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 and scoring prowess despite being undersized for his position, he played 16 seasons in the NBA. Barkley's accomplishments include being an 11-time NBA All-Star, 11-time All-NBA Team member, and the 1993 NBA MVP. He was also named to the NBA's 50th and 75th anniversary teams, solidifying his legacy as one of basketball's greats.
February 20, 1963: Charles Barkley's Birth
On February 20, 1963, Charles Wade Barkley was born. He would later become a professional basketball player and a television analyst for TNT and CBS Sports.
1984: First NCAA Tournament Appearance
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, after reportedly meeting in the mid to late 1980s, while Barkley was playing for the Philadelphia 76ers.
1989: Birth of Daughter Christiana
In 1989, Charles Barkley's daughter, Christiana, was born; she was named after a mall in Delaware.
1991: Outrageous Autobiography
In 1991, Charles Barkley collaborated with Roy S. Johnson on his autobiography, "Outrageous". Barkley later quipped he was misquoted due to Johnson's editorial choices.
1991: Tribute to Magic Johnson
In the 1991-92 season, Charles Barkley wore number 32 to honor Magic Johnson after Johnson announced he was HIV-positive, and Barkley apologized for making light of the condition.
1993: First Saturday Night Live Hosting Gig
Charles Barkley first hosted Saturday Night Live in 1993.
1993: Barkley's "I am not a role model" Nike commercial
In 1993, Charles Barkley's "I am not a role model" Nike commercial prompted national news. The former Vice President of the United States, Dan Quayle, called it a "family-values message" for Barkley's oft-ignored call for parents and teachers to quit looking to him to "raise your kids" and instead be role models themselves.
1995: Considers Republican Candidacy
In 1995, Charles Barkley considered running as a Republican candidate for Alabama's governorship in the 1998 election.
October 25, 1996: Barkley suspended and fined for fighting Charles Oakley
On October 25, 1996, Charles Barkley was suspended for the season opener and fined $5,000 for fighting Charles Oakley during a preseason game. After Oakley committed a flagrant foul on Barkley, Barkley responded by shoving Oakley.
1996: Appearance in Space Jam
In 1996, Charles Barkley played himself in the film "Space Jam".
1998: Possible Gubernatorial Election
In 1998, Charles Barkley considered potentially running for Alabama's governorship, having considered a Republican candidacy in 1995.
2000: Foreword for Rick Reilly's Book
In 2000, Charles Barkley wrote the foreword for Rick Reilly's book, "The Life of Reilly", including a humorous remark about throwing people through plate glass windows.
March 3, 2001: Auburn Jersey Retirement
On March 3, 2001, Auburn retired Charles Barkley's No. 34 jersey.
2002: Release of "I May Be Wrong, But I Doubt It"
In 2002, Charles Barkley released his book "I May Be Wrong, But I Doubt It", which included editing and commentary by his close friend Michael Wilbon.
July 2006: Considers Running for Governor of Alabama
At a July 2006 meeting, Charles Barkley lent credence to the idea of running for Governor of Alabama.
September 2006: Reiterates Desire to Run for Governor
In September 2006, Charles Barkley reiterated his desire to run for governor of Alabama, noting that he could not run until 2014 due to residency requirements.
2006: Advocates for Gay Marriage
In 2006, Charles Barkley told Fox Sports that he is a big advocate of gay marriage.
July 2007: Supports Barack Obama
In July 2007, Charles Barkley made a video declaring his support for Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election.
September 2007: Buys House in Alabama, Declares Independence
In September 2007, Charles Barkley announced he bought a house in Alabama to satisfy residency requirements for a 2014 campaign for governor and declared himself an Independent.
October 2007: Accrued Gambling Debt
In October 2007, Charles Barkley accumulated a $400,000 debt at the Wynn Las Vegas casino, which led to a civil complaint being filed against him in May 2008.
2007: Race against Dick Bavetta
In 2007, Charles Barkley challenged NBA official Dick Bavetta to a footrace at the NBA All-Star Weekend for charity, which Barkley won, contributing to a donation for charity.
2007: Gambling Losses Revealed
In a 2007 interview, Charles Barkley revealed that he had lost approximately $10 million through gambling, including $2.5 million in a six-hour period, but claimed it wasn't a problem as he could afford it.
February 2008: Announced Gubernatorial Run in 2014
In February 2008, Charles Barkley announced that he would be running for Governor of Alabama in 2014 as an Independent.
May 2008: Wynn Casino Debt
In May 2008, the Wynn Las Vegas casino filed a civil complaint against Charles Barkley for failing to pay a $400,000 debt stemming from October 2007. Barkley promptly paid the casino and vowed to stop gambling.
