Charles Barkley facts for kids
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Barkley in 2019
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | February 20, 1963 Leeds, Alabama, U.S. |
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| High school | Leeds (Leeds, Alabama) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 252 lb (114 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| College | Auburn (1981–1984) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 1984 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5th overall | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the Philadelphia 76ers | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 1984–2000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1984–1992 | Philadelphia 76ers | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992–1996 | Phoenix Suns | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–2000 | Houston Rockets | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Career NBA statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Points | 23,757 (22.1 ppg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rebounds | 12,546 (11.7 rpg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assists | 4,215 (3.9 apg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Charles Wade Barkley (born February 20, 1963) is an American former professional basketball player. He is now a television analyst for TNT and CBS Sports. People know him by his nicknames: "Sir Charles", "Chuck", and "the Round Mound of Rebound".
Barkley played 16 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for three different teams. Even though he was shorter than most power forwards, he used his strength to become one of the NBA's best rebounders. He was a very skilled player who could score, pass, and defend. Barkley was chosen for the NBA All-Star team 11 times. He was also named the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 1993. He is considered one of the greatest players ever, being named to the NBA's 50th and 75th anniversary teams.
Barkley was an All-American power forward at Auburn University. The Philadelphia 76ers picked him fifth in the 1984 NBA draft. In his first year, he made the NBA All-Rookie First Team. In the 1986–87 season, Barkley led the league in rebounding. He was named the NBA All-Star Game MVP in 1991. With the Phoenix Suns in 1993, he won the league's MVP award. He won two gold medals with the U.S. national team at the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games. When he retired in 2000, he was only the fourth player in NBA history to have 20,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, and 4,000 assists. Barkley is in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame twice. Once for his own career (2006) and again as a member of the "Dream Team" (2010).
After retiring from playing, Barkley became a very successful NBA analyst. He works on Inside the NBA with Shaquille O'Neal, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson. He has won four Sports Emmy Awards for his work. Barkley has also written books and shown interest in politics.
Contents
Growing Up
Charles Barkley was born and grew up in Leeds, Alabama. This town is about 10 miles east of Birmingham. He was one of the first black students to attend his elementary school. His parents divorced when he was young. His stepfather passed away when Charles was 11 years old.
He went to Leeds High School. As a junior, Barkley was 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighed 220 pounds. He didn't make the main basketball team that year. But during the summer, he grew to 6 feet 4 inches. This helped him earn a starting spot on the team as a senior. He averaged 19.1 points and 17.9 rebounds per game. He led his team to a great 26–3 record.
College scouts didn't notice him much at first. But in the state semi-finals, he scored 26 points against a top player. An assistant coach from Auburn University saw him play. He described Barkley as "a fat guy... who can play like the wind." Soon after, Barkley was recruited by Auburn. He studied business management there.
College Basketball Career
Barkley played college basketball at Auburn for three seasons. He sometimes struggled with his weight. But he was an amazing player. He led the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in rebounding every year. Fans loved watching him play. He would excite them with dunks and blocked shots. These moves were surprising for someone his height and weight.
It was common to see Barkley grab a rebound. Then, he would dribble the whole length of the court. He would finish with a powerful two-handed dunk. His size and skills earned him nicknames like "The Round Mound of Rebound" and the "Crisco Kid."
In college, Barkley played as a center. This was despite being shorter than most players at that position. His official height was 6 feet 6 inches. But in his book, I May Be Wrong but I Doubt It, he said he was 6 feet 4 inches. He became part of Auburn's All-Century team. He still holds the Auburn record for career field goal percentage at 62.6%.
He won many awards, including Southeastern Conference (SEC) Player of the Year in 1984. He was also chosen for three All-SEC teams. The Birmingham Post-Herald later named him the SEC Player of the Decade for the 1980s.
In his three years at college, Barkley averaged 14.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.7 blocks per game. In 1984, he led the Tigers to their first ever NCAA tournament. Auburn retired Barkley's No. 34 jersey on March 3, 2001.
Barkley was invited to try out for the 1984 United States men's Olympic basketball team. He made it to the final cuts but was not chosen. He later said he had borrowed money from sports agents during his time at Auburn. He called the amounts "chump change." He said he paid back all the money after signing his first NBA contract.
