Barnes came onto the scene at the early age of 14, and was considered one of the most feared players in the Southern Conference and then on the national level. This was before the Junior Division, and Barnes was a starter as a teenager. The Big Wheels team was in one of the toughest regions during Barnes playing days and faced the Nashville Wheelcats and Music City. He was an offensive sensation who contributed 20-plus points most of the time. He was superb as an outside shooter and unbelievably accurate inside the paint. Many athletes had a tough time guarding Barnes and earned the name of Mr. Pick and Roll. 

What distinguishes Barnes from others was his ability maneuver the old E&J premier wheelchair (45 lbs.) with leg braces for his polio. Several players stated he was one of the hardest to defend because of his speed and quick turns. Throughout his career, Barnes earned numerous Invitational All-Tournament Teams, MVP awards, sportsmanship honors. He was consistently an All-American and has numerous National Tournament accolades. He last played in 1993.