“SIR CHARLES”
∗ Born February 20, 1963 in Leeds, Alabama; was a basketball star his senior year at Leeds High School, reaching the state semifinals
∗ Recruited by Auburn University, where he played for three seasons, earning nickname “The Round Mound of Rebound”; still holds school record for career field goal percentage (62.6 percent); named Southeastern Conference Player of the Year in 1984; named SEC Player of the Decade by the Birmingham Post-Herald
∗ Drafted by Philadelphia 76ers (fifth pick) in 1984, leaving college before his senior year; team reached the Eastern Conference Finals his first season; named to the NBA All-Rookie Team
∗ Led the league in rebounds (14.6 per game) during the 1986-87 season, the shortest player (6’4”) ever to do so; named Player of the Year in 1990 by The Sporting News and Basketball Weekly
∗ Traded to the Phoenix Suns in 1992 for Jeff Hornacek, Tim Perry and Andrew Lang; led the Suns to NBA’s best record (62-20) and the NBA Finals during his first season; team lost championship to the Chicago Bulls in six games; voted the NBA’s Most Valuable Player that season
∗ Played despite injuries during his next three seasons with the Suns, reaching the playoffs each year; traded to the Houston Rockets after the 1995-1996 season
∗ Won Olympic gold medals as part of the “Dream Team” in 1992 (when pro players were first allowed to compete) and again in 1996 (when he led the team in scoring, rebounds and field goal percentage)
∗ Retired in 2000 as the fourth player in NBA history to surpass 20,000 points, 10,000 rebounds and 4,000 assists (the others: Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone)
∗ Played in 11 All-Star Games and named MVP in 1991 game; selected to All-NBA First Team five times, All-NBA Second Team five times, and once to All-NBA Third Team
∗ Named one of the 50 greatest players of all time by the NBA on its 50th anniversary in 1996
∗ Inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006 for his individual career, and again in 2010 as a Dream Team member
∗ Projected an entertaining, outspoken personality that transcends sports; made controversial comments throughout his career (and after) about topics such as racism, gay rights, abortion, rioting looters, and fellow basketball players; toyed several times with running for Alabama governor
∗ Gained off-the-court notoriety for his “I am not a role model” commercial for Nike, which said parents should be their children’s role models instead of sports stars; also made commercials for T-Mobile, Weight Watchers; featured in several video games, including Barkley, Shut Up and Jam!
∗ Launched a second career in 2000 as a popular TV analyst for NBA coverage on TNT, winning a Sports Emmy Award in 2012; has broadcast every Final Four college tournament on CBS since 2011; named Sports Illustrated‘s Personality of the Year in 2012
∗ Appeared on Sports Illustrated magazine’s cover in 1988, 1992, 1994, 2002; published books Outrageous (1992), Sir Charles (1995), I May Be Wrong, But I Doubt It (2002) and Who’s Afraid of a Large Black Man? (2005), in which he conducts conversations about race with leading figures in entertainment, business, sports and government
∗ Appeared in movies Hot Shots (1991), Look Who’s Talking Now (1993), Forget Paris (1995), Space Jam (1996), He Got Game (1998), Jackie’s Back! TV movie (1999), With A Kiss (2006), Thunderstruck (2012)
∗ Appeared in TV series Santa Barbara (1991), Hanging With Mr. Cooper (1992), Martin (1995), VIP (1998), Arli$$ (1999), Clerks (2000, 2001), The Bernie Mac Show (2005), Suits (2015), Any Given Wednesday (2016), The Simpsons (2017), as well dozens of TV talk shows; hosted Saturday Night Live in 1993, 2010 and 2012
∗ Hosts the annual “Center Court with Sir Charles” black-tie event, begun in 2005, to benefit the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Minority Health & Health Disparities Research Center
∗ Bought house in 1998 with wife Maureen in Scottsdale’s Gainey Ranch area, where he currently lives
∗ Famously arrested for driving under the influence on New Year’s Eve 2008 in Scottsdale, leading to a two-month absence from TNT
∗ Honored with his jersey (#34) being retired by Auburn University, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Phoenix Suns; inspired the naming of Charles Barkley Avenue in birthplace Leeds, Alabama; inspired the 2013 rap song “Charles Barkley” by Migos (which rhymes “Bark-a-ley” with “broccoli”)
∗ Inducted into the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame in 2015
∗ Loves golf but is famous for his notoriously bad swing; often seen playing in celebrity tournaments and on Valley golf courses
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