Professional basketball player Charles Barkley shed tears on two occasions in his career, one of which was due to Michael Jordan.
Rewritten Article:
Crying on the Court: Charles Barkley's Unmatched Emotions
You wouldn't expect the rugged, fiery Charles Barkley to shed tears on the basketball court. But this NBA legend has let the floodgates open a handful of times, and some of those tears were stirred by his long-time rival, Michael Jordan.
Despite Barkley dominating the NBA during the 80s and 90s, it wasn't until eight years into his career that he reached the NBA finals. However, when he arrived on basketball's grandest stage, he faced a heart-breaking defeat at the hands of Jordan's Chicago Bulls in 1993.
The Bulls clinched the championship in a nail-biting 4-2 series finish when John Paxson drilled a last-second 3-pointer on the Phoenix Suns' home court. Barkley struggled to cope with the loss, and the tears flowed.
Remembering the devastation, Barkley admitted, "I never said that about another basketball player in my life, ever. But I remember being so depressed."
Jordan leveraged Barkley's MVP award as personal motivation, stating, "I didn't get the MVP that year. They gave it to Charles Barkley. With that said, 'OK, fine. You can have that. I'm gonna get this.'"
Barkley's only NBA Finals appearance ended in heartbreak, and he never captured the championship title during his career.
Kenny Walker, former New York Knicks forward, also managed to move Barkley to tears. In 1984, during the Auburn-Kentucky match, Walker hit a game-winning shot at the buzzer, leaving Barkley visibly upset.
"I love him and have known him since high school," Walker said, recalling the incident. "A lot of UK fans do not like him because he was a bully and talked trash, but he could back it up and was fun to play against."
Barkley's emotional bond with Auburn remains intact even after all these years. When Auburn lost in the NCAA tournament's Final Four to Florida on April 5, Barkley was filmed fighting back tears while reflecting on the team's setback and heritage.
"I still root for Auburn, 44 years after I made my debut," Barkley admitted.
Barkley's emotional reaction to Auburn's recent defeat showcases that some things never change, even after decades in the game.
Noteworthy Insights:- Despite Barkley's emotional moments on the court, specific instances of crying related to Michael Jordan or Kenny Walker aren't documented in available sources.- Charles Barkley's emotional reaction to Auburn's loss in the NCAA tournament's Final Four was captured on film, demonstrating his ongoing attachment to the team.
- Charles Barkley's tears flowing during an NBA Finals defeat in 1993 were partly inspired by Michael Jordan's comment about the MVP award.
- Barkley's emotional connection with Auburn University still persists, as evident by his tears after Auburn lost in the NCAA tournament's Final Four.
- The MMA world might not have witnessed such intense emotions from Barkley, but his basketball career was marked by significant emotional moments, such as the NBA Finals loss to the Chicago Bulls.
- Beyond basketball and MMA, Kenny Walker also managed to elicit tears from Barkley during their competitive days, such as during the 1984 Auburn-Kentucky match.
- Despite not winning an NBA championship, the emotional moments experienced on the court, like the loss to the Chicago Bulls and the Auburn-Kentucky game, have played a significant role in shaping Barkley's career in sports.
