What Is Charles Barkley's Net Worth and Salary?
Charles Barkley, a retired professional basketball player and current television sports analyst, has a net worth of $60 million. Although his net worth could be higher, Barkley has openly admitted to losing between $10-30 million due to gambling.
Throughout his career, both as a player and after retirement, Barkley has been a sought-after brand endorser. He has appeared in numerous commercials for major brands such as Nike, FanDuel, T-Mobile, McDonald's, Dick's Sporting Goods, and Right Guard, earning tens of millions through endorsements. Most famously, Barkley appeared in a Nike commercial declaring, "I am not a role model."
In his post-player career, Barkley has made a significant impact as a sports commentator. He is one of the hosts of the popular TNT show "Inside the NBA." More details on his TNT contract and salary are covered later in this article.
TNT Contract and Salary
In 2020, Charles Barkley signed a 5-year, $30 million deal to continue as a co-host of "Inside the NBA" on TNT, earning $6 million annually. In October 2022, he extended his contract with TNT for 10 years for $100 million.
NBA Total Salary
During his playing career, Barkley earned $40.3 million in salary. His highest earning year was his final season with the Houston Rockets in 1999, where he made $9 million—equivalent to about $14 million today after adjusting for inflation.
(Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images)
Early Life
Charles Wade Barkley was born on February 20, 1963, in Leeds, Alabama. After his father left the family, his mother remarried, having two more sons before his stepfather died when Barkley was 11 years old. Barkley attended Leeds High School where he struggled initially but improved to attract Auburn University's head coach's attention, eventually playing college basketball there from 1981 to 1984 while majoring in business management. Despite not fitting the typical basketball player's physique, Barkley earned accolades like the SEC Player of the Year and became known for his dunks and blocked shots.
NBA Career
Barkley left Auburn in his junior year and was drafted fifth in the first round of the 1984 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. By the 1986-87 season, he became the team's leader, and by the following season, its franchise player, making multiple All-Star game appearances and earning MVP honors twice. In July 1992, Barkley was traded to the Phoenix Suns, immediately leading them to an NBA-best record and earning the MVP title, and qualifying for his seventh All-Star Game.
Barkley's career with the Suns was significant but short due to back pain, leading to his trade to the Houston Rockets in 1996. Plagued by injuries, he retired in 2000, concluding a 16-year Hall of Fame career.
(LISA O'CONNOR/AFP via Getty Images)
Olympics
After not making the U.S. men’s basketball team for the 1984 Summer Olympics, Barkley was part of the legendary "Dream Team" in the 1992 Olympics, alongside greats like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Scottie Pippen, winning a gold medal. Barkley was the highest-scoring member of the team and set a U.S. men's Olympic record for the highest three-point field goal percentage at 87.5%. The team won another gold in 1994, and in 2010, they were inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
TV Career
Since 2000, Barkley has been a prominent studio analyst for TNT's NBA coverage, co-hosting "Inside the NBA" with Shaquille O'Neal, Ernie Johnson Jr., and Kenny Smith. He has won four Sports Emmy Awards for his work. Barkley has also been an analyst for joint NBA and CBS Final Four coverage since 2011. Although he announced plans to retire in 2023, he currently hosts the show "King Charles" on CNN with Gayle King.
Personal Life
In 1989, Barkley married Maureen Blumhardt, and they have a daughter, Christiana. Barkley's gambling habits are well-documented, with losses estimated up to $30 million. Politically, Barkley supported Barack Obama in 2008 and has been an advocate for gay rights, becoming a critic of former President Donald Trump. In 2023, he donated $5 million to Auburn University to fund scholarships for Black students. Despite his travels, Barkley has maintained residences in Scottsdale, Leeds, Alabama, and Philadelphia.
