Charles Barkley

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Lore & Background

Barkley's time with the Phoenix Suns was defined by his 1993 MVP season, where he was voted the league's MVP while leading the team to the NBA Finals. He was traded to the Suns after eight seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers. In his first season with Phoenix, he immediately transformed the team into a championship contender. His unique blend of power and skill made him a dominant force, despite being shorter than the typical power forward. The 1993 Finals run remains a defining moment in Suns history, with Barkley at the center of it all. He played for the Suns from 1992 to 1996, leaving a legacy as one of the most impactful players to ever wear the uniform.

In Their Own Story

The 1993 NBA Finals. The Phoenix Suns, led by league MVP Charles Barkley, faced the Chicago Bulls. Barkley, using his strength and aggression, battled against a taller Bulls frontcourt. He averaged 27.3 points and 13.0 rebounds in the series, but the Suns fell in six games. Despite the loss, Barkley's performance cemented his status as a legend in Phoenix. He had carried the team on his back all season, earning the MVP award and proving that heart and skill could overcome a lack of height.

Reader's Guide

Charles Barkley joined the Phoenix Suns in 1992 after a trade from the Philadelphia 76ers. In his first season, he was voted the league's Most Valuable Player in 1993. He led the Suns to the NBA Finals that same year, where they lost to the Chicago Bulls in six games. Barkley's tenure with the Suns lasted from 1992 to 1996. During his time in Phoenix, he was an All-Star each season. His aggressive rebounding and scoring made him the focal point of the Suns' offense. He retired in 2000 as the fourth player in NBA history to achieve 20,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, and 4,000 assists.

Did You Know?

• Barkley was the first black baby born at a segregated, all-white town hospital in Leeds, Alabama.
• He was named the SEC Player of the Decade for the 1980s by the Birmingham Post-Herald.
• Barkley admitted in 2010 that he had accepted money from sports agents while at Auburn, which he later repaid.
• He is a two-time Hall of Fame inductee: in 2006 for his individual career and in 2010 as a member of the 1992 Olympic Dream Team.
• Barkley made the NBA's All-Interview Team for his last 13 seasons in the league.

Early Life and College Dominance

Barkley was born in Leeds, Alabama, 17 miles east of Birmingham. He was the first black baby born at a segregated, all-white town hospital. His parents divorced when he was young after his father abandoned the family. At Leeds High School, as a junior, he stood 5 ft 10 in and weighed 220 pounds and failed to make the varsity team. However, during the summer he grew to 6 ft 4 in and earned a starting position as a senior, averaging 19.1 points and 17.9 rebounds per game. Despite his improvement, he received no attention from college scouts until the state high school semi-finals, where he scored 26 points against Alabama's most highly recruited player, Bobby Lee Hurt. At Auburn University, Barkley played center despite being shorter than the average center. His height is officially listed as 6 ft 6 in, but stated as 6 ft 4 in in his book. He led the SEC in rebounding each year and earned the nickname "The Round Mound of Rebound". He still holds the Auburn record for career field goal percentage with 62.6%. He was named SEC Player of the Year in 1984. In 2010, Barkley admitted that he asked for and had been given money from sports agents during his career at Auburn, which he later repaid.

NBA Career and Individual Accolades

Barkley was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers with the fifth pick of the 1984 NBA draft. In his rookie season, he was named to the All-Rookie First Team. In the 1986–87 season, he led the league in rebounding average and earned his first rebounding title. He was named the All-Star Game MVP in 1991. In 1993 with the Phoenix Suns, he was voted the league's MVP. He was an 11-time NBA All-Star and 11-time member of the All-NBA Team. He was named to the NBA's 50th and 75th anniversary teams. In 2000, Barkley retired as the fourth player in NBA history to achieve 20,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, and 4,000 assists.

International Success and Hall of Fame Induction

Barkley competed in the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games, winning two gold medals as a member of the U.S. national team. He is a two-time inductee into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, inducted in 2006 for his individual career and in 2010 as a member of the 1992 Olympic "Dream Team".

Post-Retirement Legacy and Media Career

Since retiring as a player, Barkley has had a successful career as an NBA analyst. He works for TNT Sports on Inside the NBA alongside Shaquille O'Neal, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson as a studio pundit, for which he has won five Sports Emmy Awards. He has also written several books and has shown an interest in politics. Barkley was popular with the fans and media and made the NBA's All-Interview Team for his last 13 seasons in the league. He was frequently involved in on- and off-court fights and sometimes stirred national controversy, such as in March 1991 when he spat on a young girl while attempting to spit at a heckler, and 1993 when he declared that sports figures should not be considered role models.