Charles Barkley

Charles Wade Barkley (born February 20, 1963) is an American former professional basketball player who is a television analyst on TNT and CBS Sports. Nicknamed "Sir Charles", "the Bread Truck", and "the Round Mound of Rebound", Barkley played 16 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Though shorter than the typical power forward, he used his strength and aggression to become one of the NBA's best rebounders and scorers. Widely regarded as one of the greatest power forwards in NBA history, Barkley was an 11-time NBA All-Star, 11-time member of the All-NBA Team, and the 1993 Most Valuable Player (MVP). He was named to the NBA's 50th and 75th anniversary teams. An All-American at Auburn University, Barkley was drafted as a junior by the Philadelphia 76ers with the fifth pick of the 1984 NBA draft. In his rookie season, Barkley was named to the All-Rookie First Team in 1985. In the 1986–87 season, Barkley led the league in rebounding average and earned his first rebounding title. He was named the All-Star Game MVP in 1991, and in 1993 with the Phoenix Suns, he was voted the league's MVP while leading the team to the NBA Finals. He also competed in the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games, winning two gold medals as a member of the U.S. national team. In 2000, Barkley retired as the fourth player in NBA history to achieve 20,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, and 4,000 assists. Barkley is a two-time inductee into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, being inducted in 2006 for his individual career, and in 2010 as a member of the 1992 Olympic "dream team." Barkley was popular with the fans and media and made the NBA's All-Interview Team for his last 13 seasons in the league. He was frequently involved in on- and off-court fights and sometimes stirred national controversy, such as in March 1991 when he spat on a young girl while attempting to spit at a heckler, and 1993 when he declared that sports figures should not be considered role models. Since retiring as a player, Barkley has had a successful career as an NBA analyst. He works for TNT on Inside the NBA alongside Shaquille O'Neal, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson as a studio pundit for its coverage of NBA games (for which he has won four Sports Emmy Awards). In addition, Barkley has written several books and has shown an interest in politics.