Charles Barkley is a retired professional basketball player. He played in the NBA for 18 seasons, winning the Most Valuable Player award twice and appearing in 15 All-Star games. Despite his achievements on the court, he never won an NBA ring. Here’s how his stats stack up against other players who have been inducted into both of those prestigious institutions:
Charles Barkley is one of the best players to never win a ring. He has career stats, and they are impressive.
Charles Barkley earned a reputation as one of the best rebounders in the NBA. Despite being shorter than the typical power forward, he had the muscle and aggression to become one of the top rebounders in the league. Barkley went from being an All-American power player at Auburn to an 11-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA selection, and a potential MVP candidate.
Barkley is widely considered to be one of the finest players who never won a title. He had at least 20,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, and 4,000 assists in his career. He was one of just four players in history to achieve this feat when he retired. He also won two gold medals with the United States Olympic team before going on to have a very successful professional basketball career.
Season by season, below are Charles Barkley’s statistics and accomplishments.
14.0 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.2 SPG, 1.0 BPG in 1984-85 season
Awarded to the All-Rookie First Team
Barkley only had one year of eligibility remaining at Auburn before declaring for the NBA Draft. Barkley joined an experienced squad that already included Julius Erving, Moses Malone, and Maurice Cheeks in his first season. The 76ers ended with a 58-24 record, however they were five games behind the Celtics for the Atlantic Division title.
Malone was a key player for Barkley, who took him under his wing and mentored him. During his early years, Barkley referred to him as a father figure. Barkley was named to the All-Rookie First Team after averaging 14 points and eight rebounds. The club reached the Eastern Conference Finals at the end of the season.
20.0 PPG, 12.8 RPG, 3.9 APG, 2.2 SPG, 1.6 BPG in 1985-86 season
Second-team All-NBA selection
With a 54-28 record, the 76ers enjoyed another successful season, with Barkley, their first-round choice, taking the next step in his growth. This would be Malone’s last season in Philadelphia, allowing Barkley to take over as the franchise’s face. Despite this, he concluded the season as the team’s rebounding leader and second-leading scorer.
He was named to the All-NBA Team for his accomplishments. The 76ers made the playoffs, but lost in seven games to the Bucks in the conference semifinals. Barkley had a 25.0 point and 15.8 rebounds per game average. That was prior to Malone’s participation in the playoffs.
During the 1986-87 season, he averaged 23.0 PPG, 14.6 RPG, 4.9 APG, 1.8 SPG, and 1.5 BPG.
Achievements: All-Star, Second Team All-NBA
Barkley’s chances of ever winning a title in Philadelphia might be jeopardized after this season. The No. 1 overall selection, which was used on Brad Daughtery, was exchanged for Roy Hinson and cash. Moses Malone, Terry Catledge, and two first-round selections were also transferred to the Washington Bullets in exchange for Jeff Ruland and Cliff Robinson. The squad concluded the season with a 45-37 record and was eliminated from the playoffs in the first round.
The decisions are still being questioned since they hampered the franchise in subsequent seasons. Barkley started to develop into a top-five talent in the league during this season. His first triple-double of the season was achieved. He also had a 25/25 performance, including 16 offensive rebounds. It was also the first time in an 11-year stretch that the team has qualified for the All-Star Game.
Season 1987-88: 28.3 points per game, 11.9 rebounds per game, 3.2 assists per game, 1.3 steals per game, 1.3 blocks per game
Achievements: All-Star, First Team All-NBA, and Rebounding Leader
Malone was traded last year. Erving announced his retirement this year. Barkley was really the team’s franchise player, with no lingering veteran’s shadow. Barkley appeared in 80 games, his most in a single season. For the first time, he was named to the All-NBA First Team for his accomplishments.
While Barkley’s career took off, the club missed the playoffs for the first time since 1975. Despite not averaging one of his finest totals, Barkley led the league in rebounding for the first time.
25.8 PPG, 12.5 RPG, 4.1 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.8 BPG in 1988-89 season
All-Star and first-team All-NBA selection
Barkley continued to shine this season, shooting 57.9% from the field and earning a spot on the All-NBA First Team for the second time. The 76ers qualified for the playoffs, but were swept in the first round by the New York Knicks. Barkley demonstrated he could lead a club to the postseason. Barkley also had one of his greatest seasons in terms of honors, finishing sixth in MVP vote.
The playoffs were the most memorable. In Game 2, the 76ers lost a 10-point lead with two minutes remaining. As a result, the club traded Maurice Cheeks and David Wingate, while Cliff Robinson went on his own. It raised fresh concerns about Barkley’s inability to assemble a cohesive club.
