Childhood and Education Journey of Charles Barkley in Timeline

How education and upbringing influenced the life of Charles Barkley. A timeline of key moments.

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

Sections (5)

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

February 20, 1963: Charles Barkley's Birth

On February 20, 1963, Charles Wade Barkley was born. He would become a prominent American professional basketball player and television analyst.

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1984: Led Tigers to NCAA tournament

In 1984, Charles Barkley led the Auburn Tigers to their first NCAA tournament in school history.

1984: SEC Player of the Year

In 1984, Charles Barkley was named the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Player of the Year.

1989: Marriage to Maureen Blumhardt

In 1989, Charles Barkley married Maureen Blumhardt, with whom he resides in Scottsdale, Arizona.

1989: Birth of daughter Christiana

In 1989, Charles Barkley's daughter, Christiana, was born. She was named after a mall called Christiana Mall in Delaware.

1991: Honoring Magic Johnson

During the 1991-92 season, his final year in Philadelphia, Charles Barkley wore number 32 instead of his usual 34 to honor Magic Johnson, who had announced he was HIV-positive.

1991: Collaboration on Outrageous

In 1991, Charles Barkley collaborated with sportswriter Roy S. Johnson on the autobiographical work, "Outrageous", which led to Barkley 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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1993: First time hosting Saturday Night Live

In 1993, Charles Barkley hosted Saturday Night Live for the first time.

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1993: "I am not a role model" Nike commercial

In 1993, Charles Barkley's argument that athletes should not be role models prompted national news when he wrote the text for his "I am not a role model" Nike commercial, which was called a "family-values message" by Dan Quayle.

1995: Considered running for Alabama's governorship

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

1996: Appearance in Space Jam

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

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1998: Considered running for Alabama's governorship

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

2000: Foreword for The Life of Reilly

In 2000, Charles Barkley wrote the foreword for Rick Reilly's book, "The Life of Reilly", where he made a humorous comment about sports figures he'd like to throw through a plate glass window.

Life of Reilly

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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.

July 2006: Interest in 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 of Alabama, noting that he would need to live there for seven years before being eligible.

2006: Support for LGBT Rights

In 2006, Charles Barkley expressed his support for LGBT rights, advocating for gay marriage and criticizing "fake Christians."

July 2007: Supported Barack Obama

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

September 2007: Bought house in Alabama for Residency

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

2007: Footrace against Dick Bavetta

In 2007, Charles Barkley raced NBA official Dick Bavetta at the NBA All-Star Weekend for charity, winning the race.

February 2008: Announced 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.

October 27, 2008: Officially Announced Candidacy for Governor

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: Supported Barack Obama

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

December 31, 2008: Arrested for DUI in Scottsdale, Arizona

On December 31, 2008, Charles Barkley was arrested in Scottsdale, Arizona, for driving under the influence after being pulled over for running a stop sign. His blood-alcohol level was nearly twice the legal limit. Barkley pleaded guilty to DUI-related counts and running a red light, receiving a jail sentence and a fine.

February 19, 2009: Return to TNT After DUI Hiatus

On February 19, 2009, Charles Barkley returned to TNT after a two-month hiatus following his DUI arrest and discussed the incident. T-Mobile resumed airing ads featuring Barkley after his return.

November 24, 2009: Began to Back Off Gubernatorial Run

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

2010: Admits to Accepting Money from Agents

In 2010, Charles Barkley admitted that he accepted money from sports agents during his college career at Auburn, stating he paid it back after signing his first NBA contract.

2010: Confirmed Not Running in 2014

In 2010, Charles Barkley confirmed that he was not running for Governor of Alabama in 2014.

2011: Advocating for Equality

During a 2011 Martin Luther King Jr. Day broadcast on TNT, Charles Barkley advocated for equality for all, including the LGBT 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 ads.

2013: Agreement with Zimmerman Acquittal

In 2013, Charles Barkley expressed his agreement with the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the Trayvon Martin shooting.

2013: Remarks on Gay Players

In 2013, in response to Jason Collins coming out, Charles Barkley stated that anyone who thinks they never played with a gay player is an idiot.

2014: Comments on Russell Wilson

In 2014, Charles Barkley was asked about the rumor that Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson was being accused for not being "black enough" on the radio show Afternoons with Anthony and Rob Ellis.

2014: Considered running for governor

2014: Planned gubernatorial campaign

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.

August 2015: Supported John Kasich

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

2016: Criticism of Donald Trump

In 2016, Charles Barkley criticized Donald Trump's words and messages during the U.S. presidential election, even before Trump won the Republican primaries.

2016: Supported John Kasich

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

August 2017: Response to Confederate Monument Controversy

In August 2017, Charles Barkley responded to the controversy surrounding the removal of Confederate monuments, highlighted by the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

September 2017: Criticism of Trump's Response to Kaepernick Kneeling

In September 2017, Charles Barkley expressed his disappointment in President Trump's criticism of Colin Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback, for kneeling during the U.S. National Anthem during the 2016 NFL season.

December 2017: Mocking Trump's Tax Bill

In December 2017, Charles Barkley mocked President Trump's tax bill, sarcastically thanking Republicans for taking care of the wealthy at the expense of the poor.

2017: Support for Doug Jones in Alabama Senate Election

In 2017, during the United States Senate special election in Alabama, Charles Barkley supported Democrat Doug Jones and argued that his competitor, Roy Moore, should have been disqualified due to his association with a white separatist.

2018: Saturday Night Live Hosting

In 2018, Charles Barkley hosted Saturday Night Live on four separate occasions between 1993 and 2018.

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2019: Appearance on 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: NBA Restart Plans

In 2019, 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: Confirmed Not Running for Office

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

2020: Thoughts on COVID-19 and Education/NBA Restart

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Charles Barkley stated that sending children to school during the pandemic would be unsafe and worried about the gap between rich and poor growing. Barkley expressed concerns about players testing positive for COVID-19 during the NBA's planned restart to the 2019-2020 season in the NBA bubble.

2020: Concern About Sports Becoming Too Political

In 2020, Charles Barkley expressed concern that sports were becoming too political and argued that turning sports into a "circus" would be counterproductive.

2020: Views on Defunding the Police and Breonna Taylor Killing

In 2020, Charles Barkley spoke out against defunding the police and commented on the killing of Breonna Taylor, stating that while he felt sad about her death, her situation was different from George Floyd or Ahmaud Arbery because her boyfriend shot at the police.

2021: Improved Golf Performance

In 2021, Charles Barkley had an improved performance in the American Century Championship after undergoing training to improve his golf swing.

2022: Vehement Support for LGBTQ Community

In 2022, Charles Barkley expressed vehement support for the LGBTQ community, stating, "If you're gay and transgender, I love you."

2023: Response to Bud Light Boycott

In 2023, Charles Barkley spoke out against the Bud Light boycott, calling the boycotters "rednecks" and stating he would buy Bud Light for the crowd at a celebrity golf tournament.