Professional Basketball Career
Philadelphia 76ers (1984–1992)
Barkley left Auburn early to enter the 1984 NBA draft. The Philadelphia 76ers picked him fifth overall. He joined a team with famous players like Julius Erving and Moses Malone. These players had won the 1983 NBA championship. Malone helped Barkley learn how to manage his weight and get ready for games. Barkley often called Malone "Dad" because he was so important to his career.
In his first year, Barkley averaged 14.0 points and 8.6 rebounds. He made the All-Rookie Team. The 76ers reached the Eastern Conference Finals but lost to the Boston Celtics. In his second year, Barkley became the team's top rebounder and second-leading scorer. He averaged 20.0 points and 12.8 rebounds per game. He helped his team reach the playoffs. He was named to the All-NBA Second Team.
Before the 1986–87 season, Moses Malone was traded. Barkley then became the team's main leader. He led the league in rebounding that season, averaging 14.6 rebounds per game. He also led in offensive rebounds. He averaged 23.0 points and earned his first trip to an NBA All-Star game. He was named to the All-NBA Second Team again.
The next season, Julius Erving retired. Barkley became the 76ers' most important player. He had his best season yet, averaging 28.3 points and 11.9 rebounds. He made his second All-Star Game and his first All-NBA First Team. He even appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated. However, the 76ers missed the playoffs that year.
In the 1989–90 season, Barkley finished second in MVP voting. He averaged 25.2 points and 11.5 rebounds. He was named to the All-NBA First Team for the third year in a row. He helped Philadelphia win 53 games. But they lost to the Chicago Bulls in the playoffs.
His amazing play continued into his seventh season. He averaged 27.6 points and 10.1 rebounds. His fifth All-Star Game was his best. He led his team to a win and was named the All-Star Game MVP. He was also named to the All-NBA First Team for the fourth straight year.
The 1991–92 season was Barkley's last in Philadelphia. He wore number 32 to honor Magic Johnson. He averaged 23.1 points and 11.1 rebounds. He made his sixth All-Star appearance. He ended his 76ers career as one of the team's all-time leaders in points, rebounds, and field-goal percentage. Barkley was not happy with the team's performance. He wanted to move to another team. On July 17, 1992, he was traded to the Phoenix Suns.
During his time in Philadelphia, Barkley became very famous. He even had his own shoe line with Nike.
Phoenix Suns (1992–1996)
The trade to Phoenix for the 1992–93 season was great for Barkley and the Suns. In his first game, he had 37 points, 21 rebounds, and 8 assists. He averaged 25.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, and a career-high 5.1 assists. He led the Suns to the best record in the NBA (62–20). For his great play, Barkley won the league's Most Valuable Player Award. He also played in his seventh All-Star Game.
He led Phoenix to their first NBA Finals appearance since 1976. Even though Barkley said it was "destiny" for the Suns to win, they lost in six games to the Chicago Bulls. He averaged 26.6 points and 13.6 rebounds during the playoffs. In Game 4 of the Finals, Barkley had a triple-double with 32 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists.
Because of severe back pain, Barkley thought the 1993–94 season might be his last. He played through injuries, averaging 21.6 points and 11.2 rebounds. He was chosen for his eighth All-Star Game but couldn't play due to injury. The Suns still had a good record and made it to the Western Conference Semifinals. They lost to the Houston Rockets. In one playoff game, Barkley scored 56 points, which was one of the highest totals ever in a playoff game at that time.
After thinking about retiring, Barkley returned for his eleventh season. He continued to deal with injuries. He averaged 23 points and 11.1 rebounds. He led the Suns to a 59–23 record. In the playoffs, the Suns lost to the Houston Rockets again.
The 1995–96 season was Barkley's last with the Phoenix Suns. He led the team in scoring, rebounds, and steals. He averaged 23.3 points and 11.6 rebounds. He made his tenth All-Star appearance. He also became only the tenth player in NBA history to reach 20,000 points and 10,000 rebounds. After the Suns lost in the first round of the playoffs, Barkley was traded to Houston.
During his time with the Suns, Barkley was excellent. He earned All-NBA and All-Star honors in all four of his seasons there.
