Charles Barkley became an NBA phenomenon for his capability of consistently rising against the odds. Despite standing at just 6ft 5″, the Alabama-born thrived against adversities time and again to reach the MVP and All-Star caliber. However, his short stature prevented him from actively engaging in one key facet of the game: trash-talking.
During his latest appearance on Club Shay Shay, Barkley shed light on his competitive mindset from his playing days. Chuck highlighted how facing taller players throughout his career developed his strategic thinking. Consequently, while competing in the NBA, he was more bothered about how to mitigate the opposition’s on-court abilities than what to say to them to assert dominance.
On top of this, the 58-year-old showcased his humility, admitting his inability to display authority with his relatively shorter size for his position. As a result, the 1993 MVP had to formulate innovative methods to stand a chance against his contemporaries. Outlining the limitations to his skillset, Barkley mentioned the following:
“If you’re Michael [Jordan], LeBron [James], Kobe [Bryant], Shaq [Shaquille O’Neal], you can outtalent 99% of the guys in the world. But when you’re a 6ft 5″ power forward, you can’t outtalent people…You can’t out-talent people at my size, you have to use your brain”.
These words highlighted Chuck’s understanding and knowledge of his craft. The 11x All-Star never shied away from acknowledging his uncontrollable disadvantages. Rather, he rarely let them get the best of him. After all, his focus solely remained on perfecting the controllable aspects of his gameplay, as he continually aspired to become the best version of himself.
Charles Barkley might not have revealed the entire truth
Amidst the recent declaration, certain comments from his contemporaries point towards a different past. Kevin Garnett revealed one such lesser-known aspect of his display during a 2021 episode of All The Smoke. Reminiscing about his time playing against Chuck, KG revealed the following:
“Charles Barkley was another level trash talker because he would end up fighting you or try to fight you. But he instilled fear in everybody on the court“.
Undoubtedly, Barkley intentionally refused to touch on this during his latest interview. However, it might well have been a part of his strategizing against his opponent. Nevertheless, his antics bore fruit on the court, aiding in solidifying his legacy as an all-time great.
