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What is Charles Barkley’s net worth and salary?

Charles Barkley, a retired professional basketball player and television sports analyst, has a net worth of $60 million. However, he lost an estimated $10-30 million due to gambling.

Despite his financial setbacks, Barkley has been a successful brand endorser, appearing in commercials for major companies such as Nike, FanDuel, T-Mobile, McDonald’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and Right Guard. He famously declared, “I am not a role model” in a Nike advertisement during his playing days.

Barkley has also established a successful career as a sports commentator, co-hosting the popular TNT show “Inside the NBA.” Details of his TNT contract and salary are available elsewhere.

Charles Barkley’s Salary During Playing Career

Charles Barkley earned a total of $40.3 million in salary during his playing career. His peak salary year was in 1999 when he was paid $9 million while playing for the Houston Rockets. Adjusted for inflation, that amount would be equivalent to around $14 million today.

Early Life and College Career

Charles Barkley was born on February 20, 1963 in Leeds, Alabama. His father left the family when he was a baby and his mother remarried and had two more sons. Tragically, his stepfather died when Charles was 11 years old. He attended Leeds High School and was not able to make the varsity basketball team as a junior. However, he improved his senior year and caught the attention of Auburn University’s head coach. He played college basketball for Auburn for three seasons and became well known for his crowd-pleasing dunks and blocked shots. Despite not having the typical body type of a basketball player, he received many accolades including Southeastern Conference (SEC) Player of the Year.

Charles Barkley’s NBA Career

Charles Barkley left Auburn in his junior year and was drafted as the fifth pick in the first round of the 1984 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. He played in six all-star games during his time with the Sixers and was named MVP for two of them. Barkley’s eight seasons in Philadelphia made him a household name and at this point he even had his own signature shoe line with Nike.

In July 1992, Charles was traded to the Phoenix Suns. He was awarded Most Valuable Player almost immediately after being traded, just the third player ever to have achieved the title so soon after being traded, and qualified for his seventh All-Star Game. Severe back pain cut his time with the Suns short, and he announced that the 95-96 season would be his last in Phoenix. During his tenure, Barkley had led the team in rebounds, steals, and scoring, and accomplished a All-NBA and All-Stars honors, along with a career-high .777 free throw shooting.

In 1996, Charles was traded to the Houston Rockets, and it got off to a rough start. He continued to battle severe back pain and had to miss fourteen games out of 67. The Rockets ended the season with a 57-25 record and advanced to finals, to be defeated by the Utah Jazz. Still plagued with injuries and pain, the 1999-2000 season proved to be his final year in the NBA. On April 19, 2000, he retired and ended his 16-year Hall of Fame career.

Charles Barkley’s Olympic Career

In 1992, Charles Barkley was part of the infamous “Dream Team” that consisted of fellow greats like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Scottie Pippen. They won a gold medal as part of the men’s team, with Barkley being the highest-scoring member and setting a U.S. men’s Olympic record for highest three-point field goal percentage. Barkley led the team to Gold yet again in Atlanta in 1994.

“The Dream Team” made history with its incredible roster and was inducted into Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. They were noted to be “arguably the most dominant squad ever assembled in any sport”. The Dream Team craze seemed to spark a worldwide and nationwide re-interest in the sport.

Charles Barkley’s Career as a Studio Analyst

Since 2000, Charles Barkley has been a studio analyst for TNT’s network NBA coverage. He co-hosts “Inside the NBA” alongside Shaquille O’Neal, Ernie Johnson, Jr., and Kenny Smith. He has won three Sports Emmy Awards for his work as an outstanding studio analyst and has also worked as an analyst for joint coverage of NBA games for CBS. Barkley has been an analyst in every Final Four broadcast since 2011 and has announced plans to retire from TV in 2023.

Charles Barkley Signs Lucrative Contract Extension with TNT

Former NBA star and current “Inside the NBA” co-host Charles Barkley has signed a 10-year contract extension with TNT worth $100 million. The deal will keep Barkley on the network through 2032.

Barkley first joined TNT in 2000 and has since become a beloved figure on the network’s NBA coverage. In 2020, he signed a five-year, $30 million deal to continue on as a co-host of “Inside the NBA.”

The new contract extension works out to an average salary of $10 million per year, more than double what Barkley was making under his previous deal. The announcement of the extension has been met with widespread praise from fans and colleagues alike.

Personal Life and Views

Charles Barkley married Maureen Blumhardt in 1989, and they have a daughter named Christina (b. 1989). Barkley has a well-known gambling habit, having admitted to losing up to $30 million in his lifetime, including $2.5 million lost in under six hours playing blackjack.

Although formerly a Republican, Barkley declared his support for Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election and has been critical of President Donald Trump. He has also expressed support for gay rights and considered running for Governor of Alabama as an Independent.

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