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. He earned 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 basketball's greats. He is currently a popular and outspoken analyst for TNT and CBS Sports.
The team averaged an Olympic record 117.3 points a game and won games by an average of 43.8 points, only surpassed by the 1956 U.S. Olympic team.
On February 20, 1963, Charles Wade Barkley was born. He would become a professional basketball player and a television analyst.
In 1967, Wilt Chamberlain recorded 22 rebounds at the All-Star Game, a feat matched by Charles Barkley in 1991.
For the first time since the 1974-75 season, the 76ers failed to make the playoffs during the 1988 season.
In the 1992-93 season, Charles Barkley led the Phoenix Suns to their first NBA Finals appearance since 1976.
In 1983, the Philadelphia 76ers, which Barkley would join in 1984, won the NBA championship.
In 1984, Charles Barkley led the Auburn Tigers to their first NCAA tournament in school history.
In 1984, Charles Barkley was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers with the fifth pick in the first round of the NBA draft.
In 1984, Charles Barkley was invited to the spring tryouts for the U.S. Olympic team but was ultimately cut from the final roster.
In 1984, Charles Barkley was named the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Player of the Year.
In 1985, Charles Barkley was named to the All-Rookie First Team in his first NBA season.
On November 4, 1986, Charles Barkley recorded 34 points, 10 rebounds, and a career-high 14 assists in a game against the Indiana Pacers.
In 1986, Charles Barkley had the most free throw attempts in a 7-game series with 100, playing for the Philadelphia 76ers against the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Semi-finals.
In 1986, Charles Barkley had the most turnovers in a 7-game series with 37, playing for the Philadelphia 76ers against the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Semi-finals.
In 1986, Charles Barkley led the league in rebounding average and earned his first rebounding title.
In 1986-87 Charles Barkley led the NBA in 2-point field goal percentage
In the 1986-87 season, Charles Barkley led the NBA in rebounding, averaging a career-high 14.6 rebounds per game. He is the shortest player in NBA history to lead the league in rebounding.
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.
On March 20, 1987, Charles Barkley recorded 26 points, 25 rebounds (including a career-high-tying 16 offensive rebounds), and nine assists in a win against the Denver Nuggets.
In 1986-87 Charles Barkley led the league in effective field goal percentage.
On November 30, 1988, Charles Barkley recorded 41 points, 22 rebounds, five assists, and six steals in a win over the Blazers.
In 1987-88 Charles Barkley led the league in effective field goal percentage.
Charles Barkley and Maureen Blumhardt got married in 1989 after reportedly meeting in the mid to late 1980s.
During the 1989-90 season, Charles Barkley finished second in MVP voting behind Magic Johnson despite receiving more first-place votes.
In 1988-89 Charles Barkley led the NBA in offensive rating.
In 1989, Charles Barkley's daughter, Christiana, was born. He named her after a mall called Christiana Mall in Delaware.
In 1989-90 Charles Barkley led the NBA in offensive rating
In 1990, Charles Barkley was involved in a fight with Detroit Pistons center Bill Laimbeer, which resulted in a record $162,500 fine.
In March 1991, Charles Barkley spat on a young girl while attempting to spit at a heckler, stirring national controversy.
On March 26, 1991, Charles Barkley attempted to spit on a heckler during a game against the New Jersey Nets but accidentally hit a young girl. He was suspended and fined by the NBA and later apologized.
During the 1991-92 season, Charles Barkley wore number 32 instead of his usual number 34 to honor Magic Johnson, who had announced he was HIV-positive. He also apologized for making light of Johnson's condition.
In 1991, Charles Barkley and sportswriter Roy S. Johnson collaborated on the autobiographical work "Outrageous." Barkley later quipped that he was misquoted in his own autobiography due to editorial choices made by Johnson.
On July 17, 1992, Charles Barkley was officially traded to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Jeff Hornacek, Tim Perry, and Andrew Lang.
In 1992, Charles Barkley was a member of the United States Olympic Basketball team that was nicknamed "Dream Team".
In 1992, Charles Barkley was traded to the Phoenix Suns and also played in the Summer Olympics. International rules were changed, allowing NBA players like Barkley to compete in the Olympics for the first time, he joined the 'Dream Team'.
In 1992, Charles Barkley won a gold medal as a member of the U.S. national team at the Olympic Games.
In 1992, Charles Barkley won a gold medal as part of the United States men's basketball team, known as the "Dream Team", at the Summer Olympics. The team dominated, averaging an Olympic record of 117.3 points per game, with Barkley leading the team in scoring with 18.0 points per game.
On June 5, 1993, while playing for the Phoenix Suns against the Seattle SuperSonics, Charles Barkley made a record of 19 free throws in a half.
Charles Barkley hosted Saturday Night Live for the first time in 1993. He hosted the show on four separate occasions between 1993 and 2018.
In 1993, Charles Barkley declared that sports figures should not be considered role models, stirring national controversy.
In 1993, Charles Barkley earned the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.
In 1993, Charles Barkley was voted the league's MVP while leading the Phoenix Suns to the NBA Finals.
