Philadelphia 76ers legend Charles Barkley had himself one helluva run in the City of Brotherly Love. The No. 5 pick of the 1984 NBA draft played eight seasons in Philadelphia and averaged 23.3 points and 11.6 rebounds as he picked up the slack for the Sixers in the post-Julius Erving era.
The Sixers then sent Barkley to the Phoenix Suns in the 1992 offseason and he won MVP immediately in his first season with the Suns. Overall, he averaged 22.1 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 3.9 assists in his 16-year NBA career with the Sixers, Suns, and Houston Rockets. Barkley was one of the most skilled players of his era despite not being being able to reach the mountaintop.
HoopsHype is ranking the top 80 players in the history of the NBA with Barkley coming
in ranked No. 26:
The Round Mound of Rebound, Charles Barkley was extremely unique not just for his outspoken personality but for his dominance down low despite being generously listed at 6-foot-6. He was a beast on the glass and as a scorer thanks to his absurd strength and explosiveness in his prime. Barkley never got the ever-elusive ring, but he’s still one of the all-time greats at power forward with his dominant face-up and post-up games, along with his monstrous abilities on the glass.
Barkley is one of the top players the game has ever seen. There wasn't anything he couldn't do in terms of scoring the ball, was one of the better rebounders in the history of the game, and was a great competitor. Any praise he receives is well-deserved for his work on the floor.
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Sixers legend Charles Barkley ranked 26th-best player in NBA history
