Charles Barkley has experienced the highs and lows of life that have helped create the man that he is today. However, there are still certain things that remain as painful memories in the Chuckster’s heart. Even though these memories still cause pain to Barkley, all his success in the NBA would not have been possible if this one incident hadn’t changed his approach toward life and the game of basketball.
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The NBA legend recently appeared on Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay podcast and shared some interesting stories from his high school and college days. While discussing his high school career, Chuck revealed the heartbreak of missing out on his high school graduation ceremony.
One of Chuck’s proudest moments was leading his high school to a state championship tournament. Though he couldn’t clinch the trophy in his junior year, he was determined to lead his school to a Championship the next year. However, all of Chuck’s hopes came crashing down after he suffered an injury in the tournament, which led to the elimination of his team.
Chuck admitted slipping into a state of dejection following that incident and missing out on his classes. Though he was able to catch up on most subjects that he was lagging behind, Spanish was the hurdle that he just couldn’t pass. Chuck flunked that subject, thus losing the opportunity to graduate with the rest of his classmates.
Upon hearing the news, Barkley’s father flew down from California and grilled him for his failure. This added more salt to Chuck’s wounds, who was determined to graduate with his class. Bringing up this painful incident from his high school days, Chuck told Sharpe how it motivated him to never let anyone take control of his life. He said,
“That night, I went to the high school and I stood next door on the stadium and watched the graduation and cried for like two hours. And that night, I said this is the last time anybody [would] have control of my life.”
This personal anecdote from Barkley serves as a powerful reminder of the struggles that he had to go through to become an NBA great. Nevertheless, Chuck successfully graduated from his class in 1981. He went on to play three years of college basketball at Auburn University, before being selected as the fifth overall pick in the 1984 NBA draft. So Shaq may make fun of his Auburn education during TNT broadcasts, but Sir Charles was really serious about getting a strong educational foundation for himself.
Charles Barkley is still associated with his former high school
Charles Barkley is known for his extreme generosity and his efforts to give back to his community. He remained connected to his roots in Alabama all through his NBA career and beyond. This includes him staying in touch with his high school in Leeds as well.
In 2021, the Phoenix Suns legend made headlines after he donated gifts worth $1000 to all system employees at the Leeds City School. The announcement was made by the high school on their Facebook page, thanking Barkley for his kind gesture.
Over the past 30 years, Chuck has provided more than $3 million in scholarships to Leeds graduates. Barkley remained a loyal alumnus to his alma mater by being a supporter of the girls and boys basketball program in Leeds. Furthermore, the school also appreciated the veteran NBA player for helping them get laptops and access to virtual education for students during the pandemic.
Barkley knows the struggles of not getting the proper resources for education as a child. Therefore, he has made sure that the children of his locality do not face the same issue.
