Career Honors: 1993 NBA MVP, 11-time NBA All-Star, 11 All-NBA selections, Two-time Olympic Gold Medalist (1992 & 1996), one of the NBA's Top 50 players of all time, Hall of Famer.

In sports, it is often said that you can't teach height. Desire is just as much something that is God given. Charles Wade Barkley wasn't very tall, but he has born with the desire to play power forward and play it well. In 16 stellar seasons in the NBA, he did just that.

The kid from Leeds, Alabama showed right away that he was a worker. Drafted by the Sixers in 1984, he felt he had a lot to prove. He was joining a team that was two years removed from winning the NBA championship. A team with future Hall of Famers Moses Malone and Julius "Doctor J" Erving. Barkley wanted to be a champion as well; so he set the bar high. Listed at 6'6'', but really 6'4'', Charles Barkley asserted himself with tremendous effort plays and in a short time, was on the fast track to Hall of Fame status.

He redefined the position. He ran the floor like a guard, but owned the half court like a 7' center. He was often a one-man fast break. In the early years, Barkley made many jaw-dropping plays in transition, making him one of the league's most dangerous players. The "Round Mound of Rebound" as he was called, may have been undersized, but his will to win made him a giant.

By his fourth season, he was a bona fide star. But by this time, his legendary teammates were gone. For the next four seasons, Sir Charles would lead the Philly attack feeling as if there wasn't enough help. In a surprising 1992 trade, the Sixers dealt their embattled star to the Phoenix Suns. The move revived the perennial All-Star and led to his best basketball yet. He would win the league's Most Valuable Player award and lead the veteran Suns to the NBA Finals.

That run would be Barkley's best chance at a ring, but it was ultimately not enough. The Suns fell at the hands of a hot Chicago Bulls team in six games. Chuck went on to play All-Star caliber basketball for the next seven years, finishing his playing days in Houston. The small town kid defied the odds time and time again in his basketball life and achieved nearly everything.

Though eluded by an NBA championship, Charles Barkley is considered as one of the 5 best power forwards to ever play the game. His relentless effort and clutch play making made him one of the game's absolute best. Barkley has once again captivated basketball fans with his award winning NBA analysis on TNT. He sees the game in a funny, but honest way; often imploring today's stars to step up their level of play.

In his career, he averaged 22.1 ppg and 11.7 rpg.