Did Charles Barkley win a championship? All you need to know about the NBA legend
Charles Barkley is now a funny and sometimes controversial basketball analyst for TNT. The “Chuckster” regularly gets ribbed by his colleagues in the studio for his form, unabashed love for Krispy Kreme and loud guarantees.
Before settling into his role as an analyst and part-time golfer, Barkley was one of the NBA’s most impressive players. He’s only 6'5" but he had a much bigger impact on the basketball court than his height and frame indicated.
Not many in the NBA can match "Sir Charles'" glittering resume. As accomplished as Barkley was, though, he never won a championship.
The Philadelphia 76ers nabbed Charles Barkley with the fifth pick of the legendary 1984 NBA Draft. He entered pro basketball alongside Hakeem Olajuwon, Michael Jordan, Alvin Robertson, Sam Perkins, Otis Thorpe, and others.
The “Round Mound of Rebound” made the 76ers, who still had Moses Malone, Julius Erving, Andrew Toney, and Bobby Jones, even more formidable. Philly appeared in the NBA Finals in 1982 and won the championship in 1983 by sweeping the LA Lakers.
The #Sixers drafted Charles Barkley with the No. 5 pick in the NBA Draft #OTD in 1984. https://t.co/QWxOcDlxb9
Barkley’s addition ensured that the 76ers would be legit title contenders for years to come. Philadelphia had a superb blend of veterans (Erving, Malone and Jones) and emerging stars (Toney and Barkley) in 1984.
The Philadelphia 76ers immediately reached the Eastern Conference Finals in Charles Barkley’s rookie year. They, unfortunately, ran into the juggernaut called the Boston Celtics led by Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, and Dennis Johnson. Philly won one game in the series.
Unfortunately for Barkley, the 76ers never reached the conference finals again during his stint in Philly. Philadelphia executed two of the worst deals in NBA history in the summer of 1986. “Chuck” would admit years later that ruined his career with the 76ers.
The 76ers pushed the Milwaukee Bucks to a Game 7 in the 1986 playoffs despite not having Moses Malone, who was an All-Star that season. In June of that year, they traded him to the Washington Bullets for Cliff Robinson and Jeff Ruland.
Malone was Barkley’s mentor and big brother. “Chuck” wasn’t consulted about the move and was angry with what the 76ers did.
Just hours before dealing Malone to the Bullets, the Philadelphia 76ers also traded the No. 1 pick of the 1986 draft to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Roy Hinson. Brad Daugherty became a Cavalier on draft night.
The Detroit Pistons and the emerging Chicago Bulls shut down Charles Barkley’s championship aspirations in Philadelphia.
Also read: Charles Barkley bluntly reveals what ruined his career with the Philadelphia 76ers: “Trading Brad Daugherty screwed up my entire Philadelphia career”
Charles Barkley’s closest chance to an NBA championship came in 1993
In the summer of 1992, the Philadelphia 76ers traded Charles Barkley to the Phoenix Suns for Jeff Hornacek, Tim Perry, and Andrew Lang. Philly didn’t even ask Phoenix for first-round picks to move the perennial MVP candidate.
In Barkley’s first season with the Suns, he won his only MVP award and carried his team to the best record in the NBA.
Phoenix eliminated the LA Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, and Seattle SuperSonics on their way to the NBA Finals. Waiting for them were the two-time champs, the Chicago Bulls, led by Michael Jordan.
On this date in 1993...
Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley each scored 42 points in Chicago’s 111-108 victory, marking the first time in NBA Finals history that opposing players each scored 40 or more points in a Finals game. https://t.co/YjpTqie2DN
"Chuck" played like a true MVP in the championship round. He averaged 27.3 points, 13.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. The Suns, however, just couldn’t overcome arguably the NBA’s best player.
Michael Jordan sizzled in the series with 41.0 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 6.3 APG, and 1.7 SPG. Barkley’s hopes of a championship ring ended in six games in the 1993 NBA Finals.
“Sir Charles” played four seasons with the Houston Rockets before retiring in 2000. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.
Also read: When Charles Barkley said "I felt like there was a better basketball player in the world than me" after facing Michael Jordan in the 1993 NBA Finals