2008: Support of Barack Obama
Charles Barkley supported Barack Obama in the 2008 Presidential election.
December 31, 2008: Arrest for DUI in Scottsdale
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 and failing field sobriety tests. He later pleaded guilty to DUI-related charges.
February 19, 2009: Return to TNT After Hiatus
On February 19, 2009, Charles Barkley returned to TNT and discussed his DUI incident and experiences during the first segment of the NBA pregame show, following a two-month hiatus.
November 24, 2009: Began Backing Off Gubernatorial Run
In a November 24, 2009 interview, Charles Barkley began to back off the idea of running for Governor of Alabama.
2010: Admission of Accepting Money from Agents
In 2010, Charles Barkley admitted that he had asked for and received money from sports agents during his time at Auburn University.
2010: Confirmed No Run for Governor
In 2010, Charles Barkley confirmed that he was not running for Governor of Alabama in 2014.
2011: Supports LGBT Equality
During a 2011 Martin Luther King Jr. Day broadcast, Charles Barkley responded to Bernice King's statement by supporting equality for all, including the gay community.
2011: WeightWatchers Spokesman
In 2011, Charles Barkley became a spokesman for WeightWatchers, promoting their "Lose Like a Man" program in television and online ads.
2013: Supports Zimmerman Acquittal
In 2013, Charles Barkley expressed his agreement with the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the Trayvon Martin shooting.
2013: Comments on Jason Collins Coming Out
In 2013, Charles Barkley stated that anyone who thinks they never played with a gay player is an idiot, in response to Celtics player Jason Collins coming out.
2014: Former Plan to Run for Governor
Charles Barkley had formerly planned to run for Governor in 2014 but later backed off from the idea.
2014: Potential Gubernatorial Campaign
Charles Barkley mentioned potentially running for governor of Alabama in 2014, but he would later not run for governor.
2014: Russell Wilson "Black Enough" Controversy
In 2014, Charles Barkley commented on the rumor that Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson was being accused of not being "black enough".
August 2015: Supports John Kasich
In August 2015, Charles Barkley announced his support for Republican John Kasich in the 2016 presidential election.
2016: Critic of Donald Trump
As early as 2016, Charles Barkley was a vocal critic of President Donald Trump, expressing disgust towards Trump's words and messages during the presidential race.
2016: Supported John Kasich in the Election
In 2016, Charles Barkley supported John Kasich in the U.S. Presidential election.
August 2017: Confederate Monuments Controversy Response
In August 2017, Charles Barkley responded to the controversy generated by the removal of Confederate monuments as highlighted by the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.
September 2017: Criticizes Trump on Kaepernick
In September 2017, Charles Barkley expressed disappointment in President Trump for calling out Colin Kaepernick's kneeling during the U.S. National Anthem.
December 2017: Mocks Trump's Tax Bill
In December 2017, Charles Barkley mocked President Trump's tax bill, stating it benefited the rich and disadvantaged the poor.
2017: Supports Doug Jones
In 2017, Charles Barkley supported Democrat Doug Jones in the United States Senate special election in Alabama and criticized Jones' competitor, Roy Moore.
2018: Fourth Saturday Night Live Hosting Gig
Charles Barkley hosted Saturday Night Live for the fourth time in 2018.
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 Season Restart Concerns
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 No Run for Office
On Lance Armstrong's podcast in 2019, Charles Barkley confirmed that he would not be running for office.
2020: Concerned about Politics in Sports
Also in 2020, Charles Barkley expressed concern that sports were becoming too political.
2020: Opposes Defunding the Police
In 2020, Charles Barkley spoke out against defunding the police, and made comments about the Breonna Taylor case, stating that "I feel sad that this young lady lost her life.", but added that "we do have to take into account that her boyfriend shot at the cops and shot a cop.".
2020: COVID-19 Pandemic Comments
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Charles Barkley expressed concern about the safety of children in schools, suggesting it would be foolish to assume their safety. He also worried about the potential widening of the gap between rich and poor due to children staying at home and shared his optimism, albeit with concerns about positive cases, regarding the NBA's planned restart to the 2019-2020 season in the NBA bubble.
2021: Improved Golf Performance
In 2021, Charles Barkley showed improved performance at the American Century Championship after undergoing training to improve his golf swing.
2022: Speaks in Favor of the LGBT Community
In 2022, a video surfaced of Charles Barkley speaking at an event where he made comments vehemently in favor of the LGBT community, declaring his love and support.
2023: Condemns Bud Light Boycott
In 2023, Charles Barkley spoke out against the Bud Light boycott, supporting the brand's endorsements by transgender actress Dylan Mulvaney and condemning the boycotters as "rednecks".
