hey there folks have you ever wondered what it's like to lose a million dollars in one night yeah you heard that right a million bucks gone in a Flash let me tell you it's a story that'll make you laugh cry and maybe think twice before hitting the casino today we're going to dive into the life of a true NBA legend Charles Barkley you know him as the round mound of rebound but there's so much more to this man than just his basketball skills he's a devoted father a passionate philanthropist and a true icon in the World of Sports so let's get started and explore the incredible journey of Charles Barkley born on February 20th 1963 in Leeds Alabama Charles Barkley was destined for greatness he grew up with a passion for basketball and worked his way up to become one of the most dominant players in the NBA with a career spanning 16 Seasons Barkley played for the Philadelphia 76ers Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets earning numerous accolades along the way standing at a height of 6' 4 in or 1.98 m shorter than the typical power forward he used his strength and aggression to become one of the NBA's best rebounders and scorers nicknamed Sir Charles the bread truck and the round Mount of rebound he is widely regarded as one of the greatest power forwards in NBA history Barkley was an 11-time NBA Allstar 11 time member of the all NBA team in the 1993 Most Valuable Player MVP and was named to the NBA's 50th and 75th Anniversary teams he also competed in the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games winning two gold medals as a member of the US national team in 2000 Barkley retired as the fourth player in NBA history to achieve 20,000 points 10,000 rebounds and 4,000 assists Barkley is a two-time inductee into the naith memorial Basketball Hall of Fame being inducted in 20 06 for his individual career and in 2010 as a member of the 1992 Olympic dream team he was frequently involved in on and offc Court fights and sometimes stirred National controversy such as in March 1991 when he spat on a young girl while attempting to spit at a Heckler in 1993 when he declared that sports figures should not be considered Role Models since retiring as a player Barkley has had a successful career as an NBA analyst he works for TNT on Inside the NBA along onside Shaquille O'Neal Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson as a studio pundit for its coverage of NBA games for which he has W four Sports Emmy Awards in addition Barkley has written several books and has shown an interest in politics early life Barkley was born to Frank Barkley and charie Glenn Barkley and raised in leads Alabama 17 Mi 27 km east of Birmingham he was the first black baby born at a segregated all-white Town Hospital and was in the first group of black students at his Elementary School his parents divorced when he was young after his father abandoned the family which included younger brother Daryl Barkley his mother remarried and they had a son John Glenn another brother Rennie died in infancy and his stepfather was killed in an accident when Charles was 11 years old Charles Barkley played high school basketball for leads High School in leads Alabama he led leads to the state semi-finals in 1981 which caught the attention of Auburn University coaches Barkley then went on to play college basketball at Auburn University from 1981 to 1984 during his college career he averaged 14.1 points 9.6 rebounds 1.6 assists 1.7 blocks and 0.9 steals per game with a field goal percentage of 62.6% and a free throw percentage of 65.2% Barkley was named SEC Player of the Year in 1984 and was a member of Auburn's all Century team Barkley struggled with his weight throughout his three seasons with the Auburn Tigers at times weighing more than 300 lb these difficulties did not stop him from winning the Southeastern conferences Player of the Year award in 1984 although he skipped his final season to enter the NBA draft Barkley remains among the top 20 scorers in Auburn history with 1,183 points he is currently seventh on the school's career rebounding list but what about his personal life well Charles Barkley has been married to his wife Moren Bloom har since 1989 Barkley and Moren Bloom har reportedly first met in the mid to late 1980s when Barkley was playing for the Philadelphia 76ers his wife is an honorary member of the phoenix-based organization Fresh Start women's Foundation they have one daughter Christiana who was born in 1989 she is married and has two children Barkley has spoken highly of his daughter calling her his best friend he's also been open about the challenges he faced in his early years including racial barriers in his marriage to Moren who is of Caucasian ethnicity now let's talk about fatherhood Charles Barkley's relationship with his daughter Cristiana is truly special he's been involved in her life attending her sporting events and other activities Barkley has spoken about the importance of family and how his daughter is his best friend his leg extends Beyond his basketball career serving as a positive example of fatherhood and the importance of nurturing relationships what to know about Charles gambling Charles Barkley has been very open about his struggles with gambling addiction throughout his career and even after retirement Barkley admitted to losing a staggering 20 to $25 million to gambling over the years he would often gamble high stakes betting up to $25,000 per hand and would Chase losses trying to win back a million dollar Barkley's gambling problem even led to a civil lawsuit in 2008 when a Las Vegas casino filed a complaint against him for $400,000 in unpaid gambling debt Barkley immediately paid the debt and acknowledged he needed to better control his gambling habits despite his massive gambling losses Barkley has said his gambling is not a problem since he has the money to spend though he admits it is a bad habit that