“I was trying to separate his shoulder or break a rib!”: Charles Barkley got Violent at This $45 Million Utah Jazz Legend 

Charles Barkley loved to fight, as the kids say these days, “he’s got that dawg in him”. For Charles, his ferocity was disguised as aggression and it worked. The power forward was feared across the league and there was not much anyone could do to stop him.

Barkley had many rivals during his prime and with each one of them, he dueled until one fell. For someone so happy on national TV these days, you would think the same demeanor would have been present in his youth. You could not be more wrong.

Today, we take a look at Charles and the menace that he was during the 1997 NBA season. His battle with John Stockton and why it was covered so widely.

Also read: Charles Barkley Once Made a Generous $25,000 Tip Due to his Gambling Habit

Charles Barkley and John Stockton dueled it out

The 1997 NBA season saw Barkley and Stock duel it out in the Western Conference Finals. Sir Charles was coming off his peak and was in a Houston Rockets team with Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler.

And ahead of them were the slightly better, the Pick and Roll Progenitors, the Utah Jazz. The combination of Karl Malone and John Stockton was a force. And the series was nothing short of a war.

In game 2 of the series, things got heated and Barkley made this post-game comment on John Stockton.

The series saw Barkley fight off John and try to frustrate him, instead, it was the Rockets forward who was left raging.

That’s cute.

John Stockton attempting to block Charles Barkley’s dunk during Game 4 of the 1997 WCF. pic.twitter.com/QxP8EsD0p3

— Hoops Nostalgia (@HoopsNostalgia) October 18, 2021

Eventually, the Rockets fell. And Stockton who has half his size managed to get under Charles’ skin. These days the Utah Jazz legend is out of the NBA picture. With a vast net worth of $45 he mostly spends his time saying all the wrong things and being shunned by the media.

Also read: Allen Iverson, Who Blew Through $200 Million in Career Earnings, Once Spent $4000 to Become a ‘Philadelphia hero’

Barkley was a ferocious player in his prime

But let’s not forget the firecracker that is Charles Barkley. In his prime, he was nothing short of a nightmare for defenders. Just take a look at this minute-long clip, of him breaking through defenses and showing his spirit.

Charles Barkley was a problem in his prime🔥pic.twitter.com/x1oFexnEtk

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) April 23, 2020

These stories remind us that at one point, the NBA was perhaps dangerous. And today’s referees and players can learn a thing or two about being rough and tough.

Also read: “You’re 6ft 9,” and you Can’t Dunk”: When Shaquille O’Neal Gave ‘a Guy’ the Beatdown of his Life for Mocking Him