Houston Rockets (1996–2000)
The trade to the Houston Rockets in the 1996–97 season was Barkley's last chance to win an NBA championship. He joined a team with two other famous players: Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler. In his first game with Houston, Barkley had a career-high 33 rebounds. He continued to deal with injuries and played only 53 games. He averaged 19.2 points and 13.5 rebounds. The Rockets finished with a good record and reached the Western Conference Finals. But they lost to the Utah Jazz.
The 1997–98 season was another year with many injuries for Barkley. He averaged 15.2 points and 11.7 rebounds. The Rockets lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Utah Jazz. During the lockout-shortened season, Barkley played 42 games. He averaged 16.1 points and 12.3 rebounds. He became only the second player in NBA history to have 23,000 points, 12,000 rebounds, and 4,000 assists. The Rockets made the playoffs but lost to the Los Angeles Lakers.
The 1999–2000 season was Barkley's final year in the NBA. He averaged 14.5 points and 10.5 rebounds. His career seemed to end early when he tore a tendon in his left leg on December 8, 1999. This injury happened in Philadelphia, where his career began.
Barkley didn't want his career to end with an injury. So, he returned after four months for one last game. On April 19, 2000, he scored a memorable basket on an offensive rebound and putback. This was a move he was famous for. After scoring, Barkley retired. He walked off the court to a standing ovation. He said he did it for himself, so his last memory wasn't being carried off the court. He wanted to walk off on his own.
Olympic Gold Medals
Barkley tried out for the 1984 United States men's Olympic basketball team. He made it to the final cuts but was not chosen. The coach, Bob Knight, said Barkley was cut because of his defense.
Barkley played in the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games. He won two gold medals with the United States men's basketball team. In 1992, NBA players were allowed to play in the Olympics for the first time. This team was called the "Dream Team." They won all their games easily.
Barkley led the team in scoring with 18.0 points per game. He also set an Olympic record with 30 points in one game against Brazil. He was known for his strong play.
At the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympic Games, Barkley again led the team in scoring, rebounds, and field goal percentage. He averaged 12.4 points and 6.6 rebounds. The team won all their games and took home another gold medal.
How He Played
Barkley mostly played power forward. But he also played small forward and center sometimes. He was known for his unique body type for a basketball player. He was stronger than most small forwards. He was also shorter than most power forwards. But Barkley could still outplay taller and faster opponents. He did this because of his amazing strength and quickness.
Barkley was a great scorer. He averaged 22.1 points per game in his career. He was very good at scoring from anywhere on the court. He was also known for making important shots when the game was close. He could score from close to the basket or from farther away. He used spin moves and fadeaway shots. He could also finish a fast break with a powerful dunk. He was one of the most efficient scorers ever.
Barkley is the shortest player in NBA history to lead the league in rebounding. He averaged a career-high 14.6 rebounds per game in the 1986–87 season. He was a tough and aggressive player. His strong play made him one of the greatest rebounders ever. He averaged 11.7 rebounds per game in his career. He was famous for grabbing a defensive rebound and then dribbling the whole court to score with a powerful dunk.
Barkley was also a good defender. He was quick and could read the game well to get steals. He is one of the all-time leaders in steals for power forwards. Even though he was not the tallest, he also blocked many shots. His speed and jumping ability allowed him to chase down faster players and block their shots.
Bill Walton, a Hall-of-Famer, once said about Barkley: "Barkley is like Magic [Johnson] and Larry [Bird] in that they don't really play a position. He plays everything; he plays basketball."
His Legacy
During his 16 years in the NBA, Barkley was known as one of the most talked-about and dominant players.
As a player, Barkley was an All-Star many times. He won the league MVP award in 1993. He played with a very physical style. This earned him nicknames like "Sir Charles" and "The Round Mound of Rebound." He was named to the All-NBA team eleven times. He also won two gold medals with the United States Olympic Basketball team. He led both the 1992 "Dream Team" and the 1996 Men's Basketball team to perfect records.
He retired as one of only four players in NBA history to have at least 20,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, and 4,000 assists.
In 1996, Barkley was honored as one of the 50 greatest players of all time. Auburn University retired his number 34 jersey on March 3, 2001. The Philadelphia 76ers also retired his number 34 jersey that same month. On March 20, 2004, the Phoenix Suns honored Barkley by putting him in the "Suns Ring of Honor." Barkley was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006. In 2021, he was named to the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team.
