The real Rick Barnes

AUSTIN, Texas -- When head coach Rick Barnes learned he had been selected for induction into The University of Texas Men's Athletics Hall of Honor earlier this fall, the news was met with a typical Rick Barnes reaction.

"You're kidding me," Barnes said while shaking his head. "Don't we have some more deserving players that we should be honoring?"

Typical Rick Barnes.

That line got me thinking. Forget the consistent on-court team success that includes 15 NCAA tourney appearances in 16 years, five Sweet Sixteens, three Elite Eights, the Final Four run in 2002-03, three Big 12 titles and four Big 12 Coach of the Year honors.

Do Texas fans truly know the real Rick Barnes?

Despite 16-plus years in Austin -- on the bench during games, on the practice court, in the film room, out in the community and thousands of media interviews later -- I'm honestly not sure. Yes, I accept the blame for that - as the point person in charge of publicity for the men's basketball program throughout those 16 years.

But understand the consistent policy we've shared since day one in Austin together: It will never be about Rick Barnes. It needs to be about the program, the players and most importantly, The University of Texas. Give the spotlight and credit to the players and to others on the coaching staff. Prepare the players to face life beyond UT, and prepare the assistant coaches to become head coaches.

With Barnes set to join eight other inductees in the 58th Men's Hall of Honor class this Friday night at the Four Seasons Hotel in downtown Austin, it's past time that we let you know the real Rick Barnes.

"Rick is an absolute credit to the college coaching profession," said Duke University and USA Basketball Men's National Coach Mike Krzyzewski. "As much as I admire Rick's coaching ability and accomplishments, I think even more of him away from the court. He's straight-forward, hard-working, principled, humble and as loyal as anyone I know. Simply, he's a terrific person for whom I have the utmost respect."

Barnes has never met a stranger. If you've run into him around Austin -- at the airport, at a restaurant, at his church, on campus, wherever -- you already know this. Spend time in a conversation with Barnes, and he'll ask you way more questions than you can toss at him. That's Rick … always learning from others, no matter what the subject is.

Barnes always has a story, and usually one that leaves you laughing. If he teases you or plays a practical joke on you, just go with it. Humor and that wry smile is his way of letting you know that he cares. Barnes has performed magic tricks, cracked jokes and spun legendary tales for countless numbers of recruits, parents of recruits, current and former players, staff members, administrators, Erwin Center personnel, referees, opposing coaches and television announcers … and the list goes on and on.

"Rick is absolutely one of the greats in our profession," said Kentucky head coach John Calipari. "We've known each other for 35 years, and he hasn't changed a bit. He's always been driven, loyal, compassionate, down-to-earth and fun-loving. His magic tricks haven't changed either! I can't think of a guy more deserving than Rick to receive this honor. Congratulations, old friend."

When it comes to caring, actions speak louder than words. We're talking about an individual who starts a college savings fund for every staff member as soon as that staffer becomes a parent. Then Barnes follows up each year with an annual donation to that fund.

When I say every staff member, the list includes former assistant coaches who are now making a fine living themselves as head coaches. That doesn't matter to Barnes. What matters is the opportunity for a quality education for each and every one of those kids. His charitable donations, whether it be given by service, time, gifts or money, are too personal and too numerous to even begin to name here.

"I have the upmost respect for Rick Barnes as a basketball coach," said Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo. "I've always respected the way his teams compete and how hard they work. More importantly, I consider Rick to be one of my good friends in the coaching profession. He's a guy I can reach out to, even when things aren't going well. Rick's made a few stops along the way, but it's clear that he's found a home at Texas. And that's led to great success for the Longhorn Basketball program."

Try to get Barnes to answer a question in a sound bite, forget it. His mind doesn't work that way. He'd rather share a detailed account from the past and wind his way through that tale to make his point. Don't be in a hurry to get that answer as well. Like a fine wine, those stories can take a while to tell.

The rock in Rick's life is his wife, Candy, and their two now-grown children, Nick and Carley. When asked during an ESPN sit-down interview at this year's Big 12 Basketball Media Days who the biggest influence on his coaching career has been, it took Barnes just one second to give his reply. "That's an easy one. It's my wife, Candy. She is the one who told me if I was actually serious about getting into coaching, then she would do everything she could to help me on that path. And she's been there for me and our family every step of the way."

"Coach Barnes was a father figure for me when I played at Texas, and he still is today," said 2003 National Player of the Year T.J. Ford. "He provided leadership and mentorship. He was tough-minded, and he was prepared. More importantly, he was genuine and gave me great advice based on lessons that he had learned in his life.

"He directed me to associate with the right people," Ford continued. "When he believed I made poor choices in the people I was associating with, he spoke his mind. I trusted him when I committed to attend The University of Texas, and I still trust him completely today. I will always support him … as a coach, as a father figure and as a friend."

For Barnes, it's all about the details. Come across any player that he's coached, and that player will reference his attention to the small things. Walk through the Denton Cooley practice facility, and Barnes will find something that needs improving or updating. Although it may not appear like he is listening to you, Rick hears everything.

There was an article in ESPN The Magazine a few years back that caused some concern from the Texas fan base. Rick was quoted in the article saying "We would love to win a national championship, but we're not obsessed with it because we're obsessed with these guys trying to live their NBA dream." The quote came in response to the reporter's question of 'Do you feel pressure to win a national championship this year?"

What the article left out is Rick's answer to the question was actually a 10-to-15 minute response. Yes, typical Rick Barnes. He wanted to share with the writer what was really important to the Texas staff. So he took the writer through all the phases of what matters in the Texas Basketball program: improving as a man, learning life skills along with gaining an education, respect for others, attention to detail, working hard and doing your job every day, player development on and off the court, and yes, winning … as a team.

Here's the real truth of the matter. If you don't think Rick Barnes is interested in winning a national championship, you haven't been at a Texas Basketball practice in the last 16 years. He doesn't want to just win a title, he wants to win every game and every possession. The on-court instruction, the individual skill work, the countless hours working on a player's shooting form or release point and his attention to detail in the film room … those are what the players and staff who work with Coach Barnes have come to respect and admire.

"Rick Barnes was definitely like a father figure for me being away from home," said 2007 consensus National Player of the Year and 2014 NBA Most Valuable Player Kevin Durant. "He taught me how to handle myself as a young man and a basketball player. I appreciate him. He's somebody that I'm going to love forever, and I'm grateful that I got the opportunity to play for him."

So Coach Barnes, with all due respect and apologies in advance … come Friday night, it's finally about you.

The University of Texas at Austin Athletics