During his first season with Phoenix following eight seasons with the 76ers in Philadelphia, Charles Barkley averaged 25.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game while leading the Suns to the NBA Finals.
Following that season, the 11-time All-Star was named NBA MVP, the only time during his 16 seasons that he received that honor.
Now Barkley, 57, is planning to sell his NBA MVP trophy as well as other memorabilia from his career and use the money to help build affordable housing in his hometown of Leeds, Alabama.
“We probably got 30 eyesores, as I call them, where houses used to be when I was growing up. Either a rotted-out house or there’s just weeds that have overgrown,” Barkley told WJOX 94.5. “So, what I’m trying to do — I want to work with the city of Leeds, I want them to give me the spaces, number one. I want them to give me the houses, and I’m going to use my own money selling my memorabilia.”
Barkley is planning to keep his 1992 Olympic gold medal because his daughter wants it, but said he’s willing to sell other memorabilia from the Dream Team and anything else of value he owns.
That memorabilia includes an autographed plaque signed by the original Dream Team and the gold medal Barkley won in 1996 while playing for the second Dream Team.
“I probably look at (the MVP trophy) once every 3-4 months, if I’m passing by my office,” Barkley said. “But how long do you keep this stuff? I mean, my daughter is going to have children. They’ll know that I was a MVP. They won’t need to see the trophy … I’m already rich. Why should I ask other people to take care of the poor?”
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