- Charles Barkley made history when he was born, becoming the first African American born at a segregated hospital in Leeds, Alabama
- Barkley had an incredible NBA career, playing 16 years and winning the 1992-93 MVP Award
- Barkley has had a successful TV analyst career on TNT, winning four Emmys
Charles Barkley is one of the most well-known and respected players in the history of basketball. He is known for his outstanding skills on the court, his larger-than-life personality, and his successful transition to the world of sports broadcasting.
- Charles Barkley: The Beginning
- Barkley’s Incredible NBA And Team USA Career
- Barkley Becomes A Successful TV Analyst
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Barkley has lived an incredible life, from his humble beginnings in a small town in Alabama to his time as a star player in the NBA and then as a beloved commentator and analyst for the sport.
In this article, we will take a closer look at the life and career of Charles Barkley, highlighting his key accomplishments and contributions to basketball, as well as his journey to becoming one of the most iconic figures in sports media.
Charles Barkley: The Beginning
Charles Barkley was born in Leeds, Alabama, on February 20, 1963. Barkley made history, even at birth. He was the first African American born at a segregated, all-white town hospital.
While growing up, Barkley had a tough time as he had to deal with many troublesome events. First, his father, Frank Barkley, abandoned the family when Charles and his brother Darryl were young.
Barkley’s mother, Charcey Glenn, eventually remarried and had two sons, Rennie and John, with Clee Glenn. Tragically, Rennie passed away as an infant, which understandably put more strain on the family.
A few years later, when Barkley was 11, tragedy struck the family once again when Clee Glenn was killed in an auto accident. Even with terrible events happening around him and the fact his family didn’t have a lot of money, Barkley continued to push through in life.
One thing that helped Barkley get through these troublesome times was the game of basketball. Unfortunately for Barkley, when he was a junior at Leeds High School, Barkley stood only 5’10”, despite weighing 220 pounds.
Barkley was cut from the varsity basketball team, but he was named a reserve. This gave Barkley hope, and after growing to 6’4″ over the summer, Barkley easily made the team during his senior year.
As a senior, Barkley dominated the competition, averaging 19.1 points and 17.9 rebounds per game. As for his team, they went 26–3 on the year and reached the state semi-finals.
Still, despite this great performance by Barkley, he didn’t receive much attention from colleges. It was in the semi-final game where Barkley received the only interest from a college scout.
Herbert Greene, who was an assistant to Sonny Smith, the head coach at Auburn University, attended the game to watch Bobby Lee Hurt, the most recruited player from Alabama at the time. This would be Barkley’s shining moment.
In the game, Barkley dominated, scoring 26 points as he wowed Greene, who immediately returned to Auburn to tell Smith about the player from Leeds High School.
“We were recruiting a young man at his school [Leeds High School in Birmingham] who was really a good player,” Smith recalled. “He came back and said, ‘They’ve got this kid on that team who’s 6-3 or 6-4, probably weighs 280 pounds, or 290. And he can jump out of the gym. You need to go see him.’
“The ball bounced off the board for a rebound. He jumped up and caught it and threw it to midcourt before he ever hit the floor,” Smith said. “And I said to myself, ‘We’ve got to have this guy.’
“Fortunately, we end up with him, and got one of the greatest players to ever play here.”
Barkley went on to play three years for Auburn University, and he dominated his taller opponents. Despite standing at just 6’6″, Barkley controlled the boards, averaging 9.6 rebounds per game in his collegiate career.
Barkley’s intensity on the boards earned him the nickname “The Round Mound of Rebound.” This was because of Barkley’s great rebounding, to go along with his round body frame.
Barkley’s play earned him three All-SEC selections, one Second Team All-American selection, and one Third Team All-American selection. He was also named Southeastern Conference Player of the Year in the 1983-84 season.
Barkley led Auburn University to its first NCAA tournament appearance in 1984. Auburn University fell to the University of Richmond 72-71, but Barkley had a great game.
Barkley scored 23 points on 8-10 shooting. He also grabbed 17 rebounds in the loss. Still, Barkley proved to everyone watching that he was on another level when it came to basketball.
Barkley’s Incredible NBA And Team USA Career
Charles Barkley was selected fifth overall in the 1984 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. He joined a talented roster that featured Julius Erving, Moses Malone, and Maurice Cheeks.
As a rookie, Barkley averaged 14.0 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. Barkley earned a spot on the All-Rookie Team and credited his early success to teammate Moses Malone.
“I pulled Moses aside and asked him, ‘Why am I not playing more?'” Barkley recalled. “‘You’re fat, and you’re lazy, that’s why. You can’t play basketball if you’re not in shape,'” Malone said to Barkley.
“So now I’m playing a little bit,” Barkley said, “And Moses says to me, ‘Lose 10 more.’ I get down to 275, and I’m close to breaking into the starting lineup, and the big man tells me, ‘Ten more. Give me 10 more.’ By the time he was done with me, I was down to 255 pounds.