25.2 PPG, 11.5 RPG, 3.9 APG, 1.9 SPG, 0.6 BPG in 1989-90 season
All-Star and first-team All-NBA selection
Barkley’s career in the NBA continues to progress. Despite receiving more first-place votes than Barkley, he finished second in the league MVP voting, losing to Magic Johnson. Barkley received 38 of the 92 votes, while Johnson received 27, giving him a total of 614 points to Johnson’s 636. It is still the only instance in NBA history when the player who received the most first-place votes did not win the MVP award.
The 76ers won the Atlantic Division after opening the season 18-16. For the third year in a row, he was named to the NBA First Team after shooting 60% from the field. The 76ers finally won a playoff series at the conclusion of the season, but were eliminated in the second round by the Bulls.
Season 1990-91: 27.6 points per game, 10.1 points per game, 4.2 points per game, 4.2 points per game, 1.6 points per game, 0.5 points per game
All-Star, MVP of the All-Star Game, and First Team All-NBA
Barkley and Hersey Hawkins together were a lethal combo. Hawkins contributed 22.1 points and led the team with 2.2 steals, while Barkley averaged 27/10. He was named MVP of the All-Star Game after leading the East to a 116-114 victory, with 17 points and 22 rebounds, the most rebounds in the ASG since Wilt Chamberlain in 1967.
Barkley was voted fourth in the MVP voting at the end of the season. The squad ultimately beat the Bucks in the playoffs, which had been Barkley’s early arch-rival throughout his career. He did, however, discover a new adversary. Michael Jordan and the Bulls were the ones that knocked off Barkley for the second year in a row.
23.1 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 4.1 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.6 BPG in 1991-92 season
Achievements: All-Star, Second Team All-NBA
Barkley’s last season in Philadelphia was full of ups and downs. Despite being named to the All-Star and All-NBA teams at the end of the season, Barkley’s club did not make the playoffs. The club began the season 7-3, but then went on a seven-game losing skid that dropped them below.500, and they never recovered. The club struggled with injuries throughout the season, finishing 37-45.
To make things worse, there was friction between Barkley and higher management when the club decided not to re-sign Rick Mahorn, who eventually departed the NBA to play in Italy. He wanted a trade and was eventually sent to the Suns in exchange for a package that included Jeff Hornacek.
25.6 PPG, 12.2 RPG, 5.1 APG, 1.6 SPG, 1.0 BPG in 1992-93 season
Most Valuable Player, All-Star, and First-Team All-NBA
Barkley had a memorable debut season with the Suns. Barkley scored 37 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in his debut game. From a triple-double, he had two assists. His blazing start carried over for the rest of the season, as he shot 52.0 percent from the field and had a career-high 5.1 assists. After guiding the Suns to a 62-20 record, he was awarded league MVP. It was just the third time in league history that a player has earned the MVP after being moved.
Along with his regular-season accomplishments, Barkley also left a mark in the postseason. He was the first Suns coach to lead the franchise to the NBA Finals since 1976. There, he ran across Michael Jordan, an old Eastern Conference opponent who guided the Bulls to a championship in six games. Barkley averaged 27.3 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 5.5 assists in the Finals.
21.6 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 4.6 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.6 BPG in 1993-94 season
Achievements: All-Star, Second Team All-NBA
Barkley began the season with back discomfort and predicted that this would be his last season. Despite the injury, he played through it and finished with 21.6 points and 11.2 rebounds in his seventh consecutive All-Star appearance. The squad believed they could make another run to the Finals with Kevin Johnson as a reliable scorer.
Before being ousted in the second round, the Suns won 56 games. In the playoffs, his finest performance came in Game 3 of the first round against the Warriors, when he scored 56 points. After taking a 2-0 lead against the Rockets, the squad went on to lose the series in seven games.
During the 1994-95 season, he averaged 23.0 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 4.1 APG, 1.6 SPG, and 0.7 BPG.
Achievements: All-Star, Second Team All-NBA
Barkley pondered retiring from the league, but he felt well enough to play another season. He struggled at the start of the season but ended strong with 23 points and 11 rebounds per game. The Suns won 59 games, but it is their postseason performance that is remembered the most.
For the second year in a row, the club advanced to the second round of the playoffs, where they faced the Rockets. The squad had a competitive edge for the second year in a row but let it slip away. The Suns led the series 3-1 but were defeated by the Rockets in seven games. We might be talking about Charles Barkley as a champion if the Suns had advanced beyond Houston in either season.
