Young 1987 Sir Charles Barkley

[JohnnySic]

Young Barkley looked different before he got fat; he actually resembled a basketball player.

[ShaqAttack3234]

Great article, Barkley was a beast that season.

23 ppg, 14.6 rpg, 4.9 apg, 1.8 spg, 1.5 bpg on 59.2% shooting.

One of the most unique players and personalities in NBA history. We'll never see another Charles Barkley. A player 2-3 inches undersized, but heavier than most outrunning and jumping everyone at his position while being able to pass out of the post, handle the ball on the break, shoot jumpers(although not consistently), rebound as well as anyone, block shots and post up anyone.

As far as his height? Well he's likely about 6'5.5"-6'6" without shoes and 6'7" with shoes. Although measurements in shoes are pointless to me.

[CB4GOATPF]

Barkley is only one inch shorter than Larry Johnson.....

Larry Johnson was 6`5 3/4 not even close to 6`7 as they kept listing him (with shoes on maybe 6`6 1/2)

Charles Barkley was 6`4 5/8. With shoes on a close 6`5 3/4

[kNIOKAS]

i never understood why he is reffered at as "sir". please somebody explain!!! is it character? or his bumd ass

[CB4GOATPF]

i never understood why he is reffered at as "sir". please somebody explain!!! is it character? or his bumd ass

Most Probable...Do to his Outspoken Demenor and Authority On Court.

[CB4GOATPF]

Young Barkley looked different before he got fat; he actually resembled a basketball player.

Young Sir Charles Pics







For some part of the 1986-87 season and then from 1989-1993 Charles was in great shape: 252-255 or 260 lbs. Before that and after he he was usually overweight. In Houston he reported to be 28 lbs overweight for parts of the season

In Auburn it was insane: 296 lbs and sometimes 305-310 lbs... take a look at this:

[G.O.A.T]

That was why Dallas took Sam Perkins over Barkley. Barkley led the SEC in Rebounding from the minute he stepped foot on Capus despite being 50 pounds or more overweight. He was not nearly as good an offensive player against zones, because his jump shot was completley useless until near the end of his Sixers days. But we was dominate on the offensive and defensive glass, blocked a ton of shots and would rotuinley steal skip passes and finish fast breaks looking just like the photo in the post above.

This guy may not be "the" greatest PF ever for a variety of reasons, but he's without question among the greatest basketball players and competitors in the history of the game.

There is no pure Power Forward I'd rather have on my team ever and I doubt there ever will be.

[ShaqAttack3234]

Barkley was so versatile that he played a lot of small forward in his career as well, with both The 76ers, The Suns and in 1998 with The Rockets.

[White Chocolate]

Barkley was so versatile that he played a lot of small forward in his career as well, with both The 76ers, The Suns and in 1998 with The Rockets.

That reason alone puts him above Malone IMO. Malone clearly had the longevity advantage, but he wasn't capable of playing 3-4 positions like Barkley.

[G.O.A.T]

That reason alone puts him above Malone IMO. Malone clearly had the longevity advantage, but he wasn't capable of playing 3-4 positions like Barkley.

Malone's longevity gives him the nod most likely, although I agree with the sentiment that at their best, Barkley was the better player and always the guy I liked better and would rather have.

But when comparing and measuring careers, Malone's longevity is so unparalleled and so significant that it can't be over looked. Malone has more 1st team all-NBA selections then any PF ever and as many as Barkley has 1st, 2nd and 3rd combined. As much as I'd like to put Charles above him and feel like CB34 is the better player, without having won a title or a few more MVP's or trips to the finals, Barkley is relegated to the rank of 2nd-4th greatest PF depending on where you position Duncan and Pettit.

[momo]

Great find.

