harles Barkley's net worth has taken decades to establish, but like they say, good things take time. Charles Barkley was born on February 20, 1963 in Leeds, Alabama. With a small population of only 10,000 people young Charles came into the world in that tiny Alabama town weighing only six pounds and struggling with health problems. At only six weeks old baby Charles needed a complete blood transfusion in order do deal with anemia. Sadly there were problems at home too, and his parents divorced while Charles was still a baby leaving his mother and grandmother to raise the young man. Luckily Charles health improved dramatically as he became older and as a high school freshman Charles was a healthy 5'10" and pursuing his dream of playing in the NBA. By graduation a timely growth spurt had put Charles standing at 6'4" further adding to his eventual basketball career.
Many youngsters who never saw him play in the NBA know Barkley from his 20 years on the Emmy award winning show "Inside the NBA". His strong opinions and humorous ways of articulating himself led to him winning a couple individual sports Emmy awards, resulting in some to proclaim that his career as an analyst has surpassed his 16 year hall of fame NBA career.
Charles Barkley's net worth has been steady over the years, and with a smart team around him, he's been able to make good decisions. However, all of that wouldn't have been possible without his career as a professional basketball player.
NBA Career
Drafted as the fifth overall pick back in 1984 by the Philadelphia 76ers, Barkley joined a team with veteran hall of fame players in Julius Erving and Moses Malone. In particular, during Barkley's early times in the NBA, it was the late Moses Malone who kept Barkley in check and became a mentor to him. Barkley later credited Malone for his role in getting him in the best possible shape and losing approximately 40 to 50 pounds, and this paid positive dividends when it came to Barkley's performance on the court.
Despite being only listed at 6"6 and many pointing out he was even a couple of inches short than that, making him very undersized as a Power Forward, Barkley's massive strength and considerable leaping ability made him a matchup nightmare for the league. He developed excellent footwork in the post and became one of the most elite rebounders in NBA history. He made 11 consecutive all star appearances, but grew frustrated when the 1990's rolled around, mainly due to the fact that his team success didn't match his individual success. Outside of his rookie season when his former teammates Julius Erving and Moses Malone led the 76ers to the Eastern Conference Finals, Barkley's teams never went beyond the second round of the playoffs in his 8 years with the 76ers. He became more vocal about his frustrations to the media and ultimately, the front office had enough and traded him to the Phoenix Suns in 1992.
It was in Phoenix that Barkley enjoyed the best success of his career. Joining Dan Majele and Kevin Johnson, Barkley's Suns became a team that the league had to reckon with. Barkley won his lone MVP in 1993, and his team made the NBA finals against the Chicago Bulls that same year. The series went 6 games, and Barkley played valiantly, but unfortunately, Michael Jordan's impact proved far too great. After a failed attempt to win a championship in Houston a few years later, Barkley retired in 2000, and little did he know that another legendary career was about to begin.
Charles Barkley's Career As An Analyst
When Barkley joined Ernie Johnson and Kenny Smith in 2000 on "Inside the NBA", the show quickly became popular. Even those who don't watch the NBA on a regular basis began to watch the show due to the humor it provided. The three of them had undeniable chemistry, and executives at Turner sports realized this and ensured that this crew stayed together for as long as possible.
One thing about Barkley is that he was never afraid of telling people his opinions. He would tell you the way he sees it without pulling any punches, and sometimes his comments sparked controversy throughout the years, but many dismissed it as "Charles being Charles". Barkley used his knowledge as a former player to assess situations occurring in the modern NBA, and the raw authenticity without sounding remotely fake has propelled the show to legendary heights; with this success continuing after Shaquille O'Neal joined the crew after his retirement in 2011.
Charles Barkley's Net Worth
Charles Barkley's net worth is approximately $40 million. His annual salary with TNT is estimated to be around $1.5 million, and in 2015, he signed a new contract with TNT which goes right through until the 2024-25 NBA season. His peak salary as both an analyst and an NBA player occurred during his final year with the Houston Rockets where he earned a substantial $9 million, which for the time, was significant. He owns a mansion in Scottsdale Arizona which is reportedly worth $2.2 million, and has a liking for cars where he owns a Lincoln Navigator and a Bentley. He also expressed interest a few times in running for the Governor of Alabama, but that didn't pan out.