he will continue to work on controlling so what else after getting to know about Charles early life marriage and fatherhood and his personal life now it time to also know about his professional career and also post NBA career from undersized Prospect to NBA superstar the remarkable journey of Charles Barkley when the Philadelphia 76ers selected Charles Barkley with the fifth overall pick in the 1984 NBA draft few could have predicted the impact he would have on the league over the next 16 Seasons standing just 6' 6 in and weighing over 50 lb Barkley was considered an undersized power forward but his combination of strength athleticism and skill made him one of the most dominant players of his era Barkley burst onto the scene in his rookie year earning a spot on the all rookie first team in 1985 over the next eight seasons in Philadelphia he blossomed into a perennial All-Star making seven consecutive all-star teams from 1987 to 1993 Barkley led the league in rebounding in 1987 and was named to the all NBA first team five times despite his individual accolades the 76ers were unable to win an NBA championship during Barkley's tenure leading to a trade to the Phoenix Suns in 1992 in Phoenix Barkley reached the Pinnacle of his career winning the NBA MVP award in 1993 while leading the Suns to the NBA finals though they ultimately fell to the Chicago Bulls Barkley's dominant performance cemented his status as one of the all-time greats he continued his excellence in his final Four Seasons making two more all-star teams and helping the Houston Rockets reach the Western Conference Finals in 1997 when Barkley retired in 2000 he had amassed 20,000 points 10,000 rebounds and 4,000 assists becoming just the fourth player in NBA history to achieve that statistical Milestone his combination of power skill and Charisma made him one of the most popular players of his generation and he was inducted into the Nay Smith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006 while Barkley's on court accomplishments were remarkable his post NBA career has been equally impactful he has found tremendous success as a television analyst working for TNTs acclaimed Inside the NBA program since 2000 Barkley's candid opinions humor and willingness to address controversial topics have made him one of the most recognizable and influential voices in sports media in addition to his broadcasting work Barkley has remained involved in various philanthropic efforts including the Charles Barkley scholarship fund which has provided educational opportunities for underprivileged youth he has also been an outspoken advocate for social justice and has used his platform to address important issues facing society as Barkley prepares to retire from broadcasting after the 2024 to 2025 season his legacy as both a basketball legend and a cultural icon is secure from his humble beginnings as an undersized High School Prospect to his Ascent to the pantheon of NBA greats Charles Barkley's remarkable Journey has captivated fans for decades and will continue to inspire generations to come let us delve into Charles Barkley s lifestyle net worth houses and cars Charles Barkley the NBA legend turn Sports commentator has amassed an impressive net worth of around $70 million Barkley's wealth can be attributed to his successful basketball career lucrative endorsement deals and driving post-retirement Ventures Barkley's NBA salary during his playing days was substantial but his earnings have continued to grow exponentially since retiring in 2000 his current $10 million Pere contract with TNT as a studio analyst for Inside the NBA is a major source of his income additionally Barkley has earned Millions from various endorsement deals with Brands like Nike FanDuel T-Mobile McDonald's and more Barkley has also ventured into other business Endeavors including Investments and real estate further bolstering his net worth He is known to have made smart financial decisions living well below his means and avoiding extravagant purchases Barkley's real estate portfolio reflects his lavish lifestyle his primary residence is a sprawling 10,000 sqt mansion in Scottsdale Arizona complete with an 18-hole Golf Course a state-of-the-art gym and a spacious wine seller he also owns a stunning beach front mansion in Malibu California offering breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean this property features a private Pool Spa and other high-end amenities additionally Barkley has a luxurious Mountain retreat in Lake Tahoe Nevada which boasts an indoor basketball court a private spy area and panoramic views of the surrounding mountains Barkley's love for cars is evident in his impressive collection he is known to own several high-end Vehicles including a Lincoln Navigator and a bent these cars reflect his affinity for luxury and his passion for the Finer Things in life about Charles Barkley philanthropic efforts despite his wealth and lavish lifestyle Barkley heartfelt man and has also been actively involved in philanthropic Endeavors he has made significant donations to various educational institutions such as Alabama A&M university and Clark Atlanta University demonstrating his commitment to supporting education during the co9 pandemic Barkley also established a relief fund to provide financial assistance to hospital staff in need showcasing his compassion and desire to give back to the community his generosity has made it possible for some of us to continue our mission of providing education and health care to underprivileged Children his support has not only helped us to achieve our goals but has also inspired others to follow your example if you enjoyed this deep dive make sure to like comment and subscribe for more incredible Sports stories and remember no matter where you start it's all about where you finish until next time keep grinding and keep believing peace out [Music] [Applause]