts.
After playing last weekend at the Toyota Center in Houston, the league moves on to the United Center in Chicago this weekend. The Ballhogs lost 51-31 to a team called Power last weekend. The most familiar name on the Power roster to Miami fans is former Heat Center, Chris Andersen. Corey Maggette, Glen Davis and Cuttino Mobley are also on their roster.
In his first game in the three-on-three league, Hite finished with four points and one rebound. Tri-state won their opener against a team named Trilogy 51-34.
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Tristate should have one of the better teams in the Big Three. Hite’s teammates include Jermaine O’Neal, Amare Stoudamire, Bonzi Wells and Nate Robinson.
Hite started 109 of the 121 games he played with the Hurricanes between 2002-06. In his final three seasons, he started 91 of the 93 games he played in. Hite averaged 14.2 points per game, 4.6 rebounds and shot 38.4 percent on three-point attempts.
The former Hurricanes guard NBA career was 12 games with the Heat in 2006-07. He averaged 4.3 PPG in 11.3 minutes per game.
Hite played later that season with the Heat’s then NBDL affiliate the Sioux Falls Skyforce. The Skyforce remains the Heat’saffiliatee in the G-League.
After playing in Europe from 2007-12 Hite returned stateside. He played in the G-League for the Iowa Energy in 2013 and Canton Charge in 2013-14 seasons before retiring.
Barry is Miami’s greatest player ever. He is the only former Hurricanes player in the Basketball Hall of Fame. Barry is the highest draftee from the Miami basketball program. He was selected second in the 1966 NBA Draft by the San Francisco Warriors.
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Barry married the daughter of his coach at Miami Bruce Hale. His sons Jon, Drew and Brent who all played in the NBA are also Hale’s grandsons.