Charles Barkley

Charles Wade Barkley (born February 20, 1963 in Leeds, Alabama) is a former American basketball power forward. A resident of Arizona, Barkley is most commonly nicknamed Sir Charles and occasionally The Round Mound of Rebound. Barkley was named Most Valuable Player of the NBA in 1993. In 1996, the NBA's 50th anniversary, he was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.

Career

Barkley played college basketball for Auburn University, where he excelled as a player. He mainly played center at Auburn, despite being far shorter than normal for the position; he stands slightly under 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m). In 1984, he began in the NBA with the Philadelphia 76ers. Early in his career, Barkley had a weight problem, sometimes weighing over 300 pounds (136 kg) at Auburn. His nickname of "The Round Mound of Rebound" dates back to his Auburn days. He battled those problems, however, and was able to fill the spot left by Julius Erving on the team. With Barkley, the team reached the playoffs every year except for 1988, and 1992, when he was traded to the Phoenix Suns.

Related Topics:
College basketball - Auburn University - Center - 1984 - NBA - Philadelphia 76ers - Julius Erving - 1988 - 1992 - Phoenix Suns

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In between being drafted and traded, Barkley became a household name, and he was one of a few NBA players to have a figure published by Kenner's Starting Lineup toy line. But he also became involved in a few scandals, notoriously a fight with Detroit Pistons center Bill Laimbeer in 1990. He averaged 24.3 points per game while with the 76ers.

Related Topics:
Kenner - Starting Lineup - Detroit Pistons - Bill Laimbeer - 1990

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After joining Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and friend Michael Jordan for the 1992 US Dream Team that won the gold medal at the Barcelona Olympics, Barkley went to the Suns, where he became a vital part of the team's trip to the 1993 NBA Finals, scoring 25 points per game and becoming one of the most popular players ever among Suns fans. At the Finals, Barkley and the Suns lost to Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and the Chicago Bulls in six games, after Barkley had told Jordan that it was destiny for the Suns to win the championship. Barkley would never again return to the Finals.

Related Topics:
Larry Bird - Magic Johnson - Michael Jordan - 1992 - US - Dream Team - Barcelona Olympics - 1993 - Scottie Pippen - Chicago Bulls

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In 1994, Barkley again was part of a Suns team that almost won the NBA championship, losing in the Western semi-finals in 7 games to eventual NBA champions the Houston Rockets. In 1995, the Suns suffered exactly the same fate in the playoffs as the year before. In 1996, Barkley and the Suns struggled to a 41-41 record, having to win 13 games in a row at the end to squeeze out a playoff spot. He also was a member of the gold medal winning American team at the 1996 Summer Olympics.

Related Topics:
1994 - Houston Rockets - 1995 - 1996 - 1996 Summer Olympics

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Barkley was then traded to the Houston Rockets, where he joined Hakeem Olajuwon in their quest to win championships. But as a member of the Rockets, Barkley faced back injury problems, which ultimately led to his retirement in 2000. His last year in the NBA, he averaged 14 points a game over 19 games before tearing his left quadriceps tendon completely away from his kneecap during a game on December 8, 1999. He was told by doctors that he would never play again in the NBA, but was able to come back a little over four months later, scoring a basket in front of Houston's home fans on April 19, 2000 against the Vancouver Grizzlies. Barkley retired immediately after that game.

Related Topics:
Houston Rockets - Hakeem Olajuwon - 2000 - Quadriceps - Tendon - December 8 - 1999 - April 19 - Vancouver Grizzlies

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During his career in the NBA, Barkey totalled 23,757 points for an average of 23 points per game, and 12,546 rebounds, for an average of 11.7 rebounds per game. He was an All-Star nine times, and he helped his teams to the playoffs every year he played.

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Barkley ranked #19 in SLAM Magazine's Top 75 NBA Players of all time in 2003.

Related Topics:
SLAM Magazine - 2003

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