Charles Barkley

High school

Leeds High School

College

Auburn University

Pro team(s)

Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, Houston Rockets

Hall of Fame

⭐ Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

Charles Wade Barkley was born on February 20, 1963, in Leeds, Alabama, and attended Leeds High School, where he was a standout basketball player despite being listed at only 6 feet tall as a high school sophomore. By his senior year he had grown to 6 feet 5 inches — unusually short for a power forward at any level — and was recruited by Auburn University, where he became one of the most extraordinary players in SEC history. The Philadelphia 76ers selected him fifth overall in the 1984 NBA Draft, and "Sir Charles" spent 16 seasons as arguably the most physically dominant power forward of his era. Listed generously at 6 feet 6 inches, Barkley regularly battled and outplayed opponents 4 to 5 inches taller than him through a combination of extraordinary lower-body strength, elite rebounding instincts, and a competitive ferocity that could not be matched. He led the league in rebounding twice and was an 11-time All-Star. His signature season came in 1992-93 with the Phoenix Suns, when he won the NBA MVP award after leading Phoenix to the NBA Finals: 25.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game — numbers that would have been extraordinary from a player of any size, let alone one playing consistently against centers four inches taller. He won an Olympic gold medal with the original Dream Team in 1992. After retiring, he became one of the most recognizable sports media personalities in the country. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006. Born and raised in Leeds, Alabama.