Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Charles Barkley

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Charles Barkley made an impact.

Charles Barkley, nicknamed "Sir Charles", is a retired American professional basketball player and current television analyst. Known for his rebounding and scoring prowess despite being undersized for a power forward, Barkley played 16 seasons in the NBA. He achieved numerous accolades, including 11-time NBA All-Star, 11-time All-NBA Team selection, and the 1993 NBA MVP award. Barkley was also named to the NBA's 50th and 75th anniversary teams, solidifying his legacy as one of the league's greats.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Controversies & Scandals

1976: Suns NBA Finals appearance

In 1976, the Phoenix Suns made their first NBA Finals appearance since 1976.

1984: Drafted by Philadelphia 76ers

In 1984, Charles Barkley declared himself eligible for the NBA draft and was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers as the fifth pick in the first round. He began his NBA career joining a team with veteran players.

1984: Led Tigers to NCAA Tournament

In 1984, Charles Barkley led the Auburn Tigers to their first NCAA tournament in school history, marking a significant milestone for the team and Barkley's college career.

1984: Olympic Team Tryouts

In 1984, Charles Barkley was invited to the spring tryouts for the U.S. Olympic team, coached by Bob Knight. He made it to the final 20 but was eventually released before the final team selection.

November 4, 1986: Career-High Assists

On November 4, 1986, Charles Barkley recorded a career-high 14 assists, along with 34 points and 10 rebounds, in a game against the Indiana Pacers. Although his individual performance was remarkable, his team lost the game.

1986: Barkley Led League in Rebounding

During the 1986 NBA season, Charles Barkley achieved a significant milestone by leading the league in rebounding average and earning his first rebounding title. He demonstrated his prowess as a rebounder early in his career.

1986: NBA Rebounding Leader

In 1986, Charles Barkley became the shortest player in NBA history to lead the league in rebounding, averaging a career-high 14.6 rebounds per game during the 1986–87 season.

1986: NBA Leading in 2-point Field Goal Percentage

In 1986, Charles Barkley began a streak of leading the NBA in 2-point field goal percentage, a feat he accomplished every season until 1991.

1986: Most Turnovers in a 7-game series

In 1986, Charles Barkley recorded 37 turnovers during the Philadelphia 76ers vs. Milwaukee Bucks Eastern Conference Semi-finals, resulting in a record for the most turnovers in a 7-game series.

1986: Most free throw attempts in a 7-game series

In 1986, Charles Barkley set the record for the most free throw attempts in a 7-game series with 100 attempts during the Philadelphia 76ers vs. Milwaukee Bucks Eastern Conference Semi-finals.

March 4, 1987: Most offensive rebounds in a half

On March 4, 1987, Charles Barkley achieved the record for most offensive rebounds in a half with 13, playing for the Philadelphia 76ers against the New York Knicks.

March 20, 1987: Dominant Performance against Nuggets

On March 20, 1987, Charles Barkley recorded 26 points, 25 rebounds (tying his career high of 16 offensive rebounds), and nine assists in a victory against the Denver Nuggets. His dominant performance greatly contributed to the team's win.

1987: NBA Leading in 2-point Field Goal Percentage and effective field goal percentage

In 1987, Charles Barkley led the league in 2-point field goal percentage and effective field goal percentage.

November 30, 1988: 41 points and 22 rebounds

On November 30, 1988, Charles Barkley had a stellar performance with 41 points, 22 rebounds, five assists, and six steals in a win over the Blazers. This game was one of his most productive.

1988: NBA Leading in effective field goal percentage

In 1988, Charles Barkley led the league in effective field goal percentage.

1989: NBA Offensive Rating Leader

In 1989, Charles Barkley led the league in offensive rating.

1990: NBA Offensive Rating Leader

In 1990, Charles Barkley led the league in offensive rating for the second consecutive season.

