Rare Photos of Charles Barkley

With 11-time All-Star and Hall of Fame power forward Charles Barkley, a.k.a. "Sir Charles" and "The Round Mound of Rebound," turning 53 years old on Feb. 20, 2016, we present these 53 rare photos of the NBA legend.

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
Feb 20, 2014

Rare Photos of Charles Barkley

Circa 1983

Charles Barkley led the SEC in rebounding and his teammates in pizza consumption in each season he was at Auburn.

Circa 1983

During Charles Barkley's three years at Auburn, he averaged 15 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.7 blocks per game. The school retired Barkley's No. 34 jersey in 2001.

1984

Rookie Charles Barkley shoots against Celtics Larry Bird and Robert Parrish. Barkley was taken with the fifth pick in the 1984 draft by the 76ers, joining a veteran team that had won the NBA title the year before.

1984

Charles Barkley's gregarious personality quickly made him a fan favorite. In this photo, the Alabama native takes in a movie at a Philadelphia theater.

1985

Charles Barkley smiles on the bench next to 76ers teammate Moses Malone at The Spectrum in Philadelphia. Barkley and Malone overlapped with the 76ers for two seasons, losing in the Eastern Conference Finals in 1985 and the conference semifinals in '86.

1986

Charles Barkley and his mother, Charcey Glenn, enjoy some down time at Barkley's Philadelphia home.

1986

Charles Barkley, who famously battled weight issues throughout his career, likes what he sees in the mirror.

1986

Charles Barkley smiles on the bench during a game against the Portland Trail Blazers.

1986

Charles Barkley has to be restrained as he gets into an altercation with Kurt Rambis during a game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

1987

Charles Barkley briefly teamed up with World B. Free, bringing together two of the NBA's most outspoken personalities.

1987

Charles Barkley signs autographs for fans before a 76ers game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Although Barkley had one of his best statistical seasons, Philadelphia struggled that year, going 36-46 and missing the playoffs.

1987

Charles Barkley pats a fan on the back after diving into the stands during a game against the Portland Trail Blazers. Barkley posted a career-high scoring average with 28.3 points per game in the 1987-88 season, including 37 points in this loss to the Trail Blazers.

1987

Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images

Charles Barkley shoots against Kareem Abdul-Jabbar during a Sixers-Lakers game in Los Angeles Lakers.

1988

Timothy Busfield (left) and Ken Olin (right), of the hit TV show "Thirtysomething," act out a fantasy scene with Charles Barkley and Mike Giminski before a Clippers-Sixers game in Los Angeles.

1988

Charles Barkley gets upset during a game against the Portland Trail Blazers. The 76ers went 46-36 that season before the New York Knicks swept them in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

1988

Charles Barkley takes a second to smile for the camera during a game against the Lakers in Los Angeles. During the 1988-89 season, Barkley averaged 26 points and 12.5 rebounds per game.

1990

Damian Strohmeyer for Sports Illustrated

Charles Barkley stares down (or up) 7-foot-7 Manute Bol during a game against the Warriors. The two would later become teammates in Philadelphia.

1990

Michael Jordan joins Mike Schmidt and Charles Barkley for a skins game of golf in Philadelphia.

1992

John W. McDonough for Sports Illustrated

Charles Barkley poses for a portrait as a new member of the Phoenix Suns. After averaging more than 20 points and 10 rebounds per game for seven straight seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, Barkley was sent to the Suns for Jeff Hornacek, Andrew Lang and Tim Perry.

1992

Charles Barkley "interviews" his teammate Danny Ainge and Ainge's former Celtic teammates Kevin McHale and Robert Parish at the Boston Garden.

1992

Charles Barkley "confers" with an official during a game against Denver.

1993

Charles Barkley has some fun with fans before a game against the Houston Rockets. He averaged 25.6 points and 12.2 rebounds per game during that season, his seventh of 11 straight All-Star seasons.

1993

Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley flash smiles during Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

1993

Summertime and the living is easy as Sir Charles proved with this memorable pose in a Jacuzzi.

1993

Muggsy Bogues and Charles Barkley talk with Al Franken as Stuart Smalley during the "Daily Affirmation" skit on SNL.

1995

Charles Barkley dresses in royal regalia with children holding his cape at a charity fundraiser.

1995

Patrick Ewing battles for position against Charles Barkley during the NBA All-Star Game in Phoenix.

