Phoenix Suns legend Charles Barkley has established himself as one of the most likable personalities in the NBA following his retirement. However, he had made a huge faux paus back in 1990, which didn’t prompt the best of reactions from fans. Barkley was often very emotional on the court during games, which led to altercations and fights on several occasions throughout his career. The Round Mound of Rebound didn’t care that much about league rules and regulations. Charles Barkley was the most fined NBA player in the 1990 season and had proclaimed that he wouldn’t donate his annual total in fines to the homeless for one specific reason.
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According to Sam Smith’s The Jordan Rules, Barkley, who was just as blatant back then as he is today, made a hilariously vain comment. The Round Mound of Rebound claimed that he had considered donating his annual fine amount to the homeless, but didn’t do so because then they would have ‘better homes’ than he did. Of course, Barkley’s comment was intended to be a joke on the massive amount of his fines, but it may have come across as vain to a lot of people.
Charles Barkley once made a ‘vain’ comment when asked about donating to the homeless
Known for his hilarious personality, Barkley has never been the kind of person who would keep his thoughts private. This tendency once led him to signal to coach Jim Lynam to yank his teammate Mike Gminski during a game.
Regardless, Barkley was fined $37k in 1990 and had to pay $45k just a season before, according to LA Times. However, he had little to no remorse for his actions.
Earning more than $2.4 million every year, Barkley was of the opinion that the small fines did not matter. When asked whether he will be donating his annual total in fines, the player had said that he would, but did not want the homeless to have better homes than himself. The comment could easily be construed as flippant, especially considering Barkley’s reputation in the NBA at the time. Here’s an excerpt from The Jordan Rules that talks about Barkley’s antics:
“Barkley, who doesn’t own an unexpressed thought, rarely worries about whether outsiders hear his taunts. Everything about him is on public display, as in the 1990 playoffs, when he signaled with his thumb for coach Jim Lynam to yank Mike Gminski during a game. He’s annually the most fined player in the league, once saying he’d considered donating his annual total to the homeless, ‘but then they’d have better homes than I do.’”
Charles Barkley always wore his heart on his sleeve
Currently one of the most recognizable faces on NBA TV, Barkley has never been the one to shy away from awkward situations. Barkley’s actions proved that he could sometimes be problematic.
As mentioned before, Barkley had accumulated more than $80k in fines in two seasons. He even punched Bill Laimbeer during the 1990 NBA Playoffs, something he had no regret for, even years later.
The 1993 NBA MVP routinely got into fights and was a fearsome opponent to run into. The characteristics he is currently praised for today often got him into trouble during his playing days.