I love how the first tangent in any barkley thread is his height.

~~~

The Sir Charles nick name has to do with Royalty kids.

[ShaqAttack3234]

That reason alone puts him above Malone IMO. Malone clearly had the longevity advantage, but he wasn't capable of playing 3-4 positions like Barkley.

I can't agree. Barkley had the more dominant prime and I believe he could take over a game better than Malone could, but Karl's longevity is basically unmatched. At age 39 in Malone's 18th season he still averaged nearly 21, 8 and 5 on a playoff team. In his 12th season at age 33, Malone peaked averaging 27/10 with 4.5 assists on a 64 team that made it to the finals. he had virtually the same season in 1998 on another finals team.

At age 36 Malone averaged 25.5 ppg, 9.5 rpg and 3.7 apg on a 55 win Jazz team. Karl was 5th in scoring, 8th in FG% and 12th in rebounding. And that was in his 15th season! For his career Karl averaged 25 and 10 with 3.6 apg over 19 seasons.

I think that Karl's ability to continually add to his game as his career went on is amazing. As his athleticism faded he got smarter, became a better shooter and a better passer. In fact that made him a better player than he was in his athletic peak and really extended his career.

I do thinkt hat many make the mistake when comparing them of saying, well Malone is the better shooter, much better defender, scored more, won more ect. That's really deceptive, you had to watch them play because I think that Barkley seemed more unstoppable in his prime.

So basically I agree with G.O.A.T., Barkley had the better peak, but Malone had the better career.

[magnax1]

That reason alone puts him above Malone IMO. Malone clearly had the longevity advantage, but he wasn't capable of playing 3-4 positions like Barkley.

I agree that Barkley was better, but Malone could play the 5, and did so fairly often in his later days in Utah, because they lacked a good center.

[CB4GOATPF]

That reason alone puts him above Malone IMO. Malone clearly had the longevity advantage, but he wasn't capable of playing 3-4 positions like Barkley.

A Prime Malone was never in the level of a Prime Barkley. Infact no Malone was.

Till 1995 I saw Barkley always as a Better Player (not to mention own him in their meetings: 70% of them even till he was crippled) but by the 1995-96 season he could no longer jump and run like before be all over court.: that was crucial for his game u know? so that is when his game impact began to decline...

A 1985-86 - 1994-95 Barkley was so much better its not even debatable...

Only Jordan and Hakeem are comparable to Barkley during those runs and during the Late 80s only Jordan especially if you include the level of teamates he played from 87-92= pathetic and those where his best Seasons Both Physically and Game Wise.

In 1992: Barkley already had set the record for Highest 2-Point FG% ever at 61%.

Imagine a guy that shoots that efficient and is doubled many times 12-15 ft way from the rim while himself creating that Shot! (not like McHale who waited for Bird or DJ to set him and i won`t even go into Stockton`s-Malone`s Parastical Connection): sometimes tripled by help of Perimeter Players timing his 1st step! The whole other team was focused looking at what Barkley would do it was insane!

They had to Chane the Rules cause of him: "5 Second Back to the Basket"

No other Player Ever has Created More Ilegal Defenses than Barkley in his Time and it was funny seeing them trying not to commit it while Barkley would force it: everyone was trying to prevent him from shooting the Mid Range (one of the deadliest ever) and his Off the Dribble Rumbles, 1st Steps or Spins.

2nd Most Efficient Leading to Score Player Per Possesion of All Time, after Magic Johnson (now Magic had Kareem, Worthy, McAdoo, Scott, Cooper etc as finishers...Barkley had who? HIMSELF AS A DESIGNER AND FINSIHER WHILE DOUBLED-TRIPLED!!!)

Just

BTW: Barkley also played Center for the Sixers after Malone left for some games and even with the Suns

I`ve seen Barkley guard Parish, Shaq, Hakeem...etc

[CB4GOATPF]

I can't agree. Barkley had the more dominant prime and I believe he could take over a game better than Malone could, but Karl's longevity is basically unmatched. At age 39 in Malone's 18th season he still averaged nearly 21, 8 and 5 on a playoff team. In his 12th season at age 33, Malone peaked averaging 27/10 with 4.5 assists on a 64 team that made it to the finals. he had virtually the same season in 1998 on another finals team.

At age 36 Malone averaged 25.5 ppg, 9.5 rpg and 3.7 apg on a 55 win Jazz team. Karl was 5th in scoring, 8th in FG% and 12th in rebounding. And that was in his 15th season! For his career Karl averaged 25 and 10 with 3.6 apg over 19 seasons.

I think that Karl's ability to continually add to his game as his career went on is amazing. As his athleticism faded he got smarter, became a better shooter and a better passer. In fact that made him a better player than he was in his athletic peak and really extended his career.

I do thinkt hat many make the mistake when comparing them of saying, well Malone is the better shooter, much better defender, scored more, won more ect. That's really deceptive, you had to watch them play because I think that Barkley seemed more unstoppable in his prime.

So basically I agree with G.O.A.T., Barkley had the better peak, but Malone had the better career.

Better Shooter? is Laughable ...see thats what happens when kids of today just watch the mixes in youtube and see all Barkley DUnks

Scored more because he Shot More...

A True Barkley fan will never even be so much impressed at his Dunks, Break Finishers, Coast to Coasts or Dunks...that was just a common theme...

A Dude that Shot 58% 2-Point FG (21.6 PPG) for 16 Seasons and 55.13% 2-Point FG for his Play-off Runs (22.5 PPG) while being the Most Doubled and Tripled Player in the late 80s and early 90s till the Arrival of Shaq...had to have something right?

Malone Shot 52%... 2-Point FG (24.7 PPG) Season while taking alot more attempts and decreased to 46.7% 2-Point FG on (24.6 PPG) in his Play-Off Runs something like that...while ofcourse taking more attempts...

*Ofcourse with Stockton Designing his Scoring....through Rolls and Timed Fast Break Looks....

To Describe Sir Charles...

Well just imagine Shaq at 6`5 with Adrian Dantley-Bernard King Mid Range Game Face Front and By Far the GREATEST SPIN MOVER EVER for a Frontliner.

Barkley was the Precusor of Shaq`s Black Tornados....he could do it both ways and turn the other way and do it again left or right. He could shoot left handed in the paint while hammerd by 2 players etc..

Barkley was a more skilled version of Shaq at 6`5 with Guard and Center Indisincts to Create, Pass and Time Blocks...with a Passion for The Game for Rebounds that is IMO not comparable to anyone: Moses and Rodman come to mind