“They’re the Biggest Freeloaders”: Charles Barkley Explains Why NBA Players Need to get Rid of Family and Friends

Charles Barkley has certainly earned his status as an NBA legend. He took home an MVP award in 1993 and was nominated to the Basketball Hall of Fame as soon as he was eligible. But just because he was incredibly skilled doesn’t mean Chuck was perfect in all aspects of the game.

During his playing days, Barkley struggled to stay out of trouble off the court, especially if hecklers were testing him. Sir Charles racked up numerous physical altercations over the course of his career, with road games often proving to be particularly challenging.

When Dan Patrick asked Barkley who helped him navigate distractions entering the league, the 11-time All-Star answered, “Nobody.” Chuck explained that once money starts flowing, players often find themselves alone. Even those they once trusted can quickly turn against them.

“First thing you gotta do is get rid of your family and friends,” Barkley told Patrick. “Because they’re the biggest freeloaders and they’ll never tell you no. They’ll use up all your money, too … You’ve got to surround yourself with a few people who, number one, will tell you no. Tell you how to invest your money, how to save your money, tell you, ‘Hey, you’ve had too much to drink.'”

Barkley adamantly claimed that the hardest part of navigating life as a professional athlete is finding the right people to surround yourself with. He then explained that athletes today face the same obstacles he did during his career, only now they have more money to spend.

“But there’s women, there’s alcohol, there’s drugs, that’s everywhere, whether you’re at home or on the road.” Chuck continued. “And sometimes they can all get you in trouble if you don’t control them. And they’re readily available depending on how much money you got.”

When Patrick questioned how Barkley managed to avoid these temptations, he admitted that he didn’t completely.

“Oh, I’ve done stupid things, but I never got into the drug thing,” Chuck told the longtime sportscaster, revealing he had only smoked marijuana four or five times and didn’t understand the hype.

Drugs would have been a fatal combination for Barkley. His tendency to stir up trouble when alcohol was in the mix was known. Had drugs entered the mix,  he may never have developed into the legendary player he became.