Former Phoenix Suns swingman Dan Majerle admired how Charles Barkley defied the odds and became one of the most dominant power forwards in NBA history. All throughout his legendary NBA career, "The Round Mound of Rebound" was undersized for his position but Majerle recognized how Chuck's heart and determination set him apart from other greats.
According to "Thunder Dan," aside from the rare combination of strength and talent, it was the undying hunger for winning that made Barkley his favorite teammate of all time.
"He was my favorite teammate," Majerle said of playing with Barkley on The Sidelines podcast in 2016. "I've never played with a guy at that size, or even seen a guy at that size, who could dominate a game. He was maybe, 6'5", probably 6'4", but he was so strong in his lower body, just the way he dominated, rebounding. When he came to the Suns in '92-93, he just put us on his shoulders and singlehandedly won some games."
Chuck was a character
Majerle also shared a few insights into his friendship with Barkley . After playing alongside Chuck for three consecutive seasons, Majerle revealed that Barkley was not only a remarkable player on the court but also a delightful person to be around off of it.
As "Thunder Dan" described it, Barkley was someone who always brought laughter and joy to almost every interaction he had with his teammates. For Majerle, Chuck's charismatic personality and sense of humor were also among the many reasons why he was such an impactful player and person.
"I really enjoyed playing with him, he was a lot of fun to play with. Being around him off the floor was a lot of fun, it was never boring. That's for sure," the three-time NBA All-Star added of Barkley.
Barkley and the Suns almost made it
Taking a quick trip down memory lane, there were no lies detected in Majerle's revelation as the Suns had a remarkable season when Barkley arrived. Under Barkley's leadership, Phoenix logged a sensational 62-20 record, the franchise's second-best regular season record of all time.
Chuck's dominance, along with the Suns' beautiful synergy, saw the team advancing deep in the playoffs and ultimately reaching the Finals, a feat that brought excitement and hope to The Valley faithful.
Unfortunately for Barkley and the Suns, their valiant efforts to finally win their first NBA championship were no match to the prowess of the mighty Chicago Bulls. Nevertheless, Barkley's incredible display of passion for the game that season did not go unnoticed as many, including Majerle, still hold "Sir Charles" in high esteem because of that remarkable run.
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
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