Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson and Larry Bird Shared the Ball

The legend of Charles Barkley feels like a word stuck on the tip of your tongue. Almost there, but not quite. Recently, the memory of Charles’ NBA conquests seems to fade. He now sees himself more as an entertaining analyst capable of captivating the entire world with his frankness.

He is honest to a fault. But over the decades, the collective NBA community has come to admire and appreciate him for it. Of course, there are times when you cross the line.

But there was a time when Charles Barkley was a force of nature. So domineering that he was dubbed an anomaly. After all, what other 6-foot-6 power forward won a rebounding title? Only Carlos did.

So naturally, Barkley was seen as an authority who knew the game. When the 1996 USA team suffered from poor chemistry, Charles stepped up to get them back on track.

Charles Barkley embarrassed the 1996 USA team

In 1992, Barkley played alongside Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson on the Dream Team. The way the original Dream Team had worked really resonated with Chuck. He wanted that legacy of selflessness and sharing to continue into the future.

But the members of Team USA in 1996 felt differently about it. They argued over who should get more playing time. The pursuit of glory eclipsed the need to be the best team. That’s when Barkley shamed them for their behavior.

in his book when the game was ours Larry Bird and Magic Johnson wrote:

“It was a huge ego fest,” Barkley said. “The guys actually boycotted practice because they weren’t happy with their playing time. It was ridiculous. One afternoon, when his fellow 1996 Olympians were complaining about his minutes, Barkley finally snapped. “You should be ashamed of yourselves,” he chided them. “Michael, Magic and Larry shared the ball. They shared the spotlight. And for that, it was the experience of a lifetime. You are a bunch of selfish jerks.”

Barkley was sensational at the 1996 Olympics

Chuck’s presence on the 1996 team is sorely underrated. He averaged the most points and posted 7 of the 8 games. Barkley averaged 12.4 points in the tournament. He was also in the top 4 overall point scorers with 87 points in the tournament.

USA's Dream Team III, from the 1996 Summer Olympics. Can you name them all? pic.twitter.com/XlIZvwyw

— SI Vault (@si_vault) January 16, 2012

Essentially, Barkley led by example. Although he played 7 games, he started only 4 of them. He gave other youngsters the opportunity to display his talents. Somehow, he ensured they won another gold medal.

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