1995

Charles Barkley poses for a portrait in the Phoenix Suns locker room. The Suns sent Barkley to the Houston Rockets after the 1994-95 season as part of a deal to land Chucky Brown, Mark Bryant, Sam Cassell and Robert Horry.

1997

After five seasons in Phoenix, Charles Barkley was traded to Houston. Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, Allen Iverson became the Sixers next great star.

1997

Charles Barkley reminisces with NBA legends Clyde Drexler, Isiah Thomas and Wilt Chamberlain during NBA All-Star Weekend. Barkley spent two seasons on the Houston Rockets with Drexler and played on the Eastern Conference All-Star Team with Thomas for six years.

1998

Charles Barkley lays alongside Reggie Jordan during a Rockets-Timberwolves game. Barkley was hampered by injuries in Houston, missing 145 games in four seasons before retiring in 2000.

1999

Jack Nicholson chats with Charles Barkley during Game 2 of the Lakers-Rockets first round playoff series. Barkley scored 19 points with 13 rebounds in Houston's 110-98 loss as the Lakers went on to win the series in four games. Barkley is one of the best players in NBA history to not win a championship.

2001

Atlanta Braves closer John Smoltz enjoys a laugh with Charles Barkley before a game against the Philadelphia Phillies in Atlanta.

2002

Charles Barkley lifts weights in a gym.

2002

Charles Barkley jokes with Gabrielle Reese at Tiger Woods' foundation fundraiser Tiger Jam V at Rio Secco Golf Club in Henderson, Nev.

2002

Charles Barkley relaxes in a limo for a portrait.

2002

Charles Barkley poses for a portrait. Barkley released a memoir that year titled "I May Be Wrong, But I Doubt It."

2002

Houston Rockets legend Kenny Smith yells out to his teammates as Justin Timberlake and color commentator Charles Barkley look on during a Hoop It Up 4-on-4 competition before the upcoming NBA All-Star Game in Philadelphia.

2004

Auburn alum Charles Barkley watches the Tigers football team take on Tennessee at Neyland Stadium.

2005

SI swimsuit model Carolyn Murphy compares hand sizes with Charles Barkley on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

2006

Charles Barkley sits with Tiger Woods during the Robert Guerrero and Orlando Salido IBF Featherweight Championship fight in Las Vegas. Despite Barkley's attempts to learn how to properly swing a golf club, the two are close friends.

2007

Charles Barkley races NBA referee Dick Bavetta during NBA All-Star Saturday Night in Las Vegas. Barkley won the race.

2009

Charles Barkley and his famously ugly golf shot at the Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic in Clarksburg, Ontario, Canada.

2009

Charles Barkley stretches with golf instructor Suckki Jang during filming for "The Haney Project." Barkley, who has a notorious hitch in his golf swing, appeared with the famed swing coach Hank Haney on his show to try to fix Barkley's swing.

2009

Charles Barkley listens to Hank Haney during "The Haney Project," the reality show in which Haney worked with Barkley to try to fix the hitch in his swing. Haney, who coached Tiger Woods for years, was unable to fix Barkley's swing.

2009

Justin Lubin/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Charles Barkley makes pizza on The Jay Leno Show. Barkley appeared on the show with Biggest Loser contestant Allen Smith. He later became a spokesman for WeightWatchers in 2011.

2010

Charles Barkley gives a Chicago Bulls Luvabulls dancer a flower while broadcasting a Bulls-Heat game. Upon retiring from the NBA in 2000, Barkley quickly went into broadcasting, working as both a studio and color analyst for basketball games.

2010

Chris Haston/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Charles Barkley greets actor Michael Douglas on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

2010

Charles Barkley tans by the pool in Dana Point, Calif. Barkley competed against Shaquille O'Neal in a round of golf as part of O'Neal's television show, "Shaq VS."

2011

Dana Edelson/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Charles Barkley acts in a sketch on Saturday Night Live with Paul Brittain. Barkley hosted the show after appearing on NBC's coverage of the NFL Wild Card playoffs that same day.

2011

Charles Barkley appears in a sketch on Saturday Night Live, spoofing "Inside the NBA," the basketball analysis show on which he regularly appears. Rather than play himself in the sketch, Barkley played the role of Shaquille O'Neal, complete with a fake beard while Kenan Thompson filled in the role of the sketch's Barkley.

2012

Charles Barkley rides onto the set in Thunder Alley on a horse before Game 5 of the 2012 Western Conference Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder.

2014

Charles Barkley celebrates with fans after the Chicago Blackhawks scored against the Los Angeles Kings in Game Seven of the Western Conference Final in Chicago.