1991: Publication of Outrageous

In 1991, Charles Barkley and Roy S. Johnson collaborated on the autobiographical work "Outrageous", which led to Barkley famously quipping that he had been misquoted in his own autobiography.

Outrageous!: The Fine Life and Flagrant Good Times of Basketball's Irresistible Force

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July 17, 1992: Traded to Phoenix Suns

On July 17, 1992, Charles Barkley was officially traded to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Jeff Hornacek, Tim Perry, and Andrew Lang. This marked a new chapter in his NBA career after spending his early years with the Philadelphia 76ers.

1992: Dream Team Olympic Gold Medal

In 1992, Charles Barkley led both teams in scoring and was instrumental in helping the "Dream Team" compile a perfect record.

1992: First Olympic "Dream Team" Appearance and Gold Medal

In 1992, Charles Barkley played on the U.S. "Dream Team" in the Olympics, winning a gold medal. He led the team with 18.0 points and set an Olympic single-game scoring record with 30 points. He also elbowed Herlander Coimbra in the chest during a game versus Angola, which resulted in an intentional foul.

1992: Trade to Phoenix and Olympic appearance

In 1992, Charles Barkley was traded to the Phoenix Suns where he changed his jersey number back to 34 and represented the United States in the Summer Olympics, winning a gold medal. International rules changed in 1992 allowed NBA players to compete in the Olympics for the first time. Barkley led the "Dream Team" averaging 18.0 points and set an Olympic single-game scoring record with 30 points against Brazil.

June 5, 1993: Most free throws made in a half

On June 5, 1993, Charles Barkley made 19 free throws in a half, achieving the record for most free throws made in a half. He was playing for the Phoenix Suns against the Seattle SuperSonics.

1993: First time hosting Saturday Night Live

Charles Barkley first hosted Saturday Night Live in 1993.

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1993: League MVP Honors

In 1993, Charles Barkley earned league MVP honors.

1993: Named NBA MVP

In 1993, Charles Barkley was voted the league's MVP while playing for the Phoenix Suns, leading the team to the NBA Finals. This was a career milestone for Barkley.

1993: McDonald's Open MVP and NBA Season

In 1993, Charles Barkley won the McDonald's Open in Germany and was named the tournament's MVP. During the 1993-94 NBA season, he averaged 21.6 points and 11.2 rebounds per game but was hampered by injuries.

1995: Considered Running for Governor of Alabama

In 1995, Charles Barkley considered running as a Republican candidate for Alabama's governorship in the 1998 election.

1995: Final Season with the Phoenix Suns

In 1995, during his last season with the Phoenix Suns, Charles Barkley led the team in scoring, rebounds, and steals, averaging 23.3 points and 11.6 rebounds per game. He earned his tenth All-Star Game appearance and recorded his 18th career triple-double. He also reached 20,000 points and 10,000 rebounds in his NBA career.

1996: Atlanta Summer Olympics

At the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics, Charles Barkley led the team in scoring, rebounds, and field goal percentage, averaging 12.4 points on 81.6% field goal shooting. The team won another gold medal with a perfect 8-0 record.

1996: Second Olympic Gold Medal

In 1996, Charles Barkley competed in the Olympic Games for the second time, and won a gold medal as a member of the United States men's basketball team.

1996: Men's Olympic Basketball Gold Medal

In 1996, Charles Barkley led both teams in scoring and was instrumental in helping the Men's Basketball team compile a perfect record.

1996: Appearance in Space Jam

In 1996, Charles Barkley played himself in the film "Space Jam".

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1998: Considered Running for Governor of Alabama

In 1995, Charles Barkley considered running as a Republican candidate for Alabama's governorship in the 1998 election.

April 19, 2000: Final NBA Game and Retirement

On April 19, 2000, Charles Barkley played his final NBA game against the Vancouver Grizzlies, scoring a basket on an offensive rebound. He then retired, concluding his sixteen-year Hall of Fame career.

