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NBA legend Charles Barkley is a huge fan favorite for his antics, jokes, and harsh burns. Usually, four-time NBA champion Shaquille O’Neal is on the receiving end of Barkley’s burns. However, there are times when Chuck is given a taste of his own medicine. One such encounter happened three years ago when Barkley was one of the commentators for a star-studded golf charity match featuring some of the biggest golfing stars.

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During one play, golf legend Tiger Woods converted a brilliant shot. This drew a hilarious basketball reference from Barkley, which urged golf star Justin Thomas to call Chuck ‘fat’ on national TV.

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Charles Barkley once got a taste of his own medicine

Phoenix Suns legend Charles Barkley’s love for golf is not unknown. He once mentioned how he plans his summer retreats based on which city has the better golf courses. Moreover, he has been involved in numerous high-stakes golf tournaments as well.

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Back in 2020, he was a part of the commentating team during The Match: Champions for Charity. Justin Thomas was also part of the star-studded announcing team. 

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During the play, Tiger Woods sunk a 25-yard bunker shot from two feet away. While the rest of the commentating team was in awe, Barkley was unfazed. “If I saw a guy dunk a basketball, I wouldn’t get all excited about it”, said the 1993 NBA MVP.

A few rounds later, Phil Mickelson missed, which urged Justin Thomas to make a sly remark. Thomas said, “Chuck, I’d love to see your fat a** try to dunk a basketball right now.”

Although Thomas had toned down his dig, it was still loud enough to reach Chuck’s ears. Barkley quickly retaliated by saying, “JT, you can’t call me fat on TV. That’s bullying. I’m going to call HR on you.” 

READ MORE: “How in the World Could Florida Promise That Kid $13,000,000?”: Enraged Charles Barkley Doesn’t Hold Back on Big College Football Saga

Interestingly, it seems Thomas had no remorse for his comments. In fact, he wished that he had said it louder and with a little more delivery. When the dust settled, JT apologized to Barkley.

Barkley does not give people a chance to call him fat anymore

The year 2023 saw both Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley working on their body. While the entire media world was aware of Shaq’s insane body transformation, Chuck was quietly putting in the work.

During an episode of All the Smoke podcast, the host Matt Barnes revealed that he was in Atlanta to meet the Round Mound of Rebound. According to Barnes, Chuck had undergone hip surgery and finally had two good hips. Moreover, the 11-time NBA All-Star had lost about 50 pounds! 

WATCH THIS STORY: 5 times Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal had heated fights on Inside The NBA

What is your favorite memory of Charles Barkley? Let us know in the comments below.

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Abhinava Ghosh

1,823 Articles

Abhinava Ghosh is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports with a wealth of experience covering the league. He has written over 1400 articles for EssentiallySports, showcasing his expertise in analyzing and reporting on NBA trade rumors, injury updates, and the ever-changing dynamics of the league. He had successfully covered the entire Kevin Durant trade saga at Brooklyn, which led to the basketball legend’s move to the Desert. He also kept our readers updated on the Brittney Griner situation throughout her exile in Russia. One of Abhinava's proudest moments came in 2015 when the Golden State Warriors won the NBA title after 40 years. As a lifelong fan of the Dubs, Abhinava was thrilled to see his team reach the pinnacle of the sport, but he remained objective and professional in his reporting.

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Debmallya Chakraborty

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