Charles Barkley

Charles Wade Barkley ( born February 20, 1963 in Leeds, Alabama ) is a retired American basketball player. The power in 1993, elected Most Valuable Player Forward is one of the best basketball players in history. In 1996, he was selected by the NBA as one of the 50 best players of all time. An NBA championship could Barkley (nicknamed " Sir Charles" ) never win, but he won with the known as Dream Team basketball national of the United States at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona and 1996 in Atlanta two gold medals. In 2006 he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

After his career as a basketball player Barkley has started a successful career as a sports commentator for Turner Network Television and written several books.

Career

College

Barkley went to the Leeds High School, which is located 16 km outside of Birmingham, Alabama. At the age of 15, he was 1.78 meters tall and weighed 99.8 kg. In the summer he grew again almost 18 cm and was admitted to the basketball team where he was able to record 19.1 points and 17.9 rebounds on average. He led his team into the state semifinals. In a game against one of the most recruited players in the country, Bobby Lee Hurt, Barkley scored 26 points, and thus attracted the attention of the coach of Auburn University, Sonny Smith, who then recruited him for the Auburn University.

Barkley played basketball for three years, the Auburn University. Although he had trouble keeping his weight under control, he was able to hold as an outstanding player and led the Southeastern Conference each year in the category of rebounds. Although Barkley was smaller than the average center, he was employed at the College on this position. He quickly became one of the most popular players, as he surprised the fans with dunks and blocks that you did not trust because of his height and his slight weight him. It was not rare that Barkley took a defensive rebound and graduated in place of a passport the action after a dribble even with a dunk. His physique and his skills earned him the nickname " The Round Mound of Rebound ".

In his three-year college career, Barkley scored a average of 14.8 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and 1.6 assists in a hit rate of 68.2 % from the field. He has received numerous awards, among other things, he was selected in the Team All- SEC for SEC Player of the Year in 1984 and three times. The Birmingham Post - Herald appointed Barkley to the SEC player of the decade ( 1980-1989 ).

Since March 3, 2001 Barkley's jersey number 34 is not assigned when the Auburn Tigers.

Philadelphia 76ers ( 1984-1992 )

The 1.97 meter tall Barkley in 1984 brought the fifth of NBA Drafts by the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA. The team from Philadelphia was at that time one of the absolute top teams in the league who could win the NBA championship in 1983 and had the center Moses Malone and Julius Erving the small forward two former MVPs under contract. Along with Barkley had the Sixers one of the best trios in the league. However, they lost the final series of the Eastern Conference against the reigning champions Boston 4-1. Barkley recorded during the regular season an average of 14 points and 8.6 rebounds and 14.9 points in the playoffs even and 11.1 rebounds per game. At the end of the season he was voted team in the NBA All - Rookie. In his second year, Barkley has been improved during the regular season on 20 points and 12.8 rebounds per game, but failed with the 76ers in the second round of the playoffs to the Milwaukee Bucks. After the season, Moses Malone was released by the 76ers to the Washington Bullets and Barkley thus became the leader of the team. In his third season, 1986/1987, to Barkley brought with 14.6 rebounds per game, the most rebounds by all players. In addition, his points average shot up to 23 points, but in the playoffs you failed for the second year in a row to the Bucks. After the season, Julius Erving announced his resignation and Barkley became the superstar of the 76ers. In the next season, Barkley scored 28.3 points and 11.9 rebounds per game took, but the 76ers made ​​it for the first time since the NBA season 1974/1975 is not in the playoffs. The following season, 1988/1989, they made ​​their way into the playoffs, but ended up in the first round of the New York Knicks defeated.

In the NBA season 1989/1990 Barkley was second in the election for NBA MVP, directly behind Magic Johnson. He was elected for the third consecutive year in the All- NBA First Team and the fourth year in a row to the NBA All-Star. He helped the 76ers to 53 wins in the regular season, but failed in the second round of the playoffs to the Chicago Bulls. In the following, his seventh season with the 76ers, Barkley recorded still strong 27.6 points and 10.1 rebounds per game and got his fifth NBA All- Star Game even the NBA All -Star Game MVP Award. However, in the playoffs, the 76ers had again the Chicago Bulls and their leader Michael Jordan defeated. In his last season with the 76ers, he was able to achieve 23.1 points and 11.1 rebounds per game, but his team did not make it to qualify for the playoffs. He finished his career with the 76ers in fourth place the best scorer with 14,184 points and in third place in rebounds with 7079th

Before Barkley had a found a new club, he was nominated for the original Dream Team of 1992. Here he played alongside NBA legends as Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. For many experts, this dream team was the best team that has ever played together. Without problems, the Dream Team won the gold medal at the Olympic Games in Barcelona. Both during the preparation and during the Olympic Games Charles Barkley was the best scorer of the team.