NBA Career Statistics
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
Regular season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984–85 | Philadelphia | 82 | 60 | 28.6 | .545 | .167 | .733 | 8.6 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 14.0 |
| 1985–86 | Philadelphia | 80 | 80 | 36.9 | .572 | .227 | .685 | 12.8 | 3.9 | 2.2 | 1.6 | 20.0 |
| 1986–87 | Philadelphia | 68 | 62 | 40.3 | .594 | .202 | .761 | 14.6* | 4.9 | 1.8 | 1.5 | 23.0 |
| 1987–88 | Philadelphia | 80 | 80 | 39.6 | .587 | .280 | .751 | 11.9 | 3.2 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 28.3 |
| 1988–89 | Philadelphia | 79 | 79 | 39.1 | .579 | .216 | .753 | 12.5 | 4.1 | 1.6 | .9 | 25.8 |
| 1989–90 | Philadelphia | 79 | 79 | 39.1 | .600 | .217 | .749 | 11.5 | 3.9 | 1.9 | .6 | 25.2 |
| 1990–91 | Philadelphia | 67 | 67 | 37.3 | .570 | .284 | .722 | 10.1 | 4.2 | 1.6 | .5 | 27.6 |
| 1991–92 | Philadelphia | 75 | 75 | 38.4 | .552 | .234 | .695 | 11.1 | 4.1 | 1.8 | .6 | 23.1 |
| 1992–93 | Phoenix | 76 | 76 | 37.6 | .520 | .305 | .765 | 12.2 | 5.1 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 25.6 |
| 1993–94 | Phoenix | 65 | 65 | 35.4 | .495 | .270 | .704 | 11.2 | 4.6 | 1.6 | .6 | 21.6 |
| 1994–95 | Phoenix | 68 | 68 | 35.0 | .486 | .338 | .748 | 11.1 | 4.1 | 1.6 | .7 | 23.0 |
| 1995–96 | Phoenix | 71 | 71 | 37.1 | .500 | .280 | .777 | 11.6 | 3.7 | 1.6 | .8 | 23.2 |
| 1996–97 | Houston | 53 | 53 | 37.9 | .484 | .283 | .694 | 13.5 | 4.7 | 1.3 | .5 | 19.2 |
| 1997–98 | Houston | 68 | 41 | 33.0 | .485 | .214 | .746 | 11.7 | 3.2 | 1.0 | .4 | 15.2 |
| 1998–99 | Houston | 42 | 40 | 36.3 | .478 | .160 | .719 | 12.3 | 4.6 | 1.0 | .3 | 16.1 |
| 1999–00 | Houston | 20 | 18 | 31.0 | .477 | .231 | .645 | 10.5 | 3.2 | .7 | .2 | 14.5 |
| Career | 1,073 | 1,012 | 36.7 | .541 | .266 | .735 | 11.7 | 3.9 | 1.5 | .8 | 22.1 | |
| All-Star | 11 | 7 | 23.2 | .495 | .250 | .625 | 6.7 | 1.8 | 1.3 | .4 | 12.6 | |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Philadelphia | 13 | 2 | 31.4 | .540 | .667 | .733 | 11.1 | 2.0 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 14.9 |
| 1986 | Philadelphia | 12 | 12 | 41.4 | .578 | .067 | .695 | 15.8 | 5.6 | 2.3 | 1.3 | 25.0 |
| 1987 | Philadelphia | 5 | 5 | 42.0 | .573 | .125 | .800 | 12.6 | 2.4 | .8 | 1.6 | 24.6 |
| 1989 | Philadelphia | 3 | 3 | 45.0 | .644 | .200 | .710 | 11.7 | 5.3 | 1.7 | .7 | 27.0 |
| 1990 | Philadelphia | 10 | 10 | 41.9 | .543 | .333 | .602 | 15.5 | 4.3 | .8 | .7 | 24.7 |
| 1991 | Philadelphia | 8 | 8 | 40.8 | .592 | .100 | .653 | 10.5 | 6.0 | 1.9 | .4 | 24.9 |
| 1993 | Phoenix | 24 | 24 | 42.8 | .477 | .222 | .771 | 13.6 | 4.3 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 26.6 |
| 1994 | Phoenix | 10 | 10 | 42.5 | .509 | .350 | .764 | 13.0 | 4.8 | 2.5 | .9 | 27.6 |
| 1995 | Phoenix | 10 | 10 | 39.0 | .500 | .257 | .733 | 13.4 | 3.2 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 25.7 |
| 1996 | Phoenix | 4 | 4 | 41.0 | .443 | .250 | .787 | 13.5 | 3.8 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 25.5 |
| 1997 | Houston | 16 | 16 | 37.8 | .434 | .289 | .769 | 12.0 | 3.4 | 1.2 | .4 | 17.9 |
| 1998 | Houston | 4 | 0 | 21.8 | .522 | .000 | .571 | 5.3 | 1.0 | 1.3 | .0 | 9.0 |
| 1999 | Houston | 4 | 4 | 39.3 | .529 | .286 | .667 | 13.8 | 3.8 | 1.5 | .5 | 23.5 |
| Career | 123 | 108 | 39.4 | .513 | .255 | .717 | 12.9 | 3.9 | 1.6 | .9 | 23.0 | |
NBA Records
Regular Season Records
- Most offensive rebounds in a half: 13, against the New York Knicks, March 4, 1987.
