Charles Barkley, for the new generation of hoop fans, is the funniest man on sports TV. Before he took the role of an analyst, Barkley was known as The Round Mound of Rebound. As with every great athlete, Sir Charles also boasts a lot of honors to his name during a stellar career.

While he is pretty blunt in putting his opinions forward, there is another side to him. Barkley is an extremely humble individual who doesn’t take himself seriously. Exhibiting another example of his humility, the 60-year-old recently revealed his hesitation in receiving an honor from his ex-team.

Charles Barkley’s humble side

Barkley was known for his incredible prowess as an athlete. Despite being one of the greatest athletes of all time, the Phoenix Suns legend always maintained a humble stance off the court. He has stated frequently that as an NBA athlete, nobody should take themselves too seriously. As per the NBA veteran, there are only a handful of “real jobs” in the world which include teachers and firefighters, and being someone who only dribbles a ball for a living, it is “stupid” to have too much pride. Even when considering receiving well-deserved honors, Barkley is hesitant.

Recently, he was on The Dave Pasch Podcast, where he talked about being honored by the Suns. For someone who represented the Phoenix franchise from 1992 to 1996, the Ring of Honor is a fitting tribute. However, the 1993 MVP was hesitant to receive the honor. The humble Barkley said that he doesn’t even go to the games because he doesn’t “want to take attention away from the current athletes.” He also stated that since he has had his days of glory, it makes little sense for him to get involved in the limelight again.

However, since he respects the franchise, Barkley came through for the big ceremony and said that he was “really appreciative” of this thoughtful gesture.

Charles Barkley’s emotional speech

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Upon receiving the honor, the grateful Barkley got choked up while trying to address the ceremony. After thanking the organization for the Ring of Honor, he said “I’m never leaving Arizona, until I’m dead”. The Suns honored some of their greatest athletes from the past on the special day. Steve Nash, Kevin Johnson, Paul Westphal, Walter Davis, and Amar’e Stoudemire were some names who were honored alongside Barkley.

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