Remembering The Legacy Of NBA Hall-of-Famer, Charles Barkley, On His Birthday
Today, February 20, Charles Barkley turns 61.
The NBA Hall-of-Famer entered the league in 1984 and remains a key contributor to the sport to this day as an analyst and television personality.
Barkley was selected with the fifth pick in the 1984 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. He was already receiving MVP votes by his second season and was an All-Star by his third. Barkley continued to be the face of the 76ers through the 1980s, as he developed into one of the best players in the sport.
Barkley was traded to the Phoenix Suns after spending the first eight years of his career as a 76er. He was named 1992-93 MVP and helped bring the Suns to the NBA Finals in his first season after the trade. Barkley spent four seasons with the franchise. He made the All-Star game all four years.
Barkley’s last stop during his playing career was in Houston. He was traded to the Houston Rockets in the summer of 1996. Barkley was an All-Star for the eleventh time during his first season with the Rockets. He played three more years in the NBA before deciding to call it a career.
Barkley is still one of four players ever to record 20,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, and 4,000 assists. He averaged over 22 points and 11 rebounds during his 16-year career.
Outside of the NBA, Barkley also won two Olympic Gold Medals. He was part of the 1992 Dream Team and was the leading scorer during the 1996 games.
Shortly after retiring, Barkley joined TNT as a basketball analyst. He has continued to grow with the company, as he is now one of the most recognizable personalities at the network. Barkley is an analyst on Inside The NBA.
The world of basketball would be much different without Charles Barkley. So for today, Happy Birthday Chuck.
Casey Fahrer is a contributor to Back In The Day. He can be reached at caseyfahrer716@gmail.com.
You can also check out his personal blog HERE
Go check out his TikTok HERE
