'He’s Not a Role Model' – Former NBA Star Charles Barkley Gets Disregarded as the Top Ringless Star by 2016 Champ

When it comes to ranking which player is a better basketball role model, though, former NBA player Richard Jefferson stirred up controversy. According to the 2016 champion, he thinks Malone is a better role model on the court compared to Chuck. His reasoning is simple: the level of professionalism that the former Jazz star displayed in being consistent with his physical conditioning is what separates him from Charles Barkley.

“The reason why I would pick Karl Malone over Charles is because of the level of professionalism that Malone always approached,” Jefferson said during an episode of his show, “Road Trippin'”. “When Charles was in Philly, he was in and out of shape, and then he would — some of his off-the-court partying that we knew about…I’m saying Charles was a rebel. He’s not a role model. … But I’m saying, when you look at a guy like Malone who trained for eight hours a day, he played for 19 years.”

How did Charles Barkley handle his weight during his playing days?

During his time in the league, Charles Barkley earned the nickname “The Round Mound of Rebound.” The reasons were because of his incredible ability to rebound while being unfit.

Early in his career, Barkley played with his weight. Originally, he didn’t want to play for the Philadelphia 76ers. For that reason, he blew up to 299 lbs. before the draft day. The club could only offer him a one-year contract worth $75k, which is why he didn’t want to play for them.

Despite this, the 76ers still used their No. 5 pick in the 1984 draft to select Charles Barkley. From there, his veteran teammates, Moses Malone specifically, helped him to control his weight.