23.2 PPG, 11.6 RPG, 3.7 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.8 BPG in 1995-96 season
All-Star and All-NBA Third Team honors
Barkley’s time with the Suns will come to an end this season. While shooting 50% from the field, he led the team in points, rebounds, and steals. He also had his finest free-throw shooting season, hitting 77.7% of his free throw attempts. During the season, he scored his 20,000th career point, making him the tenth player in NBA history to reach the milestone of 20,000 points and 10,000 rebounds.
Despite having the worst record of Barkley’s tenure, the Suns reached the playoffs. The squad had a 41-41 record and was seeded seventh. In the first round of the playoffs, the Suns were defeated by the Spurs. Barkley was dealt to the Rockets for Sam Cassell, Robert Horry, Mark Bryant, and Chucky Brown at the conclusion of the season. It would also be his last year as a member of the NBA All-Star Team.
During the 1996-97 season, he averaged 19.2 points per game, 13.5 rebounds per game, 4.7 assists per game, 1.3 steals per game, and 0.5 blocks per game.
All-Star performance
Barkley believed he had a shot to win a title with the Rockets after falling short in Philly and Phoenix. He was a part of a group that included Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler. The Rockets had also recently won the 1995 NBA title a year before. The crew already had all of the components; all they needed to do now was put them together.
Barkley had 33 rebounds in his debut game and finished as the team’s top scorer in his final game. Barkley accomplished all of this despite only appearing in 53 games due to pelvic problems, a damaged ankle, and suspensions. The Rockets finished the season 57-25 and advanced to the Conference Finals, but when Houston was eliminated, Karl Malone and John Stockton would play in their first NBA Finals together.
15.2 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.4 BPG in 1997-98.
No accomplishments
Barkley’s All-Star seasons were now in the rearview mirror. The veteran’s injuries would begin to take their toll. The Rockets ended 41-41 with Barkley in and out of the lineup. Olajuwon was also growing older. Not only portions, but all of the components on the floor were required by the crew.
The Rockets were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Jazz. Barkley had a career-low 9.0 points and 5.3 rebounds in the first round due to injury. We started to see the wear and tear, and many people began to question how much longer he had left in the tank.
Season 1998-99: 16.1 points per game, 12.3 points per game, 4.6 points per game, 1.0 points per game, 0.3 points per game
No accomplishments
Barkley had a bounce-back season from the previous year, playing 42 games in the lockout-shortened season. He also joined Wilt Chamberlain as the only player in NBA history with at least 23,000 points, 12,000 rebounds, and 4,000 assists. With Scottie Pippen and Eddie Jones on the squad, Barkley got some support throughout the season. The Rockets concluded the season with a 31-19 record and qualified for the playoffs.
The squad had the league’s fifth-best offensive rating going into the playoffs, but they ran against a stronger offensive team in the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers took a 3-1 lead in the series. It was revealed after the season that Pippen and Barkley did not get along. Barkley remained for another season after Pippen was moved to Portland. This season would be his last chance to participate in the postseason.
14.5 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 3.2 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.2 BPG in 1999-2000 season
No accomplishments
Barkley went off on a high note in his last season. He had a double-double average and shot 47.7% from the field. Barkley’s memorable confrontation with Shaquille O’Neal occurred during the same season, and both players were dismissed. Both are currently NBA commentators for TNT’s NBA coverage.
Barkley’s season did not finish the way he had intended. On December 8, 1999, in Philadelphia, he tore his left quadriceps tendon. Although it was ironic that his career finished where it started, Barkley was forced to quit at the age of 36 due to an injury. Barkley retired from professional basketball after 16 years on the court.
22.1 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 3.9 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.8 BPG (career average)
While Barkley was contentious and opinionated, he could always be counted on to dominate in the paint. During his time with the 76ers, Suns, and Rockets, his ability to regularly put up 20 points and 10 rebounds was crucial. On and off the court, his muscular style of play was clear, and he was also known as a combative guy.
The 76ers retired Barkley’s No. 34 jersey, and he was inducted into the Suns’ Ring of Honor. In 2006, he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame, and he was subsequently chosen to the NBA’s 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams. The only thing that was lacking was a title.
Next
Charles Barkley won the MVP award in 1993, while Michael Jordan came in third.
Shaquille O’Neal’s Season-by-Season Stats: The NBA’s Most Dominant Player
The Worm Is The Best Rebounder Of All-Time: Dennis Rodman’s Rebounds Per Game For Each Season
Michael Jordan’s All-Time Record Against Each NBA Team: The Cleveland Cavaliers were annihilated by the GOAT.
Against Every NBA Team, Kobe Bryant Sets a Career High: The Raptors have a record of 81 points against them in the twenty-first century.
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