Modern-day fans primarily recognize Charles Barkley as one of the most comical voices on Inside the NBA and as an analyst who never holds back his opinions. But before all that, he was one of the most dominant scorers in the NBA during the 1980s and 1990s. While many tend to acknowledge that, given how The Round Mound of Rebound emerged as the best scorer for the 1992 Dream team, even with the likes of Michael Jordan and Karl Malone, among other all-time greats in their peak on the roster, what often goes overlooked is the influence Barkley had on an entire generation.
Grant Hill once shed light on this aspect by admitting how he glued himself to the TV screens every time Barkley was in action, even though he wasn’t a Philadelphia 76ers fan, having grown up in Dallas.
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Hill on what was Barkley’s true influence
Barkley was far more than his 22.1 points per game career average, which even surpassed the numbers of fellow 76ers legend, Julius Erving, who dominated the scoring charts throughout the 1970s. At just 6’6″, he routinely dominated the glass in an era defined by brute physicality.
More impressively, given how Chuck registered a rebounds-per-game tally of 11.7 per game, which was higher than the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Hakeem Olajuwon, Hill was mightily impressed by the grit and strength that Barkley showed as an undersized rebounder, which eventually inspired an entire generation of young players to play with the same fire and flair.
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“What a great power forward, particularly at his size, of all time. I mean, just physical, athletic, mentality, he was just a joy to watch. We loved Barkley,” Hill said. “I wasn’t a big Sixers fan, but our man, Barkley, when you watched him, you knew it was going to be elite, high-level explosive basketball.”
Barkley was a true superstar
Adding more to the admiration he held for Barkley, Hill also pointed out something modern fans might not realize: Chuckster, who comes across as a clownish, fun-loving personality on TV, was always like that, even during his playing career. He loved keeping the mood light, cracking jokes and bringing joy to those around him. And perhaps that personality carried him seamlessly into television, where his unapologetic honesty has made him one of the most beloved media analysts ever.
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“Then, he became this incredible personality and a television star, media darling and to a point, where if you’re not old enough, you don’t understand or appreciate just how good he was as a player,” G-Money continued. “As entertaining, as successful, as famous as he is as a broadcaster, it was the same thing as a player.”
That being said, while Barkley may not have been the most accomplished player during his era, the fact that he averaged a double-double in 15 of his 16 seasons in the league and how admirably Hill, among many others, looked up to him gives a true picture to modern-day NBA fans of what impact the 1993 MVP had on an entire generation.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 25, 2025, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.