Charles Barkley became a household name in the NBA since his introduction to the league back in 1984. Following his 16 years of playing career, he now showcases his basketball prowess as a television analyst for TNT. Despite being one of the most popular names in the sports world, one question surrounding his personal life takes center stage: “Is Charles Barkley broke?”.
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Thus, it would be interesting to first shed light on how much the 60-year-old had made from his NBA contracts during his playing days. According to Sportac, Chuck had accumulated over $40.6 million in league earnings after representing three franchises. In his last campaign in the NBA, he landed $9 million from his contract with the Houston Rockets, making him one of the highest-paid players in the league.
Alongside that, his collaborations with several brands throughout his journey helped him earn a fortune. Sir Charles has had partnerships with the likes of Nike, Capital One, T-Mobile, FanDuel, Coca-Cola, Right Guard, Taco Bell, and McDonald’s. The 1993 MVP has earned an estimated $5-10 million from his endorsements.
The game changer for the 11x All-Star’s financial status has been his time as an analyst for TNT since 2000. As a part of Inside the NBA crew member, he has two years left on his contract worth $10 million per year. On top of that, he signed a 10-year deal with the network last year worth $317 million, as per Marca. It would serve as a major source of boost in his income, as the NBA world would get to enjoy his antics for a longer period.
So, the veteran has been smart about his approach and decision-making for the most part since his retirement. With a number of his contemporaries going broke over time, it’s fair to say that Barkley has managed his finances well. Despite that, he has been close to following in the footsteps of those former NBA stars on multiple occasions.
How Charles Barkley stayed afloat through times of turmoil
Despite earning a secured amount as a basketball star, he lost nearly all of it. Two years back, Charles opened up about how his agent’s dishonesty cost him a fortune in his career. “I probably got cheated out of 100 million dollars,” he stated before adding, “My first agent was a crook. He stole all my money”.
Not only the circumstances, but his own actions held him back a couple of times. He once mentioned how he had lost a million dollars “somewhere between ten and twenty (times),” due to his gambling addictions. Thus, he had lost at least $10 million in gambling.
It puts on display the eccentric nature of the iconic power forward. Since retirement, he has carried it forward to other parts of his life, channeling it through different activities. Despite slight bumps on the road, it has made him who he is in this century.
