There are many hats that Charles Barkley can don. But when The Chuckster becomes a marriage counselor, it is great viewing for many because of the surprise element he brings with it.
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The former MVP has the perfect partner in Maureen Blumhardt, standing beside him in all the good, bad, and ugly days. Chuck and Maureen got hitched in 1989, and in the same year, the couple had a daughter, whom they named Christiana.
In a 2022 interview with former WWE presenter Renne Paquette, Barkley shared the downside of being the wife of an NBA superstar and how Maureen accepted him with all his flaws. Talking about his NBA career, Chuck said the following –
“Being in the limelight, people look at the good stuff. It’s a lot of crap that goes on behind the scenes.”
Barkley proceeded to give marriage advice to his fans watching him. While he may not be everyone’s cup of tea, Barkley is one of the most honest television personalities in recent times.
The Alabama native never hesitates to speak his mind, which has often landed him in trouble as well. However, Chuck refuses to change, and that’s why we love him and listen to what he says carefully.
The eleven-time All-Star was all praise for his life partner, calling her a great wife and mother. When asked about the secret to his successful marriage, he replied –
“Well, no.1 I’m gone a lot that always helps,” Barkley joked.
“I think the main reason is she accepts my flaws and all. She doesn’t judge me, accepts me how I am, she’s a great mother.”
But it wasn’t love at first sight and all hunky dory for the couple. Barkley took a long time to express his feelings to Blumhardt. Their relationship took a turning point when a shy Barkley gave her two tickets to a 76ers game after months of chit-chat.
However, both had a major misunderstanding. Barkley, the then rising star of the 76ers, asked some of his female friends to spot her from afar in the stands. So Blumhardt mistook him as a player who had many ‘jealous girlfriends’.
On the other hand, Blumhardt attended the game with a young man, whom Barkley believed was her boyfriend. Both of them never wanted to see each other again. It was only after the misconceptions were clarified that Barkley and Blumhardt started talking, then dated and soon after, got married and had a child.
Barkley has credited his wife for mellowing him as a person, which also impacted his performances as a player and how he transformed into someone who is a doting family man and a broadcaster after his retirement. The stability in his personal life is something many NBA stars and other celebrities crave for, till date.
