Barkley would be a midget J-Smoove in todays NBA. also rockets Tmac >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> some ****** who became worthless after the NBA didn't allow him to grind his ass against other players for 24 seconds
There is so much wrong with this post. Barkley was highly skilled. He could handle the ball like a guard, rebound and dunk like a big, super quick, good passer. Career 60% true shooting is really good. If you think he only got his buckets in the paint, you’re just wrong. Players don’t need to be super big or long to be effective 4s in the game today. It’s impossible to say for sure if he’d be a superstar in today’s game, but he was absolutely a superstar in the early 90s, and still really good his first few years with us.
Barkley averaged 10 rebounds a game every year of his career, at 6’5. The only other retired players to do that are dudes from the 50s and 60s like Chamberlain and Russell and Pettit.
Barkley all the way. Dude used to trash Houston in the papers, but when he joined our team... all was forgotten. We made a pretty good run with him and if Drex would have put his heart into the Jazz series we might have seen the greatest finals ever recorded. (yes I know drex had a good game 6 but he was off that series in my opinion and never looked '1995-hungry'.)
That is SO true about Clyde. His body language was bizarre pretty much all year. To a lesser extent, Hakeem also didn't quite have the eye of the tiger. Outside of Dream, Barkley was the only guy that could at times look superior to Jordan when Jordan was at the peak of his powers. Barkley over McGrady in every scenario, IMO.
In arguably their best statistical seasons they averaged: Barkley: 19.2 - 13.5 - 4.7 McGrady: 25.7 - 6.2 - 5.7 Which arent bad statlines to say the least, biggest difference I asume is that McGrady got to be the star on his team. Making his numbers slightly more inflated. Therefore, it ALL comes down to rings! Which brings us to the... ehm... conclussion... that.... ehm... Well... You know.... NO.
If McGrady and Yao could have stayed healthy, they would have gotten at least two titles (in 2008 and 2009). I know bias is a factor, and I know there's subjective coulda-shoulda-wouldas all over the sports world, and I know that [sadly] injuries are just a part of the game. But there is just very little doubt in my mind that those two years, we were the best team in the league when healthy. Regular season or not, I remember watching that 22-game win streak thinking this is possibly the best basketball I've seen since the Jordan/Pippen Bulls. That team figured it all out, and McGrady was a *huge* part of how they did it. There's a good couple other years where they would have had a shot, too. The only year Barkley had a shot at a title with us was 1997, and he played a role in the demise of that team by causing some locker room drama in the playoffs. **** Charles Barkley.
Wow. So much disrespect for Chucky?? He was way better for us - got to conference finals and had a really cheap contract!!!
I never said he wasnt highly skilled, in fact I also said he was talented. However we all know Barkley just relied on his natural gifts, he wasn't a hard worker he couldn't even get in shape. "Rebound and dunk like a big super quick passer?" What does that sentence even mean its like you just strung up all the memories and nostalgia you had of Barkley back in the day. If you actually checked out bball reference you'll know Barkley assisted for a grand total of 3.2 assists a game, he isn't Tmac when it comes to playmaking. While he has a career 61.2% which is high that is just due to his youth when he was still mentored by Moses Malone and Dr J. Once he matured and reached aged 28 his TS% started plummeting and dropped to the low 0.530s. This is likely due to his weight and lack of work ethic catching up to him. You are right he didn't take all his shots in the paint. However he only took 1-2 threes a night so his other shots are mid range shots which we all know are horrible shots. Also PF dont need to be super quick or super long, but they also shouldn't be 6'4 and 3/4 which is his real height according to him: https://www.celebheights.com/s/Charles-Barkley-2722.html Maybe you think 6'4 3/4 guys who have no work ethic will still be a superstar in today's game at the PF position. You are entitled to your opinion but IMHo you are wrong. Give me examples of other 6'4 PFs who are lazy yet became superstars and I'll agree it is possible. You have guards who are taller than Barkley playing today wtf.
The only year we had a shot to win a title, Tracy was picking the Lakers against us when he was still on the roster.
6'4 3/4. If you were a real Barkley fan you'd know this. Also Barkley was only able to rebound because he could body up everyone and be physical, the rules allowed it. Its not possible to do this anymore otherwise Lebron would get 15 rebs a night.
This thread reminds me of the one where younger posters were dissing Magic Johnson, except this time with Charles Barkley. You are out of your element Donny. Tracy McGrady isn't better than Charles Barkley in his wildest dreams. One is a top 50 player of all time, and one never got out of the first round of the playoffs.
Barkley also has argument for biggest freak of nature in NBA history. 6'5'' with a Rebounding Title, and dunking on fools 6'' inches taller
