Former NBA player and TNT co-panelist Kenny Smith heaps praise of Charles Barkley, narrating how he made the league change its rules.
Popularly nicknamed The Round Mound of Rebound, Charles Barkley was one of the rare species in the NBA. Standing at 6ft 4, the Alabama native was undersized for his power forward position. However, this never deterred from being a dominant force in the paint.
The Chuckster used strength and aggressiveness to the fullest and was versatile enough to play both ends of the floor. Barkley’s ability to collect rebounds was something one could only imagine the big men do, as he averaged a career 22.1 PPG and 11.7 RPG.
The 1992-93 season was a landmark year for Barkley, winning the MVP and making his Finals debut with the Suns. Unfortunately, this wasn’t enough to get past Michael Jordan and the Bulls, who would rob Chuck of his only chance at the Larry O’Brien trophy.
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Nonetheless, the Suns MVP left behind a rich legacy and was enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Barkley was also part of the NBA’s recently assembled 75th-anniversary team.
During a segment of NBA’s 75 stories featuring The Chuckster, Kenny Smith had some high words of praise for his co-panelist.
Kenny Smith narrates how Charles Barkley’s uniqueness made the NBA introduce a new rule.
Both Smith and Barkley have been co-panelists on the award-winning show Inside the NBA for over two decades, and the camaraderie that the two share is evidence of their friendship. Thus it was great to have The Jet speak on Chuck during the latter’s episode of NBA’s 75 stories.
The two-time Rockets champion gave his flowers to Barkley, saying the following.
“I would say that Charles is one of the most unique players that ever played basketball. His ability to be 6ft 4 and play power forward, we all know that’s unique, and he’s 6ft 4, not 6ft5. This is when you know how great you are, Michael Jordan, they said, there’s an illegal offensive rule, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar there was a rule of no dunking because of him, Charles Barkley, they were like you cannot back down for more than 5-seconds. They changed the rule because he (Charles) was so good that’s when you know you’re on a different level on the playing field that they’re changing a rule just based on your skill set.”
The rule that was brought into effect, courtesy of Barkley stated that a player positioned under the extended free throw line cannot dribble the ball with their side or back to the basket for more than 5-seconds.
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FAQs
Listed at 6'6" and 250 lbs, but in truth closer to 6'4", Barkley is the shortest player in NBA history to lead the league in rebounding, averaging 14.6 rebounds per game during the 1986-87 season.
What ended Charles Barkley career? ›
Chuck was named The Round Mound of Rebound for his exceptional rebounding skills. The league named him the 1993 MVP, who fiercely went against his opponents. It was surprising for fans when Chuck retired in 2000. When Chuck injured his knee, he knew that this would be the end of his basketball career.
Why is NBA on TNT ending? ›
Because TNT does not broadcast the N.B.A. finals, the show's season will end after the Western Conference finals. Game 5 is Thursday night, with Dallas holding a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. “Inside the NBA” will return next season, but whether that will be its last remains to be seen.
Does Kenny Smith have a wife? ›
How tall was the shortest NBA player ever? ›
Muggsy Bogues is the shortest NBA player ever at 5′ 3′'. He had a successful career, even if he never won any accolades. He played 889 games (nearly the equivalent of 11 full 82-game seasons) across 14 seasons.
Does Charles Barkley have a degree? ›
“Auburn University,” former LSU star Shaquille O'Neal quipped, as Ernie Johnson (a huge Georgia Bulldogs fan) said, “War Eagle.” Always a good sport, Barkley laughed at himself and said, “Hey, I didn't graduate, in fairness... I'm gonna go back if I need a degree one day.” He wasn't done.
What did Charles Barkley give his daughter? ›
Why did Charles Barkley never won a championship? ›
Charles Barkley also missed out on his ring despite playing with some of the best. The reason is quite simple, he only appeared in the 1993 Finals. Like Malone, there was another player who was dominating the NBA at that time – Michael Jordan.
How much money has Charles Barkley lost? ›
On a recent episode of the "Club Shay Shay" podcast, hosted by former NFL tight end Shannon Sharpe, Barkley spoke about his former gambling problem, which saw him lose $25 million and the respect of his closest friends.
Who owns NBA on TNT? ›
NBA on TNT is an American presentation of National Basketball Association (NBA) games, produced by TNT Sports (formerly known as Turner Sports and later Warner Bros. Discovery Sports).
Multiple news outlets have reported the NBA, which has had broadcast agreements with cable channel TNT since 1989, is about to arrange multi-billion-dollar decade-long packages that do not include one of its legacy partners after the 2024-2025 season.
Where is Shaq now? ›
Shaquille O'Neal is a retired basketball player turned sportscaster. Since his retirement, he has co-anchored Inside the NBA. He is joined by Kenny Smith, Ernie Johnson, and Charles Barkley on the show.
What is Kenny Smith's salary on TNT? ›
What's more, he is also earning a pretty penny, with a reported salary of $16 million per year, per Herald Weekly.
Why is Kenny Smith called the Jet? ›
The newsman watched in awe as Smith repeatedly shredded the defense's tough press, only to "jet" down the court for several easy lay-ups, earning the moniker in the process. That year, Smith was also named a High School All-American and was selected to play in the 1983 McDonald's All-American Game in Atlanta.
Does Kenny Smith have a ring? ›
Kenny won two NBA championships with the Houston Rockets in 1994 and 1995.
Is Charles Barkley 6 7? ›
Charles Barkley was 6 feet 6 inches tall.
Jr.
Is Dwight Howard 6/10? ›
Player profile
Standing 6 feet 10 inches (2.08 m) and weighing 265 pounds (120 kg), Howard plays the center position.
How much did Charles Barkley weigh when he came into the NBA? ›
After graduating college, Barkley weighed 300 pounds. The 76ers wanted him to lose weight and get down to 283 pounds. Barkley had one month to lose the weight, and he did. The night before the draft, Barkley met with the 76ers, weighing only 283 pounds.
How old was Barkley when drafted? ›
Charles Barkley was 21 years old in his rookie season in 1984-85.