In 1993, Charles Barkley's argument that athletes should not be role models gained national attention when he wrote the text for his "I am not a role model" Nike commercial, which sparked a debate about the responsibilities of athletes.
In 1993, despite back pains, Charles Barkley won the McDonald's Open in Germany and was named the tournament's MVP. In the NBA, he averaged 21.6 points and 11.2 rebounds per game, securing a spot in his eighth consecutive All-Star Game, although he couldn't play due to a torn quadriceps tendon.
In 1995, Charles Barkley considered running as a Republican candidate for Alabama's governorship in the 1998 election.
In the 1995-96 season, Charles Barkley played his last season with the Phoenix Suns. He led the team in scoring, rebounds, and steals, averaging 23.3 points, 11.6 rebounds. He earned his tenth All-Star Game appearance and achieved his 18th career triple-double on November 22. He became the tenth player in NBA history to reach 20,000 points and 10,000 rebounds in their career.
On October 25, 1996, Charles Barkley was suspended for the season opener and fined $5,000 for fighting Charles Oakley during a preseason game. This event occurred after Oakley committed a flagrant foul on Barkley, leading to Barkley shoving Oakley.
At the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympic Games, Charles Barkley led the team in scoring with 12.4 points and in rebounds with 6.6 rebounds per game, securing another gold medal with a perfect 8-0 record.
In 1996, Charles Barkley played himself in the film "Space Jam."
In 1996, Charles Barkley was instrumental in helping the United States Olympic Basketball team compile a perfect 16-0 record.
In 1996, Charles Barkley won his second gold medal as a member of the U.S. national team at the Olympic Games.
In 1996, Charles Barkley won his second gold medal at the Atlanta Summer Olympic Games as a member of the United States men's basketball team.
In 1996, Charles Barkley, as part of the NBA's 50th Anniversary, was honored as one of the 50 greatest players of all time by being named to the NBA's 50th Anniversary Team.
The 1997-98 season was marked by injuries for Charles Barkley. He averaged 15.2 points and 11.7 rebounds per game. The Rockets were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Utah Jazz.
In 1995, Charles Barkley considered running as a Republican candidate for Alabama's governorship in the 1998 election.
On November 10, 1999, Charles Barkley was ejected from a game against the Los Angeles Lakers along with Shaquille O'Neal after a physical altercation.
On December 8, 1999, Charles Barkley seemingly ended his career prematurely at the age of 36 after rupturing his left quadriceps tendon in Philadelphia.
On April 19, 2000, Charles Barkley returned for one final game against the Vancouver Grizzlies, scoring a memorable basket before retiring, marking the end of his sixteen-year Hall of Fame career.
In 2000, Charles Barkley retired as the fourth player in NBA history to achieve 20,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, and 4,000 assists.
In 2000, Charles Barkley wrote the foreword for Sports Illustrated columnist Rick Reilly's book "The Life of Reilly", including a humorous quip about throwing Reilly through a plate glass window.
Since 2000, Charles Barkley has served as a studio analyst for Turner Network Television (TNT), appearing on NBA coverage during pre-game and halftime shows, and special NBA events.
On March 3, 2001, Auburn retired Charles Barkley's No. 34 jersey.
From 2002 to 2003, Charles Barkley co-hosted a sports and general topics talk show with guests on TNT called Listen Up! Charles Barkley with Ernie Johnson.
In 2002, Charles Barkley released the book "I May Be Wrong, But I Doubt It", which included editing and commentary by his close friend Michael Wilbon.
From 2002 to 2003, Charles Barkley co-hosted a sports and general topics talk show with guests on TNT called Listen Up! Charles Barkley with Ernie Johnson.
On March 20, 2004, the Phoenix Suns honored Charles Barkley by including him in the "Suns Ring of Honor" in recognition of his contributions to the team.
In 2004, Charles Barkley was the first-ever celebrity guest picker for College GameDay.
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.
In September 2006, Charles Barkley reiterated his desire to run for governor of Alabama in 2014 and stated he was looking for a house there to satisfy residency requirements.
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."
In 2006, Charles Barkley was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame for his individual career.
In July 2007, Charles Barkley made a video declaring his support for Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election.
In September 2007, during a broadcast on Monday Night Football, 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.
In October 2007, Charles Barkley incurred a $400,000 debt at the Wynn Las Vegas casino, which led to a civil complaint in May 2008 for failing to pay the debt.
In a 2007 interview with ESPN's Trey Wingo, Charles Barkley revealed that he had lost approximately $10 million through gambling, including $2.5 million in a six-hour period while playing blackjack.
In February 2008, Charles Barkley announced that he would be running for Governor of Alabama in 2014 as an Independent.
In May 2008, the Wynn Las Vegas casino filed a civil complaint against Charles Barkley, alleging that he failed to pay a $400,000 debt stemming from October 2007. Barkley promptly paid the casino and stated he would stop gambling.
In July 2007, Charles Barkley made a video declaring his support for Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election.
