Born in Leeds, Ala., Barkley played collegiately at Auburn. He was named SEC Player of the Year by AP and UPI in 1984; led the SEC in rebounding three straight years; selected the SEC Player of the Decade (1980s); and drafted fifth overall in the 1984 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. Named by the NBA as one of the top 50 Greatest Basketball Players of All Time (1997), he posted career averages of 22.1 points, 11.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 1,073 career games. He had career totals of 23,737 points and 12, 546 rebounds. Barkley was the 12th player in NBA history to reach the 20,000 points, 10,000 rebound plateau; and the third player to reach the 20,000 points, 10,000 rebounds and 4,000 assists in a career. In 1993 he was named the NBA's Most Valuable Player with the Phoenix Suns. A five-time All NBA first team. He was voted to 11 All-Star games, eight as a starter, named MVP of the 1991 All-Star game (17 points, 22 rebounds), and was a member of the Dream Teams that won two Golds in the 1992 and 1996 Olympics.
