Being a world-class professional athlete in any important American sport has several advantages, including financial success. Even securing veteran minimum contracts in the NBA for a few years in a sport like basketball would make a player a millionaire. But back then, only the league’s top players would be granted that honor.
Charles Barkley is a prime example. One of the top NBA players was very happy of earning $3.2 million in 1992 while watching the All-Star game while sitting next to other All-Stars like Michael Jordan, Isiah Thomas, and Patrick Ewing. Take a look at Jordan Era below’s YouTube video to see the Greats’ general opinions on All-Star weekend.
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Charles Barkley Was Once Proud to Be Among the 15 Black Millionaires in The United States
People of African heritage were not doing as well as they are now 31 years ago. And so, Charles Barkley, who had made around $8 million by 1992, was proud of himself for being among half of the 15 black millionaires during the All-Star game.
Hell, there ain t but 15 black millionaires in the whole country, and half of em are right here in this room, said Barkley, when talking about the 1992 NBA All-Star roster, as per his book, Sir Charles: Wit and Wisdom of Charles Barkley.
Barkley is currently earning hundreds of millions of dollars from Turner Sports thanks to his wits and basic basketball expertise. He does not, however, encourage young people, particularly those from his community, to mindlessly follow celebrities like him.
The man believes kids from his race are brainwashed to only play sports or become entertainers. As he knows the ins and out of being a professional athlete, Barkley wants the youth of African American descent to understand what they excel at and pursue that.
Barkley Never Cared About the Money He Was Making
Sir Charles might have missed out on the chance to win an NBA championship, but he enjoyed his playing career through and through, doing what he wanted rather than what game plans suggested.
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I’ve enjoyed my eight years in Philadelphia but where I play basketball is t even one of the 10 most important things in my life. Now that will probably get some people upset.
I’ve got people telling me all the time, If you would just go along with the game plan, you could be making a couple of million dollars more than you are already. But what the hell do I need another couple of million for? I d rather be myself, another Barkley quote from Sir Charles.
The man is indeed an inspiration for people who want to live life with their rules. Often, he might come off as a silly man who does not understand much of what he is saying. However, that might just be a character Chuck plays, to keep us entertained.
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