Charles Barkley’s largest payday in the NBA was an annual $9 million contract. Turner Sports has more than doubled that for the veteran analyst, bringing him north of $20 million a year.
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However, the 1993 MVP has remained grounded even after his net worth skyrocketed. The Chuckster has rather indulged in a lot of charitable ventures with his newfound riches. The 61-year-old explained the thinking behind such ventures during his recent appearance on former NFL linebacker Tim Green’s ‘Nothing Left Unsaid’ podcast.
“I got way more money than I deserve, way more,” Barkley said. “And there’s so many great causes out there. So I started about 20, probably 22 years ago. I said, ‘Hey, you know what. I got one daughter, she don’t need all this money.’”
Chuck’s daughter Christiana Barkley is a 36-year-old mother of two. The Hall of Famer knows he has earned enough to support them for the rest of their lives, and instead of taking his money to the grave, he prefers to share it with those in need.
“I pick out a different charity every year, whatever makes my heart feel good. And I’m hoping that I just keep doing it till the big fella come get me… When you’re growing up in the projects of Leeds, Alabama, there’s a couple thousand people, you don’t think you’re going to be on a podcast with Troy and Tim Green 61 years later. Like, I have exceeded all my expectations,” the 11-time All-Star added.
Barkley remains among the few celebrities whose charitable causes do not come off as publicity stunts. He has always put his money where his mouth is and he is clearly grateful for the opportunity to touch so many lives with his work.
Charles Barkley’s ventures are far and many
Calcea Johnson and Ne’Kiya Jackson, high school classmates at St. Mary’s Academy in New Orleans, composed a trigonometric proof of the Pythagorean Theorem last year. They solved the mathematical problem that had puzzled experts in the field for two centuries and their feat earned them the undivided attention of Sir Charles.
In 2024, the philanthropic TNT analyst vowed to donate $1 million to the school that supported Johnson and Jackson’s studies. Through the Charles Barkley Foundation, he donated the first $100,000 in September. His mission was clear — “transforming future generations through education and opportunities.”
That has remained among Chuck’s top priorities through his charitable ventures and no institution has benefited from it as much as his alma mater. In 2023, when the Supreme Court overturned the ruling on affirmative action, Barkley rewrote his will to leave $5 million for Auburn University.
The donation would serve as scholarships for Black students to help maintain Auburn’s diverse student population. He followed it up with another $1 million donation to the Auburn women’s basketball team in 2024.
Off the hardwood and outside Studio J, in the collegiate halls of Auburn, that is likely where Barkley’s legacy will resonate the most.
