When Charles Barkley was dragged to shopping by Julius Erving for changing his dowdy wardrobe: “They took me to Boards store & I spent like $25,000”
Hall of Famer Charles Barkley was in for a polite, yet rude, awakening when he joined the league. After being selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1984 draft, Barkley found himself alongside NBA greats like Julius Erving and Moses Malone. Dr. J took the Auburn alum, who lived a modest life before being drafted, under his wing to teach him the responsibility of being a star.
Before the draft, and early in his rookie season, Barkley was notorious for wearing sweatsuits. Like many, Barkley had a wide assortment of sweatsuits he wore whenever possible. Although the combination of comfort and style was perfect for the Alabama native, he quickly realized that wouldn't fly on the 76ers.
As he recalled on a podcast with Jackie MacMullan, it was his mentor, Dr. J, who taught him that a superstar can't be seen wearing sweatsuits 24/7. So, what did Dr. J and the 76ers vets do? They took him shopping to completely overhaul his wardrobe.
“They took me to Boards store. And I spent like $25,000. I was like, ‘Are y’all crazy?’ Because I ain’t never made any money in my life. They buy me about 10 to 15 suits, and the bill was like $25,000. When I got the bill, I was like, ‘Man, y’all are crazy.’"
He continued, explaining the significance of that amount of money to him and his family.
"I remember calling my agent and my mom and grandma, ‘I spent $25,000 today, y’all.’ And my grandmother says, ‘I never made that much money in my life.’ And it was so funny, but they were right. This is professional basketball, you can’t walk around in sweats.”
You can see Barkley recalling the situation below on an episode of Icons Club. The story begins shortly after the one-minute mark.
Dr. J's lasting impact on Charles Barkley
Charles Barkley said during the podcast that there were many things Dr. J and the rest of the Philadelphia 76ers legends taught him. During his three years alongside Erving, one of the most important lessons he learned was the power of being a superstar. While the idea of being the face of a franchise is appealing to some, Erving made sure Barkley understood the ups and downs of the role.
(Suggested reading: Dr. J weighs in on the GOAT debate)
As he learned from Erving, being a superstar meant more than just winning games and looking good for the camera. Being a leader and a superstar meant that Barkley had to put in extra work to make sure his teammates felt included and valued. With the blame of failure and the credit of success all going to a team's superstar, it was on Barkley to make sure his teammates felt valued and heard.
"You’ve got to make those guys feel special 'cause, No. 1, you’re getting all the credit," Barkley said. "Hey, when you all go to dinner, you grab the check. Every holiday, if a guy’s stuck in town, you make sure they come to your house.”
Below you can see a video of the two men sitting down for a heart-to-heart in honor of the NBA 75 campaign last year.
Suggested reading: Charles Barkley breaks down Dr J vs. Larry Bird fight