Ranking the top 50 players in NBA history…
It’s crazy to think that Barkley is known primarily as a media personality to so many young fans who never had the pleasure of watching his playing career.
“Sir Charles” (also known as “the Round Mound of Rebound”) played 16 seasons in the NBA, and he was a top-6 MVP vote-getter in eight of them, winning the award in 1993 at the height of his powers on the Phoenix Suns.
Drafted No. 5 overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1984, he played for the 76ers (1984–1992), Suns (1992–1996), and Houston Rockets (1996–2000), collecting 11-time NBA All-Star selections and 11 All-NBA Team selections.
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He [led the Suns](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnXj1XqornM) to the NBA Finals in 1993 and would have won had it not been for a guy named Michael Jordan.
Barkley was always a monster on the boards. He led the league in rebounding in the 1986–87 season with a 14.6 average and only finished with a sub-10 rebounding average in one season (his rookie year).
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Barkley averaged 22.1 points, 11.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game in 1,073 games. He was the fourth player in NBA history to reach 20,000 points, 10,000 rebounds and 4,000 assists.
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He competed in the 1992 and 1996 Olympics, winning gold medals with the U.S. team, including the 1992 “Dream Team.” His accolades include induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006 and selection to the NBA’s 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams.
Featured image via USA TODAY Sports