Fans may find the witty, jovial and wise Charles Barkley from his TNT stint very endearing, but the NBA superstar had a very different temperament during his playing days. In fact, Barkley got himself into trouble quite a bit for his unapologetic and often impulsive approach to life, racking up thousands of dollars in fines in the process. The Reebok controversy during the 1992 Barcelona Games presented the perfect occasion for Barkley’s passionate personality to flourish. And the Round Mound of Rebound didn’t disappoint after delivering an iconic quote on the whole fiasco.
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The 1992 Olympic Games saw American patriotism rise for the first time centering on basketball, as NBA players competed in the men’s basketball tournament for the first time. The best players in the country were assembled to form ‘The Dream Team’, which included the likes of Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Patrick Ewing, Scottie Pippen, and Charles Barkley, among other legends.
The loaded squad spearheaded by Jordan was intended to flex America’s basketball muscles in front of the world. And it did exactly that after demolishing every single opponent on their way to the Gold Medal. As a matter of fact, Team USA’s first real obstacle came after they had defeated Croatia 117-85 in the Gold Medal match.
Charles Barkley supported Michael Jordan’s Reebok rebellion
Team USA team members learned following their victory in the Final game that they would have to wear a Reebok sponsored jacket for the medal ceremony. This idea didn’t please many members of the team, mostly because they had lucrative deals with Nike. Michael Jordan, who had the greatest deal in sports history with the American sports apparel brand, didn’t like the idea of promoting Reebok at all.
As a result, Jordan reportedly initiated the rebellion against the mandate and other players gladly obliged. The entire team walked to the podium with their jackets unzipped enough to hide the Reebok logo. Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Charles Barkley had the American flag draped over their Reebok logos, making it difficult for the authorities to question their motives.
Charles Barkley, however, didn’t mince his words expressing his discontent over the whole thing. In his 1995 book Sir Charles, Barkley included his quote from the 1992 games, “There are only three things in life that I have to do: I have to stay black, I have to pay taxes and I have to die. Other than that, don’t tell me what I have to do.”
It’s pretty clear that the Chuckster enjoyed his free will and freedom of choice, perhaps the most American thing to do. The NBA veteran is still pretty decisive about his actions to this day. In fact, he makes sure to do the first of the three things he listed in the 1992 quote to the best of his ability.
Barkley’s contributions to Black education
Not many athletes are as dedicated to educate the Black community as Charles Barkley. The 1993 NBA MVP has funded several programs to help Black students in need with financial aid.
ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith recently commended Barkley on his $5 million pledge to Auburn University’s diversity program. Apart from donating to his alma mater in Alabama, Barkley has also helped education systems in several HBCUs(Historically Black Colleges and Universities).
