Standing at 6’4″, Charles Barkley was not big by any means but what he lacked in height he made up for in athleticism and skill. An anomaly.
Advertisement
Charles Barkley was a unique player. In an era of big and strong, he came in like a force of nature. Standing at only 6’4″ he was by no means a big guy and yet he played at the power forward.
In a position that is reserved for the big player Charles aimed to defy the norms and do some unthinkable things. And he did with his rebounding. While we often think of Dennis Rodman as the most legendary rebounder, Charles was not too far behind. And, of course, their numbers don’t compare to Wilt Chamberlain, but we’re not talking about “those numbers”.
Unlike these athletes, Charles was not tall. And despite that, rebounding was his forte. He averaged 10 rebounds a game throughout his career, and that is no mean feat.
Besides his prowess with the glass, Barkley was a very rounded player, literally and figuratively. He was agile and fast, and his size just made him that much harder to push off. This highlight reel below reminds us why he once beat the legendary Michael Jordan to an MVP award.
Charles Barkley against the Showtime Lakers: He runs like Derrick Rose and finishes like Russell Westbrook. pic.twitter.com/r8wwm3d91o
— Oldskoolbball (@Oldskoolbball2) September 17, 2022
Charles Barkley ran like Derrick Rose and finished like Russell Westbrook!
Yes, if you take a closer look at the aforementioned clip, you will see that the Suns’ legend displayed levels of athleticism that are only expected from point guards of the 2010s!
Charles was a monster during his time. He was skilled in the paint and had an array of finishes that would fluster even today’s athletes. Not to mention his ferocity and demeanor would instill fear in the hearts of everyone.
Just take a look at this career mix tape and you will see the sheer skill on display. A truly dazzling and remarkable player of the 1990s.
Do you think we will ever see another player in Barkley’s mold during the modern era? While a lot of new ones are good at one facet, not a lot are as dominant on the boards and scoring, while being small. Sir Charles was truly one of one.