“He never said anything about what he did for me,” Barkley said. “Most guys, when they mentor a young player like that, they go around saying, ‘Yeah, that was me. I did that.’ Not Moses. He never told anybody. And that was the best part.”
Barkley would struggle with his weight later on in his NBA career, but in the beginning, Barkley was in shape and playing great basketball. Over the next seven seasons, Barkley averaged over 20 points and 10 rebounds per game for the 76ers.
After eight seasons in Philadelphia, Barkley was traded to the Phoenix Suns as the 76ers wanted to re-tool their roster. This trade would be the perfect thing for Barkley, as he’d go on to have the best season of his career.
Barkley won the MVP award after averaging 25.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game. Most important was the fact Barkley led the Suns to the best record in the league at 62-20.
Barkley led his Phoenix Suns to the NBA Finals in 1993, but unfortunately, Barkley’s Suns were matched up against Michael Jordan and his Bulls. The series was tough, and Barkley played well, averaging 27.3 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game.
The Suns lost the series in six games despite Barkley’s great play. This would be Barkley’s first and last NBA Finals appearance.
After four years in Phoenix, Barkley would finish his career in Houston, with the Rockets, playing four more years. At the end of his career, Barkley dealt with injuries and weight injuries before finally retiring after the 1999–00 season.
Barkley averaged 22.1 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game. On top of winning an MVP Award, Barkley was selected to 11 All-Star Games, 11 All-NBA Teams, and he won the 1991 All-Star Game MVP.
The NBA wasn’t the only basketball arena to see Barkley showcase his skills. He has also represented his country in two Olympic Games and one FIBA Americas Championship.
Barkley played on “The Dream Team” in the 1992 Summer Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain. Even though Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird were all members of the team, Barkley led Team USA in scoring with 18.0 points on 71.1% field goal shooting.
Barkley also won gold in the 1992 FIBA Americas Championship in Portland, Oregon, as well as in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. Barkley truly was one of the best basketball players in the world during the 1990s.
In 2006, Barkley was rightfully selected to the Hall of Fame. This ended the chapter to Barkley’s playing career, but little did he know, arguably, his most successful career was about to take off in 2000.
Barkley Becomes A Successful TV Analyst
Charles Barkley joined TNT after retiring from the NBA. He joined fellow NBA player Kenny “The Jet” Smith, and sportscaster Ernie Johnson on the show Inside the NBA.
The show has seen massive success, as it’s won 17 Sports Emmy Awards. It’s allowed Barkley’s fame to grow larger and his legacy to become more iconic.
In his time at TNT, Barkley has won four Emmys for Outstanding Sports Personality – Studio Analyst in 2012, 2013, 2017, and 2020. Barkley recently signed a 10-year contract to stay with TNT for around $100 million. The deal could even become closer to $200 million if Barkley stays with TNT for the entire 10 years.
Even with all this success, Barkley has seen some controversies over his career, both on and off the basketball court. Back in 1990, as a player, Barkley fought with Detroit Pistons center Bill Laimbeer. He received a record fine totaling $162,500.
Barkley famously fought with Shaquille O’Neal in 1999, as well. This fight cost him $5,000. On-court brawls weren’t the only place Barkley found drama in.
Barkley was in a Chicago bar in 1992 with 76ers teammate Jayson Williams. A disgruntled fan ended up attacking Barkley with a knife. Luckily for Barkley, Williams hit the fan over the head with a mug.
In 1997, Barkley found himself in more trouble in a bar. This time, it was an Orlando bar, and Barkley threw a man out a window.
Barkley was charged with aggravated battery and resisting arrest. He would later be bailed out by teammate Clyde Drexler.
“If you bother me, I’m going to whip your a**,” Barkley said about the incident. “The guy threw ice in my face, and I slammed his a** into the window. I’m not denying that. I defended myself. He got what he deserved.”
Barkley also faced criticism in the early 1990s when he famously stated that he wasn’t a role model.
This upset many parents of young fans, who believed sports stars are role models.
“I think the media demands that athletes be role models because there’s some jealousy involved,” Barkley explained.
“It’s as if they say, this is a young black kid playing a game for a living and making all this money, so we’re going to make it tough on him. And what they’re really doing is telling kids to look up to someone they can’t become because not many people can be like we are. Kids can’t be like Michael Jordan.”
Barkley also found himself in some trouble after his playing days were over. In 2008, Barkley was arrested for DUI.
This led to Barkley taking two months away from working for TNT, but he came back and explained his situation on air. This won him a lot of respect from fans.
Not many people, especially professional athletes, would have the courage to go on live TV and admit they messed up. Barkley did that because he never shied away from being real in every and all situations.
This is why Charles Barkley has gone down as one of the greatest NBA players and NBA media personalities of all time. Barkley may not have won an NBA title, but he won the hearts of all who watch him.
