Alabama-born Charles Barkley, an American former professional basketball player, went through a challenging childhood as his parents divorced.
He is a television analyst on Turner Network Television (TNT) and CBS Sports.
Highlights
- Charles Barkley, born on February 20, 1963, was the first black child born at a segregated, all-white town hospital.
- His parents were divorced, and his mother married Clee Glenn, who lost his life in an auto accident.
- Charles tried to gradually improve his relationship with his biological father before his tragic demise.
Charles played 16 seasons in the NBA and used his aggression to become one of the NBA’s best rebounders and scorers.
He was named to the NBA’s 50th and 75th-anniversary teams. He also became the 1993 Most Valuable Player (MVP), an 11-time NBA All-Star, and an 11-time member of the All-NBA Team.
Charles began playing basketball at Leeds High School and played collegiate basketball for the Auburn Tigers for three seasons.
He announced his eligibility for the 1984 NBA draft, forgoing his final year, and the Philadelphia 76ers selected him as the fifth pick in the first round.
76ers traded him to the Phoenix Suns in the 1992–93 season, and he led the Suns to their first NBA Finals appearance since 1976.
He played for the Houston Rockets before retiring from his professional playing career after the 1999–2000 season.
Charles Barkley’s Challenging Memories Of His Parents
Charles Wade Barkley, the son of Frank Barkley and Charcey Glenn, was born on February 20, 1963, in Leeds, Alabama. He was the first black child born at a segregated, all-white town hospital.
He didn’t have a memorable childhood like other children. His parents divorced while he was growing up, and his father abandoned the family.
George Lopez’s DNA test on Lopez Tonight shows he is 14% Native American, 11% European, and 75% African descent.
He grew up with his single mother and a younger brother, Darryl Barkley. They experienced financial hardship and missed the opportunity to spend quality time with their biological father.
Later, his mother married Clee Glenn and had other children: Rennie, who died in infancy, and John Glenn.
Sadly, his stepfather suffered a severe injury during an auto accident and passed away when he was only 11 years old.
The former NBA athlete experienced significant loss within his family while growing up. Adding to his grief, he lost his mother due to kidney failure in 2015. She was 73 years old.
Similarly, his biological father passed away in 2021. In an interview, he confirmed the tragic news but did not disclose the exact cause of the demise.
Charles is renowned for his community involvement and considered running for the Republican candidate for Alabama’s governorship in 1998.
I’m serious. I’ve got to get people to realize that the government is full of it. Republicans and Democrats want to argue over stuff that’s not important, like gay marriage or the war in Iraq or illegal immigration… When I run—if I run—we’re going to talk about real issues like improving our schools, cleaning up our neighborhoods of drugs and crime and making Alabama a better place for all people.
Charles Barkley
Charles Barkley Gradually Improved His Bonding With His Biological Father
Before the tragic demise of Frank Barkley, Charles tried to improve his relationship with his biological father.
They had a rocky relationship for the first 30 years of the former NBA athlete and wished for a better bond.
Charles Barkley Struggled Being A Good Husband and Father
— Club Shay Shay (@ClubShayShay) May 7, 2024
"The next stage of my life I think I have to be better… I didn't know how to be a good husband or father. I just need to be better." pic.twitter.com/jmNkFZG07N
Charles mentioned his father on his podcast, “The Steam Room,” with co-host Ernie Johnson. He expressed the gradual improvement of his bond with his father before his unfortunate demise.
And last and definitely not least, my dad passed away Christmas week. And me and my dad have had a complicated relationship. I want to make it perfectly clear, for the last long years of our life, we have had a great relationship. We had a rocky relationship the first probably 20, 30 years of my life.
Nonetheless, Charles is the father of a beautiful daughter, Christiana Barkley, born in 1989.
He met Maureen Blumhardt for the first time in the 1980s while playing for the Philadelphia 76ers and married in 1989.
His wife is an honorary member of the Phoenix-based organization Fresh Start Women’s Foundation, and they reside in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Although Charles didn’t receive his parents’ love correctly, he tried his best to provide for his small family.
Christiana is married and has two children. Her parents named her after a mall in Delaware, Christiana Mall.
Additional Information
- Charles Barkley majored in business management while attending Auburn University.
- He is renowned for his compulsive gambling and lost approximately $10 million.
- His close friend, Michael Wilbon, edited his book, I May Be Wrong, But I Doubt It, in 2002.
- His net worth is estimated at $80 million as of 2025, and he earns $10 million annually.
