Charles Barkley ultimately became a Hall of Fame player and one of the true legends of the game. But that was no sure thing for the young Chuckster.
Barkley came from Leeds, Alabama, and like some other greats (Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman and David Robinson for a few) he was a late bloomer. Just 5-10 as a junior, Barkley was 6-4 by his senior season. Even then, no one noticed him until the state tournament, when an Auburn aide told coach Sonny Smith that he had seen “a fat guy... who can play like the wind.