Hall of Famer Charles Barkley is a man of many nicknames. From “Sir Charles” to the “Chuckster,” the undersized forward accumulated quite a lot in his long and distinguished career. However, the most amusing—and unflattering—was the “Round Mound of Rebound.” As relentless a rebounder as the 11-time All-Star was, his rotund physique kept him from playing to his full potential in his first few years in the NBA.
Fortunately for the former Auburn standout, his veteran teammate Moses Malone was frank enough to tell him the cold, hard truth, which helped him turn his entire career around.
The best thing to happen to Chuck’s career
After spending three years at Auburn and nearly averaging a double-double for his collegiate career, Barkley jumped to the pros and was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers, which featured Malone—nicknamed the “Chairman of the Boards”—for his propensity for inhaling nearly every loose ball that was in his airspace.
Already 29 at that time, Moses had spent a decade in the league and was a couple of years removed from helping lead the Sixers to the NBA title in 1983. Barkley, on the other hand, had a stellar rookie campaign, averaging 14.0 points and 8.6 rebounds. However, Chuck was bothered by his lack of playing time, as he played only 28 minutes per game then.
“I was not getting to play because I was fat and out of shape. I asked Moses one day since we actually lived in the same building. I said, ‘Moses, can I come see you after practice?’ He said, ‘Sure, young fella,’” Barkley narrated on “Podcast P.”
“I went to him and said, ‘Moses, why am I not getting to play?’ He said, ‘Son, you're fat, and you're lazy. You have a lot of talent but can't work hard because you're so fat,’” Charles added.
Professional athletes can be some of the most coddled and praised individuals in the world, but it takes a strong mentor to give honest feedback and push them to reach their full potential. In this case, Moses was that person for Chuck.
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Set him on the right path
Moses not only told Barkley what he needed to hear but also put his money where his mouth was. He spent time with the young forward before and after practice, helping him get his physique right and teaching him the tricks of the trade. Chuck said Malone’s generosity with his time and knowledge put him on the path to greatness rather than mediocrity.
“One of the greatest players ever met me before practice and after practice. He got me to lose 50 pounds, and the rest is history. If it wasn't for Moses Malone, I have zero idea where I'd be. I might be working at McDonald's, saying, ‘Welcome to McDonald's, can I help you please?’” the former rebounding champ shared.
The NBA can be a ruthless environment where players look after themselves and their own success. But The Chairman of the Boards was different. He saw potential in a young player and was willing to invest his time and effort into helping him reach greatness. This act of generosity impacted Chuckster, who became the 1993 NBA MVP and one of the greatest players in league history.
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