- Most offensive rebounds in a quarter: 11, against the New York Knicks, March 4, 1987. (Tied with Larry Smith)
- Shortest player to lead the league in rebounds: at 6 feet 6 inches tall.
Playoff Records
- Most free throws made in a half: 19, against the Seattle SuperSonics, June 5, 1993.
- Most free throw attempts in a 7-game series: 100, against the Milwaukee Bucks, 1986 Eastern Conference Semi-finals.
- Most turnovers in a 7-game series: 37, against the Milwaukee Bucks, 1986 Eastern Conference Semi-finals.
Life After Basketball
Sports Commentator
Since 2000, Barkley has worked as a studio analyst for Turner Network Television (TNT). He appears on their NBA shows before games and at halftime. He also comments on special NBA events. He is part of the team on Inside the NBA. On this show, Barkley, Ernie Johnson Jr., Kenny Smith, and Shaquille O'Neal talk about NBA games. Barkley has won four Sports Emmy Awards for his work on TNT.
Barkley once challenged NBA official Dick Bavetta to a footrace. This happened during an All-Star Weekend. The winner would choose a charity to donate money to. Barkley won the race. After the race, they showed good sportsmanship.
Barkley was also the first celebrity guest picker for College GameDay in 2004. Since 2011, he has also been an analyst for the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament coverage. He has broadcast every Final Four since 2011.
In October 2022, Barkley signed a long contract to stay with TNT Sports. In June 2024, he said he planned to retire from TV after the 2024–25 NBA season. But he later changed his mind and decided to stay.
Other TV Shows
From 2002 to 2003, Barkley hosted a talk show on TNT called Listen Up! Charles Barkley with Ernie Johnson. In 2017, he hosted a show called American Race on TNT.
Barkley is also a co-host of the show King Charles on CNN. His co-host is Gayle King.
Golf
Barkley started playing golf during his NBA career. He kept playing it after he retired. It was a way for him to stay competitive. He often plays in the American Century Championship tournament. He has worked to improve his golf swing.
Barkley also played in Champions for Change, a golf match called The Match. He teamed up with Phil Mickelson. They won against Peyton Manning and Stephen Curry.
Books
In 1991, Barkley wrote a book about his life called Outrageous. In 2002, Barkley released the book I May Be Wrong, But I Doubt It. His friend Michael Wilbon helped with this book. Three years later, Barkley released Who's Afraid of a Large Black Man?. This book has interviews with famous people from different fields.
Acting
Barkley played himself in the 1996 movie Space Jam. He also made short appearances in TV shows like Suits and Modern Family. He has voiced animated versions of himself in Clerks: The Animated Series and We Bare Bears. Barkley has hosted Saturday Night Live four times.
Personal Life
Barkley married Maureen Blumhardt in 1989. They have a daughter named Christiana. Their daughter was named after the Christiana Mall in Delaware. Barkley said he just liked the mall. He lives in Scottsdale, Arizona. He also has homes in his hometown of Leeds, Alabama and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
See also
In Spanish: Charles Barkley para niños
