Charles Barkley is one of the most well-loved entertainers when it comes to basketball media. His work is so appreciated by fans around the nation that Barkley recently signed a humongous extension that he described as life-changing money to stay on television. What people appreciate about Chuck apart from his insight into the game is his gruff and honest manner, Barkley never sugarcoats anything that he says.
The Round Mound of Rebound has become someone that is both level-headed and wise, even though he’ll still occasionally get into a funny spat with a fan that tried to talk smack to him. But that’s not how he always was, the NBA legend was quite aggressive in his playing days. He got into fights on the court from time to time and went so far as to say that he shouldn’t be a role model for anyone.
And there are stories about Charles that aren’t very flattering as well, including the time he got into a bar fight.
Charles Barkley Once Put A Man Through A Window For Provoking Him In A Bar
This story may sound a bit wild, but it was clear that there was a lot of provocation before the fight. As reported by Esquire, Barkley was out at a bar with Clyde Drexler and some friends in 1997. The reggae musician Gilbert Feliciano was with the party, and off-duty cop Jeffery Williams was also on the scene. These people provided insight into what went down at the bar.
“Ice cubes were flung at the table where Charles and his friends were sitting—not hitting anyone but bothering the women standing around the NBA legends. Drexler and other witnesses said the action was unprovoked. Feliciano recalled one of the women asking Charles, ‘You going to let these motherf**kers throw ice at you?'”
The women ended up provoking Barkley, who initially wanted to let it go since he thought the other group just wanted to cause problems. But then the situation escalated when the women in the group tried to take matters into their own hands.
“She got really upset and said, ‘Screw it, if you’re not going to do shit, I’m going to do something,’” Feliciano said.
Barkley then got involved, and even though Williams assured him that he would handle the situation, it turned into a fight.
“Charles, I will handle this, let go,” Williams said. “Charles, let me take care of this.”
“I will not hurt him,” Charles assured the officer. “I just want to talk to him.”
“By this time, a large crowd had gathered at the front of the bar to see what Charles was going to do. Feliciano had followed Drexler and the women outside. Charles looked over his shoulder as one of the women publicly challenged him in front of an increasingly rabid crowd.
“You’re not gonna do sh*t. You’re nothing but a big-ass pu**y.”
“The taunt set Barkley off. Williams reached for his radio to call for backup, according to the police report. As he released his grip, he felt Lugo escape. Except the twenty-year-old hadn’t gotten away.
“’I felt the victim being pulled from my grasp,’ Williams wrote in his account of the incident. ‘I looked up and saw [Barkley] holding the victim up in the air by his arms.’
“Colon heard Charles repeat a question twice to Lugo: ‘Do you know who the fuck I am? Do you know who the fuck I am?’”
Barkley went on to have some more words for Lugo, ones that he is probably no longer proud of saying.
“You got what you deserve,” Charles taunted. “You don’t disrespect me. I hope you’re hurt.”
The story is a good example of how situations can end up getting very out of hand. For players in the league today, it’s something they can learn from as well. Keeping one’s cool is very important when you’re a public figure, and Chuck will probably be the first to say that he isn’t too proud of the whole situation.
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