Charles Barkley reveals hilarious story of ‘high-fiving’ teammates after learning Magic Johnson’s spectacular contract

I remember vividly, me, Doc, Moses, Bobbie Jones, Andrew Tony. We in the locker room one day and it broke that Magic Johnson had been the first NBA player to make a million dollars. We were walking around high-fiving each other. We could not believe an NBA player made a million dollars. Charles Barkley said

Although Chuck and Sharpe talk about players earning $60 million a year, as a matter of fact, no player earns that much yet, however, several players earn over $40 million a year and Milwaukee Bucks Damian Lillard would be the first to earn $60 million a year. Huge figures compared to the days of Charles Barkley and other greats before them. 

Furthermore, as the figure rises, the race to $80 million dollars is on as Shannon Sharpe called it right for Dallas Mavericks Luka Doncic, who is expected to bag that amount next year. This is only how lucrative the league has grown and who knows, maybe Chuck might come out of retirement soon. 

Charles Barkley speaks about his gambling habit

Still on the podcast with Sharpe, the Round Mound of Rebound revealed shocking information about how he had once lost a whopping $25 million to his gambling addiction. 

I love to gamble, I love to gamble. There have probably been seven times when I won a million dollars. But there have probably been 25 times when I’ve lost a million.

Charles Barkley said

Furthermore, he also acknowledged that he had ended the habit as it was getting out of hand although he said he missed the idea. And as a risk-taker, he’d choose to ignore the small wins all to hit the $1 million mark, and losing made him feel depressed. 

Luckily he didn’t play in this era of astronomical figures where players earn so much that they can afford to lose. His money came in the ‘80s and ‘90s when he made a mark in the league.