Sir Charles had a revolutionary impact in Philadelphia. He transformed from the 5th overall pick in 1984 to one of the most dominant forces in NBA history. Moreover ‘The Round Mound of Rebound’s’ dominance in Philadelphia 76ers wasn’t just about numbers but it was about redefining what a 6’6″ power forward could achieve in an era of giants. Now despite earning six All-Star selections and five All-NBA Team honors, a former NBA star has made a bold claim saying he would have done better if he had been on his team.
During the recent episode of the Gils Arena podcast, Kenyon Martin discussed the Philadelphia 76ers team when Charles Barkley was in it. But Gilbert Arenas added some spice to the statement that has made waves in the NBA community. “I think I would average more than Chuck, if I was on that team. I averaged 29 and I had teammates that averaged 20 and 19 on the team,” said Arenas during the podcast. But when Jeff Teague added if Arenas would have won the Finals, the 42-year-old was quick to dismiss it by saying, “Woah, Relax.”
If we look at the numbers, in his eight seasons with the 76ers, Barkley was a 6x All-Star, picked to five All-NBA teams, and averaged 23.3 points and 11.6 rebounds per game. While all of his seasons were good, the 1988-89 season was particularly special as he scored his career-best averages of 25.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, and shot 57.9% from the field.
Gilbert Arenas confessed his feelings for Charles Barkley
However, Arenas had a different narrative in mind as he was on the side of the fans who were blaming the decisions of the management and the coaches. “I don’t like him. I just don’t like how he talks about whose fault it is because when he was playing he didn’t take no responsibility for what was going on with him, right?… Whose fault was it when they went 41-41 and he needed to leave to try to win a championship? Then when he got to Houston, the team that won the championship, who was out of shape?… where was the responsibility then? I hate when you get to a certain stage and start throwing shots when you were a problem yourself when you played,” said Arenas during that time.
Since then, there have been numerous instances when Arenas had called out Barkley on his podcast and Barkley had done the same in his candid interviews. As both players continue to make their mark in the sports media landscape, it remains to be seen whether their feud will further intensify or eventually be resolved.
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