However, Charles Barkley's net worth has possibly been negatively impacted by his habit of gambling, which stretched back to his playing days. It is known that in under six hours, he once lost $2.5 million playing blackjack. His endorsements include Nike, Right Guard, T-Mobile, McDonalds, and Coca-Cola.
In one of the most debated Nike commercials ever, Barkley once proudly proclaimed he was not a role mode, and that kids should emulate their parents, not athletes or celebrities.
"Just because I could dunk a basketball, doesn't mean I should raise your kids"
The commercial drew a national debate from radio shows throughout the US with callers giving their take on the matter. The commercial was Barkley's idea, and despite the backlash, Nike went along with it, arguing that this publicity would pay dividends in the long run. To this day, this commercial is talked about and the debate is still alive. Charles Barkley's net worth did not suffer from the backlash the commercial faced, since there was the concern that companies wouldn't want to take a risk to have him on a commercial again, but that fear quickly subsided with many defending his statements on the ad.
Personal Life
Barkley is married to Maureen Blumhardt, whom he married in 1989. The couple have one child together, Christina Barkley.
Memorabilia
Sports fans and collectors go crazy for anything that has to do with NBA Allstar Charles Barkley. Sports memorabilia is a massive market where millions of dollars are spent to capture special treasure items and add them to world renowned collections.
There are many collectors of sports memorabilia all over the world who have put serious money into their collections. Bill Mastro is the most famous sports memorabilia collectors on the planet and is widely considered the pioneer of collecting sports memorabilia. His 800 item collection is worth tens of millions of dollars and no doubt has items of Charles Barkley.
If you are a sports memorabilia collector yourself you can find some incredible pieces for your very own collection. A quick search on eBay shows a number of special items that are approachable for many amateur collectors like signed cards, basketballs, jerseys, and even shoes.
Charity Work
Charles Barkley is also known for his incredibly big heart through his work with a variety of charities. Starting of with Ante Up For Africa, a poker tournament organized by Don Cheadle, Charles was happy to be a part of a cause that sent winnings to the ENOUGH project and the International Rescue Committee who raise awareness and provide aid for those in need located in Darfur.
Charles was also involved with a charity called Hillsides that provides safe places and environments for kids in South California who need it.
Another charity many will be familiar with is LIVESTRONG created by Lance Armstrong that provides empowerment and inspiration for those suffering from cancer.
Stand Up To Cancer is non-profit organization that runs website and TV show that raises money for cancer research.
Not On Our Watch is another great cause that Charles has helped out with that aggregates a number of organizations and efforts to end mass atrocities across the globe.
With so much time spent in humanitarian efforts it's no wonder that Charles Barkley has such a well known presence in the world.
Fun Facts
While many people think they know Charles Barkley there are always some fun things to find out behind the scenes. With such a prominent career there comes lots of stories and experiences that add to the legacy of Charles Barkley.
• His pet name for his college girlfriend was Knucklehead, it's unknown why
• He once tried to drove through a security gate with his vehicle following a practice because he was hungry for lunch.
• He uses the name Homer Simpson when staying at hotels.
• He was able to write of thousands of dollars worth of fines by claiming them ordinary expenses on his taxes.
• As a kid he would burn off energy by jumping back and forth over a 5' fence that circled his house.
• Charles Barkley faced off against Arnold Schwarzenegger as they were both spokesman for competing Japanese noodle companies.
• He would always keep kids in mind after games and purposely wear extra sweatbands to hand out after games.
• He was unable to graduate with the rest of his graduating class because he failed Spanish.
• Charles Barkley is a Pisces
• Charles Barkley voiced his own character in the season 28 episode of hit tv show The Simpsons called "The Great Phatsby, Part One"
• He famously failed at throwing a baseball just like 50 Cent did in 2014.