2000: Barkley's Retirement

In 2000, Charles Barkley retired from the NBA as the fourth player in NBA history to achieve 20,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, and 4,000 assists. His retirement marked the end of a successful and impactful career.

2000: Foreword for The Life of Reilly

In 2000, Charles Barkley wrote the foreword for Sports Illustrated columnist Rick Reilly's book "The Life of Reilly", where he made a humorous comment about throwing Reilly through a plate glass window.

Life of Reilly

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2000: Studio Analyst for TNT

Since 2000, Charles Barkley has worked as a studio analyst for Turner Network Television (TNT), appearing on pre-game, halftime shows, special NBA events, and the post-game show Inside the NBA. Barkley has won five Sports Emmy Awards for his work on TNT.

2002: Hosted Listen Up! Charles Barkley with Ernie Johnson

In 2002, Charles Barkley began hosting a sports and general topics talk show with guests on TNT called Listen Up! Charles Barkley with Ernie Johnson.

2002: Release of I May Be Wrong, But I Doubt It

In 2002, Charles Barkley released the book "I May Be Wrong, But I Doubt It", which included editing and commentary by Michael Wilbon.

2003: Ended hosting Listen Up! Charles Barkley with Ernie Johnson

In 2003, Charles Barkley ended hosting a sports and general topics talk show with guests on TNT called Listen Up! Charles Barkley with Ernie Johnson.

2004: Celebrity Guest Picker for College GameDay

In 2004, Charles Barkley was the first-ever celebrity guest picker for College GameDay.

July 2006: Hinted at Running for Governor of Alabama

At a July 2006 meeting of the Southern Regional Conference of the National School Boards Association in Destin, Florida, Charles Barkley lent credence to the idea of running for Governor of Alabama.

September 2006: Reiterated Desire to Run for Governor

In September 2006, Charles Barkley reiterated his desire to run for governor, mentioning the residency requirement and looking for a house in Alabama.

2006: Advocacy for Gay Marriage

In 2006, Charles Barkley told Fox Sports that he is a big advocate of gay marriage, stating, "If they want to get married, God bless them."

July 2007: Declared Support for Barack Obama

In July 2007, Charles Barkley made a video declaring his support for Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election.

September 2007: Announced Purchase of Alabama House and Declared Independent Status

In September 2007, Charles Barkley announced that he bought a house in Alabama to satisfy residency requirements for a 2014 campaign for governor and declared himself an Independent.

February 2008: Announced Gubernatorial Run as Independent

In February 2008, Charles Barkley announced that he would be running for Governor of Alabama in 2014 as an Independent.

October 27, 2008: Announced Gubernatorial Candidacy on CNN

On October 27, 2008, Charles Barkley officially announced his candidacy for Governor of Alabama in an interview with CNN, planning to run in the 2014 election cycle.

2008: Declared Support for Barack Obama

In July 2007, Charles Barkley made a video declaring his support for Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election.

February 19, 2009: Return to TNT After DUI Arrest

On February 19, 2009, Charles Barkley returned to TNT after taking a two-month hiatus following his DUI arrest, discussing the incident on the NBA pregame show.

November 24, 2009: Began Backing Off Gubernatorial Candidacy on The Jay Leno Show

On November 24, 2009, Charles Barkley began to back off the idea of running for governor in an interview on The Jay Leno Show.

2010: Confirmed Not Running in 2014

In 2010, Charles Barkley confirmed that he was not running for governor in 2014.

2011: Response to Bernice King's Statement on Equality

During a 2011 Martin Luther King Jr. Day double-header on TNT, Charles Barkley responded to a statement made by Dr. King's daughter Bernice, supporting equality for all, including the gay community.

2011: Spokesman for WeightWatchers

In 2011, Charles Barkley became a spokesman for WeightWatchers, promoting their "Lose Like a Man" program in television and online advertisements.

