Charles Barkley says he called mentor Moses Malone ‘Dad’

Hall of Famer Moses Malone, who died Sunday at age 60, helped turn Charles Barkley into a Hall of Fame player himself.

Basketball Hall of Famer Moses Malone, who died Sunday at age 60, helped turn Charles Barkley into a Hall of Fame player himself.

In a statement issued Sunday, Barkley said Malone was a father figure. 

“The man I called ‘Dad’ passed today. Words can't explain my sadness,” Barkley said. “I will never know why a Hall of Famer took a fat, lazy kid from Auburn and treated him like a son and got him in shape and made him a player. Every time I saw him I called him 'Dad.' I hope he knew how much I appreciated and loved him.”

Barkley also spoke with ESPN’s Jackie MacMullan and detailed how Malone helped Barkley as a young player with the Philadelphia 76ers, imploring him to lose weight.

• Moses and Me: Idolizing a legend | Vault: Frank Deford on Malone (2.19.79)

NBA teams and players react to the death of Moses Malone

Barkley and Malone spent two seasons as teammates in Philadelphia before Malone was traded to the Washington Bullets. Barkley went on to play 16 seasons in the NBA and was an 11-time All-Star selection.

Barkley told MacMullan he had seen Malone just two days before his death.

“I saw him Friday night at the Hall of Fame,” Barkley said. “I thanked him again for making me the player I became, like I always do.”

Classic Sports Illustrated photos of Moses Malone

Classic SI Photos of Moses Malone

Moses Malone

John Iacono

June 21, 1974

Moses Malone

James Drake

Feb. 19, 1979 SI cover

Moses Malone and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Andy Hayt

1981 Western Conference Playoffs First Round

Moses Malone and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Andy Hayt

1981 Western Conference Playoffs First Round

Moses Malone and Mark Landsberger

Andy Hayt

1981 Western Conference Playoffs First Round

Moses Malone, Robert Parish and Larry Bird

Andy Hayt

1981 NBA Finals

Moses Malone

Andy Hayt

1982 NBA Western Conference Playoffs First Round

Moses Malone and Jack Sikma

Peter Read Miller

May 3, 1982 SI cover

Julius Erving and Moses Malone

John G. Zimmerman

1982

Moses Malone and 76ers mascot Big Shot

John G. Zimmerman

Oct. 1982

Howard Eskin, Moses Malone, Harold Katz and Billy Cunningham

Manny Millan

Oct. 1982

Moses Malone

Manny Millan

Oct. 1982

Moses Malone

Manny Millan

Oct. 9, 1982

Moses Malone

George Tiedemann

Oct. 21, 1982

Moses Malone

Manny Millan

Nov. 1, 1982 SI cover

Moses Malone and Julius Erving

John Iacono

Feb. 16, 1983

Moses Malone and Allen Leavell

Manny Millan

Feb. 18, 1983

Moses Malone and Bill Cartwright

Manny Millan

Feb. 20, 1983

Moses Malone and Billy Cunningham

Manny Millan

1983 NBA Eastern Conference Finals — Game 1

Moses Malone and Bob Lanier

Heinz Kluetmeier

1983 NBA Eastern Conference Finals — Game 3

Moses Malone, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson

Manny Millan

1983 NBA Finals — Game 4

Moses Malone and Kurt Rambis

Manny Millan

1983 NBA Finals — Game 4

Moses Malone and Brent Musberger

Manny Millan

1983 NBA Finals — Game 4

Larry O'Brien, Moses Malone, Billy Cunningham, Julius Erving and Harold Katz

Peter Read Miller

1983 NBA Finals — Game 4

Moses Malone

Manny Millan

June 6, 1983 SI cover

Moses Malone

George Tiedemann

June 1983

Charles Barkley, Maurice Cheeks, Robert Parish, Larry Bird and Moses Malone

Heinz Kluetmeier

Jan. 30, 1985

Patrick Ewing and Moses Malone

Jerry Wachter

Oct. 26, 1985

Moses Malone and Manute Bol

Walter Iooss Jr.

Oct. 5, 1986

Moses Malone

Bill Frakes

Dec. 9, 2006

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- Dan Gartland