"Calling all cars, calling all cars," the dispatchers would say. "Be on the lookout for a tall, light-skinned brother with dimples wearing a black Kangol, sweatsuit, gold chain and sneakers."
"And the league shot me down," Barry said. "I was so bitter about that. There's a reason why his last name was 'Stern.' "
Plan B also flopped. "I'll dunk the ball. I can do some things. And then I'll sit down and watch Jerry Stackhouse and Michael Finley win the dunk contest. That's not what happened."
Instead, Barry ended the 1996 slam dunk contest as the champion, proceeding Kobe Bryant and Blake Griffin as the only Clippers or Lakers to win the marquee event of All-Star weekend.