Charles Barkley
(Born 1963)
Hall of Fame Induction: 2006
Card Shown:
1991-92 Skybox
Position: PF
Height: 6’6″
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Charles Barkley, Sir Charles, was an undersized power forward who frequently out-rebounded and outperformed bigger players. Barkley had the skill to rebound, push the ball on the fast break, and finish with an assortment of powerful dunks. In SLAM magazine, Bill Walton said of Barkley, “He plays everything; he plays basketball. There is nobody who does what Barkley does. He’s a dominant rebounder, a dominant defensive player, a three-point shooter, a dribbler, a playmaker.”
In 1992-93 Charles led the Phoenix Suns to the best record in basketball at 62-20. The Suns advanced to the NBA Finals, losing to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in six games. That was the closest that Barkley would come to winning an NBA Championship. Still, Charles Barkley goes down in basketball history as one of the best and most unique players to play the game.
Awards and Honors
- Sir Charles made the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 1984-85. He would go on to make All-NBA First Team five times, the All-NBA Second Team five times, and the All-NBA Third Team once.
- Barkley was the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 1993.
- Charles was selected to the NBA All-Star team for eleven consecutive years, from 1987-1997. In 1991 he was the All-Star Game Most Valuable Player.
- Barkley was the NBA’s leading rebounder during the 1986-87 season, averaging 14.6 boards per game. In three other seasons he finished second in this statistical category.
- In 1992, Charles was one of the leaders of the famed USA Dream Team, which won Olympic gold in Barcelona. Barkley led the team in scoring with an average of 18.0 points per game.
Points of Interest
- Charles left Auburn after his junior year to enter the NBA Draft where he was the fifth overall selection by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1984. Already on that team were Hall of Famers Julius Erving and Moses Malone, who had led the 76ers to the NBA Championship the year before.
- As of 2013, Barkley was one of only four players in NBA history to record 20,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, and 4,000 assists. He joined a very prestigious group of players that includes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, and Karl Malone.
- Listed as 6’6″ tall, but really closer to 6’4″, Barkley is the smallest player to ever lead the NBA in rebounding.
- During his sixteen-year NBA career, Charles averaged 22.1 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game.
- Both during and after his basketball career Sir Charles has provided very opinionated and often outrageous and entertaining commentary about basketball and life events in general. Barkley joined TNT broadcasters Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, and Shaquille O’Neal on the show Inside the NBA.
Statistics
Charles Barkley Statistics
provided by Basketball-Reference.com