Charles Barkley shared the most important lesson from Julius Erving on how to be a superstar: “Make sure these other guys feel important”

Charles Barkley entered the NBA as a player for the Philadelphia 76ers team, which had fantastic veterans. He was a wide-eyed rookie with a strong personality, but he learned well from his teammates about how to conduct himself as a player.

The 76ers' veterans knew Barkley had all the potential to become a star, especially with his relentless approach to any basketball game. Julius "Dr. J" Erving realized this and took Chuck under his wing, a significant reason why Barkley grew into a superstar role.

"The number one thing he taught me, he says, 'You a star. You're a superstar. Make sure these other guys feel important. Number one, you're going to get all the blame,' which is 100 percent correct," Barkley said to The Ringer in 2022. "He says, 'You've got to make those guys feel special cause number one you're getting all the credit—hey, when you all go to dinner, you grab the check. Every holiday, if a guy's stuck in town, you make sure they come to your house."

Barkley became a fantastic teammate

Due to the lessons he learned from Dr. J, Barkley became a much better teammate. He knew he needed to step up for the team, especially when Erving and Moses Malone left. Chuck became the undisputed star on the 76ers, where he was a fiery player but was always one of the best teammates.

Realistically, he was only around 6'5", but he was superb on the boards. Barkley could out-work anyone on the glass, turning him into a dominant force in the paint. No one could match up against the Round Mound of Rebound, making him one of the best players in the league.

Teammate Hersey Hawkins spoke about how Barkley's rebounding prowess settled the team and made them more confident to shoot.

"He used to tell me, 'You shoot the ball, and I'll get the rebound,' and he would get every rebound. I tell you, he would get every rebound," Hawkins said in an ESPN documentary about Chuck.

Barkley might have been outspoken, yet he never turned his back on his teammates. He was willing to fight everyone just to protect them. It was natural for him, but Dr. J encouraged him to do everything he could to support his team amidst their obstacles.

Barkley kept being a superstar

Even when he got traded from the 76ers for a better chance of winning a championship with the Phoenix Suns, he was still a fantastic teammate. Chuck was the most productive power forward in the game outside Karl Malone, especially regarding rebounding. He went toe-to-toe with Michael Jordan during the 1992/93 season but could not beat the Bulls in the Finals.

Chuck kept following the lessons he learned from Erving because he knew Dr. J had all the experiences and knowledge he would have needed to be successful in the NBA. Barkley did not win a championship during his career, but he did cement himself as one of the best players of his generation, especially as he overcame the odds of being a smaller power forward.

Related: “I couldn’t take that, ‘cause I knew there were bigger things for me” - When Charles Barkley realized that it was time to leave Philadelphia