NBA

Charles Barkley explains how he made ’10 times’ the money on his Nike deal by following Michael Jordan’s advice

Published by
Zach Stevens

Back in the late 1980s and 1990s, Charles Barkley became a household name in sports by becoming an NBA superstar and one of the more unique players the game had ever seen.

Even some 20 years after his retirement, he has remained very relevant as an analyst for Turner Sports’ coverage of the league while occasionally giving his opinions on topics such as politics.

Some former athletes, including even some stars, have lost a lot of their earnings by making poor financial decisions. But Barkley says Michael Jordan gave him a nugget that allowed him to greatly maximize his earnings.

“We both go to Nike,” Barkley said of himself and Jordan. “They signed Michael. And they signed me. And Michael gave me some great advice one time. He says, ‘Hey man, why you need all that money?’ I said, ‘Dude what you talking about?’ He says, ‘I was looking at your contract. You’re making about $3 million. Tell Nike you want a million and you want the rest in stock options.’ And I said, ‘OK.’ I run it by my guys. He says, ‘That’s a good idea if they’re gonna be great.’ I said, ‘This dude is the greatest basketball player I’ve ever seen. Let’s do it.’

“I actually made probably 10 times the amount of money, and I’m still with Nike to this day.”

Barkley was a force during his playing days. He was the No. 5 overall pick in the 1984 draft — taken two spots after Jordan (the No. 3 overall pick) — and he averaged 22.1 points and 11.7 rebounds a game over his 16 seasons.

He won the league MVP award for the 1992-93 season with averages of 25.6 points and 12.2 boards a game, and in his prime he was one of the top players in the NBA.

Barkley’s Phoenix Suns met Jordan’s Chicago Bulls in the 1993 NBA Finals, with Jordan and his crew winning the championship in six games, which was their third of six titles in the decade. It was the only trip Barkley ever made to the championship series.

Although Barkley may have made a very wise decision by asking for some of his Nike salary to be given in the form of stock options, he hasn’t been immune to impulsive and even poor financial decisions.

He has been a bit reckless with his gambling habits over the years, and he once admitted to ESPN that he had lost $10 million as a result, including $2.5 million in a six-hour period one night.

With the NBA set to begin a new media deal next season, roundball fans may not be able to watch Barkley give his wacky takes on the league and other topics for that much longer, as the league is ending its deal with TNT.

Zach Stevens

Robert is a native of Santa Monica, Calif. and a graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara. He has been an avid NBA and NFL fan since he was a little kid in the mid-'90s, and he has always loved soaking up knowledge about both leagues and their respective histories. He feels strongly that sports aren't just entertainment, but also a means for learning life lessons.

Published by
Zach Stevens

Recent Posts

Steph Curry pushes back on Trump’s claim that he’s done most for Black people since Lincoln

Folks won't have to wait much longer to find out who the next president of…

29 mins ago

Draymond Green praises Jordan Poole’s play this season: ‘I think last year he was pressing’

Jordan Poole and Draymond Green played together on the Golden State Warriors, but now Poole…

2 hours ago

Former Raptors guard calls Drake ‘selfish’ for hating on DeMar DeRozan

Former NBA guard Lou Williams, who spent a season with the Toronto Raptors during his…

1 day ago

Ex-NBA journeyman says violence sometimes is the answer in light of Joel Embiid’s altercation with reporter

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid made headlines Saturday night after reportedly shoving columnist Marcus Hayes…

2 days ago

Everything we know as NBA launches investigation on Joel Embiid shoving reporter in 76ers locker room

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid reportedly shoved columnist Marcus Hayes in Philadelphia's locker room following…

2 days ago

Andrew Tate attempts to use LeBron James’ endorsement against Kamala Harris

Controversial social media personality Andrew Tate commented Saturday on the upcoming presidential election, which is…

2 days ago