Charles Barkley is well-known to fall slave to the moment and dish out controversial statements. This was also reflected in his style of play. He was unafraid to go at anybody on the court and would often talk trash to the opponents. With a devil-may-care attitude, Charles once even told the media that he would join a group of racist men if paid enough money.
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Over the years, the inconsistency in Chuck’s statements validates the fact that he speaks his mind without worrying about the consequences or historical context. Having earned 40 million dollars throughout his 16-year playing career, Charles would talk about joining a controversial group of men for money in the same breath as he would claim to not care about money.
Charles Barkley claims to join a racist group for money
In the June of 1993, Charles Barkley was fresh off an NBA Finals showdown with Michael Jordan and had also won the league’s Most Valuable Player award. It was his first season with the Phoenix Suns after being traded by the Philadelphia 76ers. As quoted in the book – ‘Sir Charles: The Wit and Wisdom of Charles Barkley‘, when he was asked about rejoining Philly, he said:
“I can be bought. If they paid me enough, I’d work for the Klan.”
It is important to note that the above statements were made despite being unhappy in Philly. The pressure of the Sixers fans, coupled with a lack of success, warranted a trade request to the Phoenix Suns. However, he still claimed he would join any team if they were willing to throw money at him. Honestly, with Charles, the statements usually are prey to the moment and can never be taken at face value.
Charles Barkley dealt with racism in his marriage
Charles Barkley is not benign to racism and had encountered the same in his marriage. His wife, Maureen Bloomhardt, was harassed by men for marrying an African American man while being Caucasian. The men evidently spat on her face and hurled racist slurs towards her.
This prompted Charles to take drastic measures. He decided to purchase a firearm to protect his family against any such incidents in the future. In the 1990s, racism was highly, and shamelessly prevalent in America, and Charles lived through it at a young age.
