In the past, the NBA has featured plenty of talented performers. And Charles Barkley was the person who wore that label and even carried it off the court. The Round Mound of Rebound was an NBA great who was selected in the same draught class as Hakeem Olajuwon and Michael Jordan. And during the period of the NBA’s resurgence in popularity, Barkley made a name for himself as a consistent MVP contender and All-Star.
Following his retirement, Chuckster used his skills as an NBA pundit for Inside the NBA. And although his work doesn’t include a lot of punditry, he really cemented his reputation as an entertainer. However, it appears that Chuck’s antics are not confined to TNT’s studio. Barkley even referred to himself as a “dummy” after a particularly amusing event involving a name mix-up. Nikola Jokic is currently averaging triple-doubles well before halftime. NBA Twitter Applauds the Joker’s First-Half Performance from 19/10/10
Carles Barkley mistakenly Called a Former NBA Coach Instead of A Friend.
Barkley is a well-known sports fan in addition to NBA basketball. Once, the Chuckster made the choice to talk about the Cleveland Browns with his friend Steve Fiorello over the phone.
Chuck talked about the Browns while driving and thought he was speaking to Fiorello. Instead, he had the unpleasant understanding that he was speaking with the incorrect individual.
The former Sixers superstar dialed Mike Fratello, a former NBA coach of the Hawks, Cavaliers, and Clippers, instead of Fiorello. And on The Steam Room, Barkley went into great detail about the incident that prompted him to refer to himself as a “dummy.”
He answers the phone. And I responded, “You’ve got to be very giddy about this game right now; this is historic stuff.” He then adds, “Yeah, it will be fascinating.” You’re not excited, I said. In response to his embarrassing error, he claims, “I’m not that much of a Browns fan. I occasionally watch the Browns, but I’ve been busy with the Clippers and Cavaliers games.”
The phone call that was supposed to be about Deshaun Watson and the Browns turned out to be a hilarious addition to the Chuck blooper reel. One could argue it was a truly Shaqtin-the-fool-esque moment. It’s quite the tale when you unintentionally phone up your old coach out of the blue without any reason.
Mike Fratello Hadn’t Coached Barkley in The NBA, Though.
Chuck and Fratello had a relationship even though Fratello hadn’t been Chuck’s coach for a while. How did he come to be on Barkley’s phone and the recipient of an error call, then?
Such a connection most likely developed as a result of Chuck participating as an All-Star from the east while playing for Fratello’s team in the 1988 NBA All-Star game. For most of the 1980s, Fratello served as the Atlanta Hawks’ and Dominique Wilkins’ head coach. Additionally, the Hawks’ league-best record in 1988 earned Fratello a spot in the All-Star game.
One of the East All-Stars chosen was the rising talent, Charles Barkley. The Chuckster was thus led by Fratello on his second trip to the All-Star game. However, it’s unlikely that they brought up the Cleveland Browns at that time.
