Charles Barkley learned a valuable lesson about paying taxes, but it came from the most unconventional of places. The 1993 NBA MVP said Bill Russell gave him a brutal reality check about his obligations. And in typical Russell fashion, the 11-time champion pulled no punches.
Appearing on SiriusXM's Let's Go podcast with Jim Gray and Bill Belichick; Sir Charles repeated his encounter with the Celtics great in the late 1980s after Barkley complained about the high rate of his taxes on TV.
"He said, 'Charles Barkley?' I said, 'Who's this?' He said, 'Bill Russell.' I said, 'Hey, Mr. Russell.' And he was like, 'Shut the hell up and listen to me,'" the Hall of Famer recalled .
"He says, 'Where did you grow up?' I said, 'I grew up in Alabama.' He says, 'You went to public school?' I said, 'Yes, sir.' He said, 'Did the police ever come in your neighborhood?' I said, 'Yes, sir, they came all the time.' He says, 'Other people who had money were paying their taxes, so I never wanna hear you on television about paying your taxes,'" added Barkley.
"Be Happy You're Making a Lot of Money"
The Boston Celtics icon was making a point. When Chuck grew up in Alabama, somebody else was paying taxes so children like him could get an education and be relatively safe. Now, it was his turn to do that to others.
"'Son, we're the luckiest people in the world. We make more than teachers, firemen, policemen, nurses, and people who are really important and significant. You're making hundreds and thousands of dollars a year to dribble a stupid ball. Don't ever get on TV and complain," Russell continued to lecture Barkley.
A simple reality check from the Celtics great did the trick. It changed his perspective, and Sir Charles never griped about taxes again.
NBA players' taxes are really high
In all fairness, NBA players pay a ludicrous amount of taxes, so Barkley's complaints were not wholly unwarranted. For instance, a 2017 ESPN article outlined the net pay of the league's brightest superstars, such as Steph Curry, LeBron James, and Russell Westbrook.
According to the piece by Darren Rovell and Bobby Marks, Curry only pocketed $15.2 million of his $34 million gross salary. The King, likewise, did not get the lion's share of his $33.2 million gross pay; he only took home $16.7 million because of federal and state taxes, plus other fees. Brodie was no exception. Westbrook had a $28.5 million salary and only got to keep $14.7 million.
As Russell once put it, these players are fortunate to earn millions playing a child's game. The reality is they don't pocket as much as fans might assume.
Related: Charles Barkley explained why the 1996 Dream Team 'sucked': "On that first Dream Team, we never had any of that"
Chuck took the lesson to heart
When the Association's winningest player says something, you listen. That's what Barkley did, and he took the lesson to heart. He is in a position to do things for others, a privilege not everyone can have.
"There's five important jobs in the world, in my opinion," said Barkley in a 2016 interview. "Teacher, fireman, policeman, doctor, and somebody who is in the armed service. Those are selfless, honorable people. I played basketball. I don't take myself that serious. You play a silly game – it's a great game – I love basketball. Basketball has given me every single thing in my life."
NBA players may not take home as much as that contract says, but they still make more money than they could ever spend. Like the noble ones Chukster mentioned, some people earn less but work like dogs. Charles Barkley realized that, thanks to the late great Bill.
Related: Shaq on the difference between Pat Riley and Phil Jackson: “In the long run, if you have a little more humor, you can get more done”
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