“Charles Barkley Sold Me Out”: When Scottie Pippen Revealed How Chuck Flipped on Their Decision to Train Together With Tim Grover

Charles Barkley and Scottie Pippen were two of the best players in the NBA in the 90s and had one thing in common apart from the City they played in for a year – their stardom got totally overshadowed by Michael Jordan’s.

However, we are here to talk about when those two came together in 1998 after MJ and Clyde Drexler’s retirement and teamed up with Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon to become one of the NBA’s best teams ever assembled.

Although, they were anything, but a “team”, mostly because of the Round Mound of Rebounds, if Scottie is to be believed.

Also read: “I know I’m on the back 9 of life”: Charles Barkley Talks Philanthropic Ventures for Alabama as he Believes his Time is Near

When Charles Barkley robbed Scottie Pippen of a chance of winning it without Michael Jordan

In an interview with GQ in 2021 when his memoir ‘Unguarded’ was about to come out, Pippen revealed how the 1993 MVP flipped on their decision to train with his and MJ’s personal trainer from his time in Chicago, Tim Grover.

“He (Charles Barkley) started selling me out” Pippen explained to interviewer Tyler R. Tynes how Chuck after agreeing to get trained with Tim for a season later started declining to be on time according to the schedules.

Within a week or two Barkley switched to another trainer moving on quickly, from his word and a trainer who was quite popular in the league to get the best out of MJ and Pippen and later on with Kobe Bryant. Insane. Chuck was as wild back in the day as he is now.

Also read: “I’d Bust Charles Barkley’s A**”: Dwight Howard Claims He’d Beat 1993 MVP One-on-One

Barkley would have won a lot if he had MJ’s discipline

Much like his friend Jordan, Barkley enjoyed eating, partying, gambling, and spending some more big bucks on some Golf courses, but he never had the work ethic to do all that and play at the level he was capable of.

That lack of discipline made sure he never won a championship when he was so close to it in 1993 and had the chance to make something big out of the Big-3 he formed in Houston in 1996 with Olajuwon and Drexler and then with Pippen in 98.

Also read: It’s Disrespectful to Compare Zion Williamson to me!”: Charles Barkley Once Took Offense After ESPN Analyst Drew Similarities With the Duke Star

About the author

Akash Murty

An Electrical and Electronics Engineer by degree, Akash Murty is an NBA Editor at The SportsRush. Previously a Software Engineer, Murty couldn’t keep himself away from sports, and his knack for writing and putting his opinion forward brought him to the TSR. A big Soccer enthusiast, his interest in basketball developed late, as he got access to a hoop for the first time at 17. Following this, he started watching basketball at the 2012 Olympics, which transitioned to NBA, and he became a fan of the game as he watched LeBron James dominate the league. Him being an avid learner of the game and ritually following the league for around a decade, he now writes articles ranging from throwbacks, and live game reports, to gossip. LA Lakers are his favourite basketball team, while Chelsea has his heart in football. He also likes travelling, reading fiction, and sometimes cooking.

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