Last Updated on August 7, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Dana Barros was a lightning-quick NBA point guard and elite three-point shooter whose best seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers showcased explosive scoring, pull-up range, and high-volume perimeter offense during the 1990s. His profile blends undersized scoring guard archetype, floor spacing, ball handling, and efficient outside shooting across runs with the Seattle SuperSonics, Boston Celtics, and other NBA teams.

Here’s the detailed profile of Dana Barros:

Player Profile

  • Full Name: Dana Bruce Barros
  • Nationality: American
  • Age: Born April 13, 1967
  • Hometown: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
  • Height: 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
  • Weight: 163 lbs (74 kg)
  • Wingspan: 6 feet 0 inches
  • Shoe Size: Size 11 (US)
  • Number: #3, #11
  • Position: Point Guard / Shooting Guard
  • High School: Xaverian Brothers High School, Westwood, Massachusetts
  • College: Boston College (1985–1989)
  • NBA Draft: Selected 16th overall in the 1989 NBA Draft by the Seattle SuperSonics
  • Teams Played For:
    • Seattle SuperSonics (1989–1993)
    • Philadelphia 76ers (1993–1995)
    • Boston Celtics (1995–2000, 2003–2004)
    • Detroit Pistons (2000)
  • Championship Rings: No NBA Championships
  • Kids: Dana Barros has at least two children, including a son named Jordan Barros.
  • Siblings: Not much publicly available information on siblings.

Player Archetype / Play Style

Dana Barros’ player archetype was that of a lightning-quick scoring guard who could slide between lead-ballhandler and off-ball marksman roles, giving his teams a small but explosive backcourt weapon. Defensively, he was more of a competitive effort defender than a stopper, using speed, anticipation, and activity to pressure the ball and survive against bigger guards rather than overwhelm them physically. Offensively, his main value came from his pull-up shooting, deep range, pace off the dribble, and ability to create points in bursts, while still having enough point-guard feel to run an offense and set up teammates. Physically, Barros was undersized by NBA standards at 5-foot-11 and around 165 pounds, but he compensated with burst, balance, and notable athletic pop, which helped him get into space and fire over defenses despite his frame. Overall, his play style blended quick-trigger perimeter scoring, change-of-pace guard play, and secondary playmaking, making him an ahead-of-his-time offensive guard whose best years looked a lot like the modern small shooting point archetype.

Scouting Report

Dana Barros was one of those rare small guards who never let his size dictate the way he attacked a defence. Everything started with his jumper. Defenders had to pick him up well beyond the three-point line because he needed almost no time or space to get into his release, and that alone bent defensive coverages in ways that opened driving lanes. The interesting thing is that he wasn’t simply a spot-up shooter. He was comfortable sprinting off staggered screens, flowing into handoffs, or pulling up immediately after a high pick-and-roll if his defender ducked underneath. Once opponents began chasing him over the top, he slipped into the paint with a surprisingly effective floater and enough body control to finish before bigger rim protectors could fully recover. He wasn’t a natural table-setter in the mould of a pass-first point guard, but he understood where the help defender had come from and routinely found shooters lifting behind the play or dropped the ball to a rolling big after drawing two defenders. Defensively, there was only so much he could do against bigger guards, yet I’ve always thought he competed with more intelligence than he was given credit for. He worked hard to fight over screens, stayed active with his hands and understood when to dig at the ball before recovering instead of gambling himself completely out of the possession. The trade-off was obvious against physical backcourts that could simply shoot over him or force switches into difficult matchups near the block. To me, Barros fit best in an offence that encouraged pace, movement and plenty of screening for its guards, allowing his shooting gravity to create advantages before he ever touched the paint. His game reminds me of Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf because of the combination of deep shooting range and fearless pull-up scoring, while there were flashes of Damon Stoudamire in the way he blended perimeter shooting with quick bursts into the lane without needing overwhelming size to influence an offence.

Sources:

NBA.com — Dana Barros | Guard | Boston Celtics
Basketball-Reference.com — Dana Barros Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more
The Philadelphia Inquirer — Dana Barros, the ’94-95 Sixers, and the greatest performance that people forgot
Basketball Network — Dana Barros talks about the toughest matchups during his NBA career