2011: Studio Analyst for NCAA Tournament Coverage

Since 2011, Charles Barkley has served as a studio analyst for the joint coverage of the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament between Turner Sports and CBS, broadcasting every Final Four since 2011.

January 7, 2012: Guest Commentator for NFL Wild Card Playoffs and Host of Saturday Night Live

On January 7, 2012, Charles Barkley served as a guest commentator for NBC's coverage of the NFL Wild Card playoffs and hosted Saturday Night Live.

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November 2012: Contemplated Retirement from Broadcasting

In November 2012, Charles Barkley announced that he was contemplating retirement from broadcasting after 13 years, potentially extending to 17 years by the end of his contract.

2013: Response to Jason Collins Coming Out

In 2013, Charles Barkley stated, "I think anybody who thinks they never played with a gay player is an idiot," in response to Celtics player Jason Collins coming out.

2014: Planning to Run for Governor of Alabama

In February 2008, Charles Barkley announced that he would be running for Governor of Alabama in 2014 as an Independent.

2014: Mentioned for Potential Gubernatorial Campaign

In September 2007, Charles Barkley announced that he bought a house in Alabama to satisfy residency requirements for a 2014 campaign for governor and declared himself an Independent.

August 2015: Announced Support for John Kasich

In August 2015, Charles Barkley announced his support for Republican John Kasich in the 2016 presidential election.

July 2016: Announced to Host The Race Card

In July 2016, it was announced that Charles Barkley would host a six-episode unscripted show called The Race Card, which was later renamed to American Race.

2016: Planned Retirement

In 2016, Charles Barkley initially planned to retire, but instead, he signed another contract with Turner Sports.

2016: Announced Support for John Kasich

In August 2015, Charles Barkley announced his support for Republican John Kasich in the 2016 presidential election.

May 11, 2017: American Race Premieres on TNT

On May 11, 2017, Charles Barkley's six-episode unscripted show, American Race, premiered on TNT. The show was formerly known as The Race Card.

2018: Fourth time hosting Saturday Night Live

Charles Barkley hosted Saturday Night Live for the fourth time in 2018.

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2019: Optimism and worries about NBA restart

Charles Barkley expressed optimism about the NBA's planned restart to the 2019-2020 season in the NBA bubble, but worried about some players testing positive for COVID-19.

2019: Appearance in The Goldbergs

In 2019, Charles Barkley appeared in "The Piña Colada Song" episode of "The Goldbergs" as a gym teacher and alien conspiracy theorist.

2019: Confirmed Not Running for Office

In 2019, on Lance Armstrong's podcast, Charles Barkley confirmed that he would not be running for office.

October 2022: Signed Contract Extension with Warner Bros. Discovery Sports

In October 2022, Charles Barkley signed a 10-year contract extension with Warner Bros. Discovery Sports to remain an analyst on Inside the NBA.

2022: Comments in Favor of the LGBTQ Community

In 2022, a video surfaced of Charles Barkley speaking at an event where he made comments vehemently in favor of the LGBTQ community, stating, "If you're gay and transgender, I love you. And if anybody gives you sh-t, you tell them Charles said 'f--k you.'"

2023: Spoke out Against Bud Light Boycott

In 2023, Charles Barkley spoke out against the Bud Light boycott in the United States, mainly by conservatives who oppose the brand's endorsements by transgender actress Dylan Mulvaney.

2023: Stated Desired Retirement Age

In 2023, Charles Barkley stated he wanted to retire when he turned 60.

2023: Co-hosting King Charles on CNN

In the fall of 2023, Charles Barkley began co-hosting a news discussion program called King Charles alongside Gayle King on CNN. It was a limited-run series that aired on Wednesdays at 10pm.

June 2024: Announced and Reversed Retirement Decision

In June 2024, Charles Barkley announced his intention to retire from television following the 2024–25 NBA season but reversed this decision in August, deciding to stay with TNT Sports on his ten-year, $210 million contract.