Ranking the 75 best players in NBA history for 75th anniversary

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Charles Barkley, Phoenix Suns. Photo by Doug Pensinger/Allsport/Getty Images /

Ranking the 75 best players in NBA history: No. 23 – Charles Barkley

On NBA 50 at 50 List

Career: 1984 – 2000

Achievements: 1993 MVP; All-NBA (11x); All-Star (11x); 20th in career rebounding

Charles Barkley sits on the Mt Rushmore of most entertaining personalities in NBA history, with his goofy grin and affable air. You wanted to be Barkley’s friend, to sit around and hear him tell jokes. That’s why it was also so jarring to watch him bowl his way through and around defenders as an all-time interior scorer and rebounder.

The “round mound of rebound” dominated the interior offensively despite standing at just 6’6″ tall. He had a host of post moves, was surprisingly fleet of foot and had the strength not to get knocked off his spot. He averaged a double-double every season of his career except his rookie one, leading the league in 1986-87 in rebounding at 14.6 per game.

Barkley never made it to the NBA Finals with the Philadelphia 76ers, but when he was traded to the Phoenix Suns he led a potent supporting cast there in 1993 before falling to the Jordan Bulls. The short and stout power forward was unique, in his time and across league history, and he maintains a spot inside the best 25 players of all time.