Video: Charles Barkley gives eulogy at Moses Malone’s funeral

Charles Barkley gave the eulogy for former teammate Moses Malone on Saturday.

Charles Barkley gave the eulogy for former teammate Moses Malone on Saturday.

“I called Moses dad. I haven't called him Moses since 1985. Every time I saw him, I called him dad ... when I got to the Philadelphia 76ers in 1984 we had a lot of tremendous older brothers on the team,” Barkley said, listing off his teammates. “But there was one guy, and to this day, I never understood why, who took me under his wing, and that was Moses.”

Barkley went on to discuss their relationship and remember Malone, who he said once motivated him by calling him “fat and lazy” when Barkley was a 300-pound rookie with Philadelphia and helping him get his career on track. The two once lived in the same building, and Malone was instrumental in Barkley's transformation into an NBA star.

• Moses and Me: Idolizing a legend | Malone was Chairman of the Boards

“Anybody who connected with him, you were a much better person,” Barkley said. He went on to express his honor at being chosen to speak, calling it bittersweet. “When the family asked me to speak today, it meant my dad was proud of me.”

Malone died at age 60from cardiovascular disease on Sept. 13.

The video, parts of which are censored for language, can be watched below. 

Classic Sports Illustrated photos of Moses Malone

Classic SI Photos of Moses Malone

Moses Malone

June 21, 1974

Moses Malone

Feb. 19, 1979 SI cover

Moses Malone and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

1981 Western Conference Playoffs First Round

Moses Malone and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

1981 Western Conference Playoffs First Round

Moses Malone and Mark Landsberger

1981 Western Conference Playoffs First Round

Moses Malone, Robert Parish and Larry Bird

1981 NBA Finals

Moses Malone

1982 NBA Western Conference Playoffs First Round

Moses Malone and Jack Sikma

May 3, 1982 SI cover

Julius Erving and Moses Malone

1982

Moses Malone and 76ers mascot Big Shot

Oct. 1982

Howard Eskin, Moses Malone, Harold Katz and Billy Cunningham

Oct. 1982

Moses Malone

Oct. 1982

Moses Malone

Oct. 9, 1982

Moses Malone

Oct. 21, 1982

Moses Malone

Nov. 1, 1982 SI cover

Moses Malone and Julius Erving

Feb. 16, 1983

Moses Malone and Allen Leavell

Feb. 18, 1983

Moses Malone and Bill Cartwright

Feb. 20, 1983

Moses Malone and Billy Cunningham

1983 NBA Eastern Conference Finals — Game 1

Moses Malone and Bob Lanier

1983 NBA Eastern Conference Finals — Game 3

Moses Malone, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson

1983 NBA Finals — Game 4

Moses Malone and Kurt Rambis

1983 NBA Finals — Game 4

Moses Malone and Brent Musberger

1983 NBA Finals — Game 4

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

1983 NBA Finals — Game 4

Moses Malone

June 6, 1983 SI cover

Moses Malone

June 1983

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

Jan. 30, 1985

Patrick Ewing and Moses Malone

Oct. 26, 1985

Moses Malone and Manute Bol

Oct. 5, 1986

Moses Malone

Dec. 9, 2006

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- Jeremy Woo