Charles Barkley on the moment his view of Chuck Daly changed: 'I can't believe this is the guy who coached the damn Bad Boys'

During the late 80s and early 90s, Charles Barkley — like many other opponents — frequently clashed with the Detroit Pistons, known as the "Bad Boys" for their rough style of play. These intense battles led the NBA superstar to dislike the notorious team and have a biased opinion of their longtime head coach, Chuck Daly.

Looking at statements "Sir Charles" made in May 2009, it's clear he once held preconceived notions about the former Pistons coach. While this revealed his initial bias, it also revealed that his opinion significantly improved after getting to know the Hall of Famer.

"After I'd spent some time around him, I said to myself, 'I can't believe this is the guy who coached the damn Bad Boys,'" remarked Barkley following Daly's passing, per The Spokesman.

The Chuck Daly effect

As the head coach of one of the most disliked teams in NBA history, Daly naturally faced some public disapproval. From 1983 to 1992, leading the infamous Pistons, who often pushed the rules to their limits, this aversion was part of the job description, so to speak.

While Detroit's "do-whatever-it-takes" approach became known as highly controversial, they managed to win two championship titles under Chuck's leadership, one in 1989 and another the following year. According to Barkley, this success was due to Daly's coaching style, which seemed to bring together all the "characters" in that locker room.

"You had John Salley, Dennis Rodman, Bill Laimbeer, Rick Mahorn. One year, they traded for Mark Aguirre. Isiah Thomas was a strong personality, to say the least. There ain't a choirboy in the bunch," the 1993 MVP remarked, adding, "Yet, Chuck was able to control that locker room and win championships. To blend all those guys together and get 'em to listen and carry out a plan… that's a stroke of genius."

Bonding over golf

The way Daly "won over" Barkley as well happened around the 1992 Olympics. Although "Sir Charles" didn't give exact details, it likely occurred during a pre-tournament camp.

"We'd practice as hard as we could for a couple of hours, then all go and play golf. In Monaco, it would be me, Michael Jordan, David Robinson, and Chuck Daly," he remembered.

Barkley explained that during those hours on Monaco's beautiful golf courses, they bonded with their head coach. This was clear when the three NBA stars looked at each other in awe of the Pennsylvania native.

"We're all carrying our clubs and walking, and saying to each other, 'This guy is the coach of the Olympic team, and he's out here carrying his clubs with us?'" said "The Round Mound of Rebound."

For Charles, a golf lover, playing with his teammates while being around the head coach, whom he had previously viewed critically, turned into an unforgettable experience. He wholeheartedly concluded that Daly "made that summer fun." It also shows a deeper lesson: it's never right to judge someone before getting to know them personally.