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. He failed field sobriety tests and refused a breath test. He was cooperative during the arrest.
On February 19, 2009, Charles Barkley returned to TNT after a two-month hiatus following his DUI arrest, discussing the incident on the NBA pregame show. T-Mobile resumed airing ads featuring Barkley shortly after his return.
In a November 24, 2009 interview on The Jay Leno Show, Charles Barkley began to back off the idea of running for Governor of Alabama.
In 2010, Charles Barkley admitted to receiving money from sports agents during his career at Auburn, but stated that he paid it all back.
In 2010, Charles Barkley confirmed that he was not running for Governor of Alabama in 2014.
In 2010, Charles Barkley was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a member of the 1992 Olympic "Dream Team".
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, by expressing support for equality for every man and woman, including the LGBT community.
In 2011, Charles Barkley became a spokesman for WeightWatchers, promoting their "Lose Like a Man" program in television and online ads.
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.
On January 7, 2012, Charles Barkley served as a guest commentator for NBC's coverage of the NFL Wild Card playoffs, the same night he hosted Saturday Night Live.
In November 2012, Charles Barkley announced that he was contemplating retirement from broadcasting after 13 years, expressing a desire for a new challenge.
In 2013, Charles Barkley expressed his agreement with the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the Trayvon Martin shooting.
In 2013, in response to Celtics player Jason Collins coming out, Charles Barkley stated, “I think anybody who thinks they never played with a gay player is an idiot."
In 2014, Charles Barkley addressed rumors that Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson was being accused of not being "black enough" on the radio show Afternoons with Anthony and Rob Ellis.
In September 2006, Charles Barkley reiterated his desire to run for governor of Alabama in 2014 and stated he was looking for a house there to satisfy residency requirements.
In August 2015, Charles Barkley announced his support for Republican John Kasich in the 2016 presidential election.
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.
Charles Barkley repeated that he planned to retire from broadcasting in 2016, before signing another contract with Turner Sports.
In 2016, during the U.S. presidential election, Charles Barkley voiced his disgust towards Donald Trump's words and messages throughout his Republican nomination campaign.
In August 2015, Charles Barkley announced his support for Republican John Kasich in the 2016 presidential election.
On May 11, 2017, "American Race", a six-episode unscripted show hosted by Charles Barkley, premiered on TNT.
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.
In September 2017, Charles Barkley expressed disappointment in President Trump for calling out Colin Kaepernick for kneeling during the U.S. National Anthem during the 2016 NFL season. Barkley stated he does not support athletes kneeling during the National Anthem as a form of protest.
In December 2017, Charles Barkley mocked President Trump's tax bill, stating that Republicans take care of the rich, expressing sympathy for the poor and their lack of opportunity.
In 2017, Charles Barkley supported Democrat Doug Jones in the United States Senate special election in Alabama, arguing that his competitor, Roy Moore, should have been disqualified due to his association with a white separatist.
Charles Barkley hosted Saturday Night Live on four separate occasions between 1993 and 2018.
In 2019, Charles Barkley appeared in "The Piña Colada Song" episode of The Goldbergs as a gym teacher and alien conspiracy theorist.
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.
On Lance Armstrong's podcast in 2019, Charles Barkley confirmed that he would not be running for office.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Charles Barkley voiced concerns about the safety of children in schools, arguing that keeping them at home would widen the gap between the rich and the poor. He was also optimistic about the NBA's planned restart in the NBA bubble but worried about players testing positive.
In 2020, Charles Barkley expressed concern about sports becoming too political, suggesting it could detract from the positive aspects and lead to constant arguments.
In 2020, Charles Barkley spoke out against defunding the police, suggesting black people would have no one to call in such a scenario. He also commented on the killing of Breonna Taylor, noting her boyfriend's actions towards the police.
In October 2021, as part of the NBA's 75th Anniversary, Charles Barkley was honored as one of the 75 greatest players of all time by being named to the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team.
In 2021, after undergoing training to improve his swing, Charles Barkley showed an improved performance in the American Century Championship pro-am tournament.
In October 2022, Charles Barkley signed a 10-year contract extension with Warner Bros. Discovery Sports, owner of TNT, to remain as an analyst on Inside the NBA.
In 2022, a video surfaced of Charles Barkley speaking at an event where he made comments vehemently in favor of the LGBT community, saying "If you're gay and transgender, I love you. And if anybody gives you sh-t, you tell them Charles said 'f--k you.'"
As of 2023, Charles Barkley has the 12th highest PER in NBA history and is 14th in win shares.
Charles Barkley later stated that he wanted to retire when he turned 60 in 2023.
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; he said that he would buy Bud Light for the crowd at a celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe, and condemned the boycotters as "rednecks".
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.
In June 2024, Charles Barkley announced his intention to retire from television following the conclusion of the 2024–25 NBA season. He later reversed this decision in August, deciding to stay with TNT Sports on his ten-year, $210 million contract.
In June 2024, Charles Barkley was a guest of Game 2 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals as a Studio analyst broadcast by ABC, and produced by ESPN.
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