Barron glad to have opportunity with Heat

MIAMI - Earl Barron missed an opportunity to play against Shaquille O'Neal a year ago, when the Orlando Magic cut him from their training camp just before facing the Miami Heat in a preseason game.

This year, Barron will finally get to see O'Neal - this time, as a teammate.

The 7-foot forward-center who played college ball at Memphis has signed a one-year, partially guaranteed contract with the Heat, who became enamored with his standout play for their summer league team that competed in Long Beach, Calif.

Heat president Pat Riley even called Barron "the best player" in that league.

"It's kind of crazy to hear he said that," Barron said Monday, when the Heat introduced him and announced his formal signing. "Everyone knows who Pat Riley is. He's one of the greatest coaches, if not the greatest coach in this game. For him to say such great words is remarkable. I'm just a guy from a small town who never thought I'd hear praises from him about me."

Barron, who grew up in Clarksdale, Miss., has been on a bit of a basketball odyssey since leaving Memphis, which he helped capture the 2002 NIT title. He's played for Huntsville in the NBA's developmental league, plus had overseas stints in Turkey and the Philippines.

He was only a few days removed from the end of his season in the Philippines when joining Miami's summer team. If he was weary, Barron didn't show it.

He averaged 17.4 points on 65.2 percent shooting from the field, 83.7 percent from the line during the seven-game summer season. He also had 7.6 rebounds per game - and his averages were hurt by a zero-point, zero-rebound, foul-plagued game midway through the summer.

"I know I can score. I'm real gifted offensively," Barron said. "I needed to focus on my rebounding, and I think I did that."

Barron's success has been a pleasant surprise to his college coach, John Calipari, who said last week that his former center "proved me wrong."

"My first thought was for him to go overseas, make $5 or $6 million over his career, then come home and do whatever he wants," Calipari told the Memphis Commercial Appeal. "But he chose the unconventional way, the NBDL, which is hard. But he did it."

Calipari was out of the country Monday, vacationing with family, and unavailable for further comment, according to a Memphis spokesman.

Already, Barron is settling into his new home. He appeared at Little River Elementary School on Monday along with teammates Wayne Simien and Dorell Wright, handing out school supplies and welcoming kids back for their first day of classes.

And soon, he'll start working out in earnest with the full roster - including O'Neal and presumably Alonzo Mourning, who has not publicly announced if he's returning or retiring.

"Those are two of the best centers to play the game," Barron said. "That really hasn't sunk in yet, but when they get here, it'll be a shock, a little dream come true for me."