If you’re familiar with the name of Charles Barkley, you already know of his outspoken nature. His post-NBA career job enables him to do just that with the analyst role on TNT. Not only that, various podcasts also provide him with the platform needed to quench his thirst for chatter.
Speaking about various things on NFL legend Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay podcast, Barkley revealed numerous things about his playing days. His participation in the infamous brawl between Larry Bird and Julius Erving was one of those.
“First of all, I hate the NBA for that reason. They owe me $5000. I’m still pissed to this day. Cuz one thing I’ll never do is hold a guy for another guy to hit him and I’ve been mad. I’m still mad to this day. You owe me $5000, Adam Silver,” said Chuck, making his grudge against the league clear.
Despite his claims, according to official records, Sir Charles was only fined $1000 for his role in the brawl. During a match between the Celtics and the Sixers in the 1984 season, Larry Bird and Julius Erving got into a heated altercation that led to a fistfight. Barkley was seen holding Bird from behind, which helped Dr J to pummel him. But Barkley insisted that it was not how it looked.
Charles Barkley Reveals Why He Grabbed Larry Bird Instead of Dr J
Speaking of the infamous melee, Charles Barkley explained what exactly happened that led to it. He said that Bird was trash-talking about Erving’s age, and Dr J had had enough after the continuous insults.
“They come together, and I just kind of grabbed Larry, I’m not even looking at Doc. When I went back and looked at the tape, Doc was nailing his a**. I was just trying to pull guys apart,” explained Charles Barkley.
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He also clarified his choice of holding back Bird. Barkley said that if he had stopped his Sixers teammate and Bird had pelted him, it would have been hard for the forward to return to Philadelphia.
The bust-up was not something rare in the ’80s basketball scene, but this one stands out due to the sheer star power involved.
