As a player, Charles Barkley was perhaps the greatest anomaly in basketball history. Listed at 6-6 but actually closer to 6-4, he played power forward as well as anyone in the history of the NBA, often dominating players half a foot taller.
The numbers back him up. Along with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Karl Malone, Barkley is one of only four players in NBA history to have compiled at least 20,000 points, 10,000 rebounds and 4,000 assists.
CHARLES BARKLEY
Full Name: Charles Wade Barkley
Born: 2/20/63 in Leeds, Ala.
High School: Leeds (Ala.)
College: Auburn
Drafted by: Philadelphia 76ers (1984)
Transactions: Traded to Phoenix Suns, 6/17/92; Traded to Houston Rockets, 8/19/96
Height: 6-6;
Weight: 252 lbs.
Honors: Elected to Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (2006); NBA MVP (1993); All-NBA First Team(1988, '89, '90, '91, '93); All-NBA Second Team (1986, '97, '92, '94, '95); All-NBA Third Team (1996); 11-time All-Star; All-Star MVP (1991); One of 50 Greatest Players in NBA History (1996); Olympic gold medalist (1992, '96).
But when the conversation turns to Barkley's exploits, many people think first of the always entertaining, sometimes outrageous running commentary on basketball and life he provided throughout his celebrated 16-year NBA career.
Some never thought he'd ever get that far. Though Barkley brought vitality, attitude and a host of skills to professional basketball, he was viewed as an oddity coming out of college. Nicknamed the "Round Mound of Rebound", many considered Barkley an undersized power forward with rebounding as his only discernible basketball skill.
Undeterred, Barkley quickly buried that reputation when he began playing for the Philadelphia 76ers. It was not rare to see the neophyte Barkley grab a rebound amongst a crowd, rumble downcourt with the ball and finish with a monster slam. In a half-court offense, he could fill it up from the paint or the perimeter. And on the defensive end, he would play the passing lane for a steal or block a center's shot.
His awe-inspiring play demanded full respect and earned him a new nickname: Sir Charles.