Charles Barkley, in his heyday in the league, was a dominant rebounder owing to his on-court display of aggressiveness and strength in matchups. Barkley, haven spent 16 years and played for three renowned NBA teams, garnered notable achievements, but without an NBA championship to adorn his beautiful career.
Charles Barkley, known for his strong personality, has a history of betting. Amidst a conversation over a thrilling recent in-season tournament game, Barkley hilariously backed out of Shaquille O’Neal’s proposed bet.
Barkley comically balks at Shaq’s $30 million bet
Before the recent in-season quarterfinals encounter between the Lakers and Suns, Shaquille and Barkley had different views of the game’s outcome. Shaq sided with the Lakers to win by 15 points, but Barkley disagreed that the Suns would take the win instead. Barkley, known for his love for gambling, proposed a $15 million bet on the Suns.
Shaquille O’Neal then countered it with a double figure of $30 million bet on the Lakers, which Barkley, despite his illustrious betting activities, turned down.
Barkley said, “30 [million]? I don’t want to be Black and poor again.”
Ernie Johnson, seeing that the money bet wasn’t looking fruitful, proposed a slap bet, which Barkley was sure that UFC president Dana White, would assist them in the process, as White introduced the “Power Slap,” last year, which is a slap fighting competition.
While Shaquille opted to go second, Barkley was more confident of knocking Shaquille down with one slap. Barkley hilariously said, “As long as I get to go first, ’cause you know you’re soft. Once I hit you, you’re gonna drop like a sack of potatoes.”
What is Charles Barkley’s net worth 2023?
NBA legend Charles Barkley is reportedly worth around $70 million in 2023. Chuck has amassed substantial fortune from endorsements, investments and through his current job as a commentator.
Barkley’s job on “Inside the NBA,” with three years left in contract, sees him earn around $10 million per annum. Barkley has notable endorsement deals with top brands like Capital One, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Nike, Right Guard and T-Mobile. Barkley has reportedly made approximately $5-10$ million in endorsements during his active days on the court.
Also, Charles Barkley, has two notable investments, which one is a grant towards Spelman College, and another in NeuroVice, a company for medical device technology for improving patient experience. Furthermore, Barkley, has an estate in Scottsdale Arizona, which cost him around $2.2 million, during his Phoenix Suns’ spell. Again, Barkley being a lover of cars, owns 4 luxurious cars, which include Lincoln Navigator and Bentley.
Barkley might be a diehard gambler, which he disclosed to have lost a whopping $2.5 million in blackjack within half an hour, but he is known to have exhibited philanthropic attribute. During the COVID-19 outbreak, Barkley had announced a relief fund, to assist hospital staff in need.
While other sources of income for Barkley aren’t disclosed, it’s quite possible that the former MVP awardee has shares in various companies. With his many assets all across the United States, Charles Barkley has made an impressive fortune for himself over the years.
