“You got drugs, you got alcohol, you got women” – Charles Barkley highlighted how easy it is for players to get into trouble on the road originally appeared on Basketball Network.
Playing 16 seasons in the NBA, Charles Barkley had his fair share of run-ins with controversies — he was arrested multiple times for acts such as brawling outside bars and a DUI. Nonetheless, he has repeatedly expressed regret over getting involved in such situations.
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As a result, Barkley understands the potential pitfalls that come with being under the NBA spotlight. Behind all the fame and money, there is an extra responsibility factor associated with being a public figure. The all-of-a-sudden shift in lifestyles has ruined the lives of many young talents.
Starting his NBA journey as a player and then transitioning into a media analyst, Barkley has been closely associated with the league for over three decades. Therefore, he knows how the current multi-million dollar contracts can also throw young players off balance.
In a recent conversation with Dan Patrick, the Hall of Famer talked about how easy it is for players to get into trouble:
“You got drugs, you got alcohol, you got women. You don’t have to go on the road to get into trouble. It’s at home too….First thing, you got to do is get rid of your family and friends because they’re the biggest freeloaders, and they’ll never tell you know. You got to surround yourself with a few people who No. 1 will tell you, No! Tell you how to invest your money, how to save your money. Tell you, ‘Hey, you had too much to drink,'” explained Barkley, who advocated staying away from all sorts of drugs.
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Chuck’s encounters with the law
Barkley has surely learned from his past mistakes, landing on the wrong side of the law a couple of times. This included the infamous 1991 Milwaukee punching incident, where he got into an altercation with a group of three men outside a downtown tavern.
Barkley ended up punching one of the guys and was arrested but was let off the next morning with a $500 bail.
The NBA legend found himself in trouble yet again in 1998, this time for throwing a man into a plate-glass window — he reacted to constant provocation, including throwing a cup of ice at him and his friend.
Fast forward to 2008, and he was arrested on DUI charges. Barkley was caught after he jumped a stop sign. The office in charge was more or less confident about the NBA star being intoxicated. Spending the night behind bars, he was fined $2000 and asked to complete an alcohol treatment program. Nevertheless, Barkley admitted he was wrong and was thankful to the Almighty that he did not kill anyone.
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Dr. J’s life-changing advice
Barkley was fortunate enough to have a veteran like Julius Erving mentor him both on and off the court during his early days on the Philadelphia 76ers. At the time, Dr. J was nearing the end of his career while Chuck was just getting started.
Looking back on Erving’s advice that changed his life, Barkley recalled how the NBA legend once asked him about the number of cars he owned. What followed next was a masterclass on finances.
“He said, ‘Charles, everybody knows who the f–k you are. You ain’t got to impress these people. Everybody know you Charles Barkley.’ He said, ‘Son, take those cars back. You need one car. You wanna have two? That’s fine. But them other ones – take them back,” revealed Barkley, adding how Dr. J taught him the one car, one house philosophy.
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Today, Barkley has a reported net worth of $80 million. In addition to his investments, he has built a cult fan base as an analyst on the award-winning studio show Inside the NBA.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 14, 2025, where it first appeared.