"That was a big factor in my coming here."Īs a freshman, there were three double-doubles against Melvin Turpin and Kentucky: 25 points and 17 rebounds, 18 points and 12 rebounds, and 18 points and 11 rebounds. "I first thought about coming here because I thought I would have the best chance to play right away," he said. Playing time played a key role in Barkley's decision to attend Auburn. He can trade knee-for-knee with Kentucky's 6-foot-11 Melvin Turpin, push-for-push with Vanderbilt's 6-foot-8 Ted Young, and elbow-for-elbow with Tennessee's 6-foot-7 Dale Ellis." "When push comes to shove," wrote the Alabama Journal's Darryal Ray, "Charles Barkley can keep up with the best of them. As he grew, his body began to fill out and he used the weight to compete with taller players who played center. the spectacular way that he scores or rebounds or blocks shots."īarkley was 5-10 and 220 pounds at age 13, according to the Alabama Journal. I think he's really a hot item because of his mannerisms more than anything else. "He arrived on the scene at the right time. "I think Auburn people were starved for somebody to identify with, to cling to or support," Auburn coach Sonny Smith said. Barkley broke Auburn's single-season block record by the 12th game of his freshman year, even though he said defense was the most difficult transition from high school to college.īarkley showed is personality, too, engaging the crowd by waving or blowing kisses. He used his great leaping ability and sturdy frame to get prime positioning and beat his opponents to the ball. and to him, having fun means rejecting shots, soaring high for rebounds and nailing spectacular slam dunks."īarkley was incredibly active on both ends of a floor. "The best way to look at Charles Barkley is to just relax in your seat and digest him slowly," wrote The Montgomery Advertiser's Bob Mayes during Barkley's freshman year. He kept up with - and bested - taller opponents, all while having a lot of fun in the process. "I don't think you give them much more than a 'fair.'"ĭespite being just 6-6, Barkley played center and held his own in the low post, on the glass and defensively. "They were looking for guys that would get them in the first division - on paper, I don't see any guys that will put them in the first division," Cronauer said of Auburn's 1981 recruiting class. In a story published in The Anniston Star (Anniston, Alabama), the paper received scouting reports from Bill Cronauer, the head of the "most authoritative basketball scouting service in the nation," on each of the SEC schools. His recruitment took off when he posted 24 points and 20 rebounds against 6-11 standout Bobby Lee Lewis, who would later attend Alabama. Barkley wasn't heavily recruited until late in his senior year at Leeds High School. In fact, he wasn't being recruited by any big-time schools in the summer of 1980, according to The Montgomery Advertiser. So Barkley was a well-regarded high school player but no one knew he'd be a future NBA MVP. 7 high school basketball player in the state of Alabama in 1981, a year that UAB's Gene Bartow called "a banner year" and Alabama assistant coach John Bostick called the "best I've ever seen." The Alabama Journal ranked Barkley as the No. RELATED: The complete results from the best #MarchMadnessMoments bracket What kind of prospect was Charles Barkley in high school?Ī story published in The Selma Times-Journal (Selma, Alabama) in July 1980, the summer before Barkley's senior year of high school, noted that the 6-6 center was All-State, All-State Tournament, All-Region, All-County and the county MVP after averaging 19.7 points, 18.9 rebounds, 5.1 blocks and 3.1 assists per game. The Tigers' record improved each season Barkley was on campus, from 14-14 to 15-13 to 20-11. What was Charles Barkley's record in college?Īuburn went 49-38 in three seasons with Charles Barkley. He averaged 14.1 points per game for his career. How many points did Charles Barkley average in college?Ĭharles Barkley averaged double figures in each of his three seasons at Auburn, most notably a career-best 15.1 points per game as a junior in the 1983-84 season. Charles Barkley's college stats and vitalsĬareer averages: 14.1 points per game, 9.6 rebounds per game, 62.6% shooting SEASON Here's everything you need to know about Charles Barkley's college career at Auburn. Charles Barkley is one of the greatest basketball players of all time, an under-sized college center at Auburn known for his rebounding and shot-blocking who became of the best players in the NBA for his era.
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