Despite a toned down and relaxed vibe presented by Charles Barkley since his retirement, the former NBA MVP was a hassle during his playing career, where he picked on his counterparts more often than not.
Advertisement
Barkley arrived in the NBA in 1984 as the fifth overall pick, behind Hakeem Olajuwon and Michael Jordan. Chuck has since seen a great deal of individual success. Yet, he was unable to transcend those phenomenal displays into accolades for the franchises he represented.
Ironically, the 59-year-old was not known for either of these reasons and had become a prominent name within the league, not to mention globally, for his candor and ruthless personality.
Just confer with former NBA champion Michael Finley for an emphasis on just how substantial his character was.
Also Read: Charles Barkley Once Made a Generous $25,000 Tip Due to his Gambling Habit
Michael Finley tells all about Charles Barkley!
Michael Finley graced the league as a rookie, with the Phoenix Suns in 1996. Charles Barkley, who was edging towards the twilight years of his career was a member of the Suns’ roster at the time as well.
Prior to his departure from the franchise, Barkley taught the fresh faces a lesson in respect. One that Finley is yet to forget about. During their initial practices, the 11-time NBA All-Star gave Finley a reality check on the NBA.
Speaking about the scenario, Finley stated-
“One of the first practices I go to the lane and I try to dunk on them. He’s like ‘Okay young fella, you got heart. I appreciate that.’ He said ‘ You keep that up, you got a chance.’ So I’m like yeah, Charles giving me props. So I did it again. Mm-hmm. Not this time. Boom! On the floor. He said ‘Nah rookie, it ain’t that easy at this level’. So Charles was mad, he fouled me pretty good and he put me on the ground.”
An insight into just how onerous the NBA actually is!
Charles Barkley was an absolute unit back in the day!
How often do you come across a player who was categorized as overweight, yet went on to terrorize the league during his prime? Well, ‘Chuck’ was the aforementioned anomaly that the league had borne witness to.
During his prime, Barkley averaged and went toe to toe with the likes of Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Hakeem Olajuwon, Karl Malone, and so on and so forth.
A career that has been overlooked far too often, due to his character.
