What NBA Team Did Charles Barkley Play For?

Charles Barkley is one of the most iconic players in NBA history. He played for several teams during his storied career, but which one was his favorite?

Charles Barkley’s NBA Teams

Charles Barkley was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 5th pick in the 1984 NBA draft. He played for the 76ers for 8 seasons. He was then traded to the Phoenix Suns in 1992. He played for the Suns for 4 seasons. In 1996, he was traded to the Houston Rockets. He played for the Rockets for 4 seasons before retiring in 2000.

Philadelphia 76ers (1984-1992)

The Philadelphia 76ers selected Barkley with the fifth pick in the 1984 NBA draft. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year after averaging 14.0 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, and he helped lead the team to the playoffs during his first season. Barkley emerged as a star during his second season with the 76ers, averaging 20.0 points and 12.8 rebounds per game. He earned his first trip to the NBA All-Star Game, and he was named to the All-NBA Second Team at the end of the season.

Barkley continued to improve during his third season with the 76ers, averaging 22.1 points and 14.6 rebounds per game. He earned his second consecutive trip to the All-Star Game, and he was once again named to the All-NBA Second Team. Barkley helped lead the 76ers to their first playoff appearance in three years, but they were defeated by the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the playoffs.

Barkley won his first NBA MVP award during his fourth season with the 76ers,averaging 25.2 points and 12.5 rebounds per game. He led the team to a 55-27 record, and they advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals before being defeated by eventual NBA champion Detroit Pistons. Barkley earned his third consecutive trip to the All-Star Game, and he was again named to the All-NBA Second Team at season’s end.

Phoenix Suns (1992-1996)

Charles Barkley spent some of his best years with the Phoenix Suns. He was traded to the Suns in 1992, and he immediately made an impact on the team. He became one of the most popular players in the league, and he helped the Suns to reach the NBA Finals in 1993. Barkley was named the NBA MVP in 1993, and he was a member of the All-NBA First Team three times. He also won an Olympic gold medal with the United States in 1992. Barkley left the Suns in 1996 to join the Houston Rockets.

Houston Rockets (1996-2000)

Houston Rockets (1996-2000)
Charles Barkley was traded to the Houston Rockets in 1996. In his four seasons with the team, Barkley was a three-time All-Star and helped the Rockets to two Western Conference Finals. He retired in 2000.

Golden State Warriors (2000-2002)

Charles Barkley played a total of three seasons with the Golden State Warriors from 2000 to 2002. He was traded to the Warriors in exchange for forward Jason Caffey and guards Mookie Blaylock and Steve Smith. Barkley’s arrival in Golden State signaled the beginning of a new era for the Warriors.

Barkley’s first season with the Warriors was a disappointment. The team finished with a dismal 34-48 record and failed to make the playoffs. Barkley played in just 47 games due to injuries and averaged only 13.5 points per game, his lowest scoring average since his rookie season.

The following season was much better for Barkley and the Warriors. The team finished with a 50-32 record, their best since 1994, and made it to the playoffs for the first time in 12 years. Barkley played in all 82 games and averaged 19.2 points per game, his highest scoring average since 1993.

Barkley’s final season with the Warriors was cut short by injury once again. He played in just 46 games and averaged 14.5 points per game before being forced to retire due to a heart condition.

Return to the Sixers (2002-2003)

After being traded to the Houston Rockets in 1996, Barkley’s career entered a decline. He was hampered by injuries and by his weight, which had ballooned over the years. In 1999, he was traded to the Phoenix Suns. He helped lead the Suns to the NBA Finals in his first season with them, but they were defeated by the San Antonio Spurs. After that performance, Barkley’s career began winding down. He was traded back to the Sixers in 2000, but only played four games for them before retiring due to more injuries. He came back for one more season in 2002-2003, playing for the Sixers and averaging 12 points per game.

Barkley’s NBA Stats

Charles Barkley was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 5th pick in the first round of the 1984 NBA Draft. He was selected to the All-Rookie team in 1985. In his first season, he averaged 14.0 points and 8.6 rebounds per game.

Regular Season

From Barkley’s rookie year in 1984-85 through his final season in 1999-2000, he played in 1,280 regular season games (1,131 started), averaging 22.1 ppg, 11.7 rpg and 3.9 apg in 34.6 minutes per contest. He appeared in the playoffs 16 times, averaging 21.6 ppg, 12.9 rpg and 3.9 apg in 38.4 minutes per game.

Playoffs

Barkley’s teams never made it past the second round of the playoffs during his time with them.

Barkley’s Post-NBA Career

Charles Barkley is one of the most beloved NBA players of all time. After he retired from the NBA, he became a very successful broadcaster. He currently works as a studio analyst for NBA on TNT. He is also known for his philanthropy work.

Television

Perhaps Barkley’s most high-profile post-NBA gig has been with television. He spent 16 years as a studio analyst for Turner Broadcasting’s coverage of the NBA. He won a prestigious Emmy Award in 1999 for his work on TNT’s Inside the NBA studio show.

Barkley has also dabbled in acting. He had a memorable role as himself in the 1996 movie Space Jam, which also starred Michael Jordan. And he’s had cameo appearances on popular television shows like The Simpsons and Modern Family.

Politics

Barkley has been outspoken about his political views. He was a prominent critic of the George W. Bush administration and campaigned for John Kerry in the 2004 presidential election. In 2008, he supported Barack Obama for president. In 2012, Barkley said he might run for governor of Alabama as a Democrat in 2014, but he decided not to run.

On November 5, 2014, Barkley announced that he was “not a fan” of either party and would no longer support Democrats or Republicans, saying “I didn’t leave the Democratic Party. The Democratic Party left me.” He endorsed Cory Booker in his successful 2013 campaign to become U.S. Senator from New Jersey, and also supported Doug Jones in his successful 2017 campaign to become U.S. Senator from Alabama.