Phoenix Suns (1992-1996)

On 17 July 1992 Barkley was sent in exchange for Jeff Hornacek, Tim Perry and Andrew Lang to the Phoenix Suns. In his first season scoring 25.6 points Barkley, fetched 12.2 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game distributed and thus led his new team to 60 wins in the regular season. He was elected then the MVP of the regular season. Despite 26.6 points and 13.6 rebounds in the NBA playoffs Barkley failed the Suns in the NBA Finals to Michael Jordan and his Chicago Bulls. The following season, Barkley speculated so that it could be his last due to severe back pain. Nevertheless, there was enough in the season for 21.6 points and 11.2 rebounds per game and eighth nomination for the NBA All-Star in a row. After 56 wins in the regular season the Suns made ​​it to the Western Conference Finals where they succumbed to the Houston Rockets defeated after seven games.

Barkley decided against retiring as an active player, playing despite injury problems in the following season. The Suns won 59 games in the regular season 1994 /1995 but lost again against the title now defending Rockets. The NBA season 1995/1996 should be the last one for Barkley at the Suns. He led the team with his 23.3 points and 11.6 rebounds per game this season, reaching the tenth player in NBA history to 20,000 points and 10,000 rebounds. In the playoffs, the Suns had to say goodbye but after only four games against the San Antonio Spurs.

Houston Rockets (1996-2000)

Even before the NBA went off 1996/1997 season, Barkley in exchange for Sam Cassell, Robert Horry, Mark Bryant and Chucky Brown was sent to the Houston Rockets. The Rockets Barkley had two teammates were among the best in the history of the league: Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler. In his first game Barkley was able to set up a new Career High of 33 rebounds. Injury problems kept him in 53 games, but the Rockets were still able to win 57 games. In the Western Conference Finals but it was not enough against the Utah Jazz.

The following season, the injury problems were not less, and the Rockets were able to enter only 41 victories. In the playoffs, they were again eliminated by the Jazz in the first round. The 1998/1999 season was shortened by the lockout, but Barkley had ample time to make the second player after Wilt Chamberlain in NBA history to be who was able to record 23,000 points, 12,000 rebounds and 4,000 assists for yourself. In the playoffs, but the Rockets could not keep up with the Los Angeles Lakers and were once again eliminated in the first round. In his last season in the NBA Barkley's career seemed to be ended prematurely, when he retired due to an injury of the left quadriceps. Since he did not want his career to end like this, he returned after four months back for one last game. He scored on 19 April 2000 his last basket in a game against the Vancouver Grizzlies, could be then replaced immediately and resigned after the game as an active player.

Today 's active Charles Barkley as a commentator and expert on the American television channel TNT and as an advertising medium and promoter for T- Mobile USA.

Awards

Barkley was eleven -time All- Star and was elected in 1991 with 17 points, 22 rebounds and 4 assists for the MVP of the All- Star Games. Five times he was in the All- NBA First Team (1988, '89, '90, '91, '93), a further five times in the All- NBA Second Team (1986, '97, '92, '94, '95 ) and 1996 in the All- NBA Third Team.

Others

In 1996 he played alongside NBA stars Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing, Larry Johnson, Shawn Bradley and Muggsy Bogues in the animated film Space Jam with.

After a drunk driving on New Years Eve 2008 Barkley had 7 March 2009 for three days in jail. The prison time was reduced after participation in a program for the treatment of alcohol withdrawal.

NBA Records

  • He is one of four players ( also Kareem Abdul -Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain and Karl Malone ), which reach more than 20,000 points, 10,000 rebounds and more than more than 4,000 assists in her career.
  • On 4 May 1994, he scored in the third game of the first round against the Golden State Warriors 38 points in the first half, a record that still exists today. The 56 points in the game mean the third best value in a playoff game (along with Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain ).
  • In the play-offs he reached four times a triple double (1986, 1991 and twice in 1993 ), only eight players get more. (2012 )
  • As one of 15 players he managed in a final match ( on 16 June 1993 with the Phoenix Suns against the Chicago Bulls) a triple double (32 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists ). (2012 )
  • In 1992 and 1996 he won gold at the Olympics as top scorer.
  • Since 2006 he is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
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