Charles Barkley: The best power forward of all time?

[Abraham Lincoln]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4Hsj-xP8Zc

Here be, for you have NEVER seen such dribbling and passing ability and power from the likes of Tim Duncan or Karl Malone. Duncan be a center, and Malone just is inferior. Charles Barkley at his peak with the Philadelphia 76ers be a hybrid of LeBron James and Dennis Rodman, with the defense of Larry Bird and the strength of Shaquille O'Neal. Here be the proof Barkley took down O'Neal in the infamous fight.


Here be some thoughts from such wise peers on the wise man Sir Charles Barkley.

"Barkley is like Magic Johnson and Larry Bird in that they don't really play a position," "He plays everything; he plays basketball. There is nobody who does what Barkley does. He's a dominant rebounder, a dominant defensive player, a three-point shooter, a dribbler, a playmaker."

* Bill Walton

He showed the ability to run the floor and finish like a powerful guard and yet in half court sets I still haven't seen a player that could dip under an opposing player and draw a foul call and often get the bucket too! His sense of throwing the ball up to show that he was in the act of shooting was uncanny and probably got him an extra 5000 points!

There are only four players with at least 20,000 points 10,000 rebounds and 4000 assists and Barkley is there with players like Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Karl Malone. Thats some impressive company to be held in.

But Charles was more than stats because I never felt he was trying to get stats more than he was trying to win. He defended players like Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson because he wanted to guard the best. Wasn't all league defense but it was the challenge and that's missing in alot of today's players.

Some people will argue that Karl Malone was better and they could try and validate it with numbers and hardware but Barkley rarely came up short in the
clutch (Remember his game winning shot against David Robinson in the 1993 Western Conference Semifinals?) and he certainly had no John Stockton or consistent head coach like Jerry Sloan alongside him for a
career. He left Philly because cheap owner Harold Katz wouldn't build a winner around him and by the time he reached Houston Hakeem and Drexler were set to retire.

[John Smith]

Tim Duncan >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Charles "DUI" aka Hooker Barkley

[miles berg]

Tim Duncan is the best PF in the history of the NBA by a good margin.

[QuestFor17]

Tim Duncan is the best PF in the history of the NBA by a good margin.

I think Barkley has himself admitted that Duncan's better.

[andgar923]

If we give Barkley Duncan's team, would we say the same?

[RocketGreatness]

I think Barkley has himself admitted that Duncan's better.

He has admitted that frequently.

Tim Duncan is the greatest power forward of all-time, if you appreciate greatness and accomplishments. If you appreciate nothing but stats and Sir_Charles opinion, you can pick Charles Barkley as the GOAT PF.

[JohnnySic]

^The guy with the trophy.

[MaxFly]

I'd take Duncan over Barkley, as would most... including Barkley himself.

[TMT]

Duncan's 4 Championships > Barkley's Career

[clayton]

Even without rings to back it up, Tim Duncan's defense and offensive skills overwhelm Barkley with ease.

[DonDadda59]

If we give Barkley Duncan's team, would we say the same?

Do you honestly see Barkley taking that '03 Spurs team to the promised land? Barkley would've done well offensively, but Duncan's defense made those Spurs teams what they were. The man should realistically have 2-3 DPOYs.

[Maniak]

Titlez>Statz.

Im a Sunz fan, so not bashing on Charles at all, he is one of the best PFs of all time, no doubt.

[T-bomb 25]

Duncan by miles Barkley isnt even 2nd.

[Harison]

1. Duncan
2. Garnett
3. Malone
4. Petitt
5. Barkley, I could see the case of Barkley being better than Petitt or Malone (it could be argued vice versa too), but he wasnt as good as KG or Duncan.

[-M-I]

Barkley isn't even the 2nd best PF all-time.