NBA legend Charles Barkley might be one of the jolliest personalities in the NBA community, however, that doesn’t mean he hasn’t gone through his fair share of failures and heartbreaks. One of the most devastating failures in his life happened while he was still very young, long before his NBA career started. During a recent interview, the Hall of Famer took the interviewer to his school and recalled a very traumatic night of his life, while giving him a tour.

After entering the school gym, the 1993 MVP naturally got very emotional and nostalgic. He then led the host to the school football stadium, which was the venue for the graduation ceremony and the cause of Chuck’s ‘traumatic night’ years ago.

Charles Barkley reveals a traumatic high school moment that changed him

Barkley was a 5-foot-10 inches tall backup point guard while in high school. That is not good numbers for any youngster dreaming of playing in the NBA one day. To add to his miseries, Barkley was also struggling with his academics.

The Phoenix Suns legend had flunked Spanish class and that stalled his graduation. A young Charles Barkley watched all of his classmates graduate before him in the school football stadium, which left him devastated.

Talking to John Wertheim, Barkley said, “I flunked Spanish, so I didn’t graduate. I was at home all by myself, devastated. And I drove around the backside here, and I stood here for two hours and watched the graduation. And I cried the whole time.”

“Even now, it’s kinda hittin’ me in a, in the heart a little bit. Man, what a traumatic night that was,” he added.

Interestingly, Barkley still remembers the name of his Spanish teacher. However, he does not have any hard feelings against her and remembers her as a sweet and a kind person. A young Barkley put in the effort and was able to pass Spanish thanks to summer school. From there onwards, there was no stopping Sir Charles, as a six inches growth spurt hurled him in his quest for basketball glory.

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The path to the NBA wasn’t easy for Barkley

High school wasn’t the end of Barkley’s struggles. Although he was already a huge basketball sensation while playing for Auburn University, Barkley struggled with weight issues.

In fact, his weight almost jeopardized his chances of joining the NBA. Ultimately, he shed almost 50 pounds of body weight and was chosen by the Philadelphia 76ers during the 1984 NBA draft.

He retired as one of the greatest players and rebounders the game had ever seen. Barkley won almost every accolade possible, except an NBA title. However, that does not undermine his Hall of Fame career in any way.

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