Charles Barkley dove headfirst into the golfing scene during his NBA career and has stayed connected to it ever since. The sport has allowed him to meet some incredible people who are so well-connected that meeting Nobel Prize winners is hardly a big deal for them.
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Barkley opened up about his slicing balls out of the rough during a recent interview on The Smylie Show. The NBA Hall of Famer spoke about his addiction to the sport, comparing himself to Tiger Woods, and also shared the names of the best he has ever golfed with.
“Tiger is the best player. I played with Tiger probably 15-20 times. He always played great. The most talented golfer I ever played with is Phil Mickelson,” revealed the 10-time All-Star. It’s amusing how Chuck casually recalled golfing with arguably two of the most famous athletes in the world. But that was far from the weirdest name dropped.
Barkley later revealed that he’s played a few rounds with Gary Player, who, beyond being an incredible human being, has lived a life that’s introduced him to countless influential figures, including iconic politicians.
“He’s such an amazing man. We been playing golf about three or four years, and he’ll say something and I’m like, ‘Yo man. Stop right there. Don’t just gloss over that,'” joked Barkley.
So, what kind of things is Player, one of the greatest golfers of all time, casually brushing past in conversation? Well, it was an encounter with Nelson Mandela, which was enough to drive Barkley insane with jealousy.
“He’s like, ‘I was spending time with Nelson Mandela…what do you think about this next shot?’ I’m like, ‘Yo man…I don’t give a damn about that next shot. Can you just go back over here? You just said you were with Nelson Mandela, one of the greatest human beings ever, then you want to ask me about this next golf shot?”
“He tells me these Nelson Mandela stories, and then he talks about these other heroes of mine,” continued Barkley, who began to gush over just how amazing his and Player’s separate journeys have been.
Barkley has a way of making any round of golf sound like a meeting of legends. Tiger, Phil, and even Mandela. The 76ers legend drops those names like it’s nothing, just as Player did with him. That mix of humor and storytelling is exactly why fans still love him today.
Golf might not bring the dunks, but it’s given Chuck a whole new set of memories. From wild shots to wild stories, he’s still living big and keeping people entertained. Classic Charles.
