Wikipedia of the Week: Marvin “Bad News” Barnes

Last week I completely forgot to post an interesting Wikipedia item, so coming off of an accidental bye week, I figured I should find someone really interesting.

The ABA was a league filled with colorful characters but Marvin “Bad News” Barnes may have been the most fascinating of the bunch. As a basketball player he was dominant, winning ABA Rookie of the Year for the 1974-1975 season while with the Spirits of St. Louis. When the ABA came back in 2000, one of the divisions was even named after him.

Off the court, he was notorious for getting in trouble with the law. Multiple arrests and drug usage had derailed his career by the time he was 28. He eventually cleaned up and now mentors kids, telling them not to make the same mistakes as him. Barnes has said of his past, “It took me a whole state. State police, DEA, everyone.”