Charles Barkley Basketball Quotations

My family got all over me because they said Bush is only for the rich people. Then I reminded them, 'Hey, I'm rich'.

The only difference between a good shot and a bad shot is if it goes in or not.

You know it's going to hell when the best rapper out there is white and the best golfer is black.

I know I'm never as good or bad as one single performance. I've never believed in my critics or my worshippers, and I've always been able to leave the game at the arena.

My initial response was to sue her for defamation of character, but then I realized that I had no character.

Sometimes that light at the end of the tunnel is a train.

I'm not a role model... Just because I dunk a basketball doesn't mean I should raise your kids.

Poor people cannot rely on the government to come to help you in times of need. You have to get your education. Then nobody can control your destiny.

The main thing to do is relax and let your talent do the work.

These are my new shoes. They're good shoes. They won't make you rich like me, they won't make you rebound like me, they definitely won't make you handsome like me. They'll only make you have shoes like me. That's it.

Somebody hits me, I'm going to hit him back. Even if it does look like he hasn't eaten in a while.

I think that the team that wins game five will win the series. Unless we lose game five.

I don't care what people think. people are stupid.

I don't know what that gas is made of, but it can't smell any worse than Ernie Johnson 's gym bag.

I don't think of myself as giving interviews. I just have conversations. That gets me in trouble.

We don't need refs, but I guess white guys need something to do.

See, my hope and dream is that people have a good time watching basketball. It's not church. It's not serious.

It ain't like we're curing cancer or anything, we're watching basketball.

Kids are great. That's one of the best things about our business, all the kids you get to meet. It's a shame they have to grow up to be regular people and come to the games and call you names.

I love New York City; I've got a gun.

On his homesickness during the Barcelona Olympics -I miss America. I miss crime and murder. I miss Philadelphia. There hasn't been a brutal stabbing or anything here the last 24 hours. I've missed it.

They run like deer, jump like deer and think like deer.

When I speak to kids I tell them, 'Hey, you think your parents are a pain in the ass now, but they're going to get smarter as you get older.'

Any time a little midget does something like this, you gotta give him a 10!.

Thank God for Jerry Springer's show. I thought only black folks were that screwed up until I watched Jerry Springer.

We're just playing basketball. It's not like we're going out to have unprotected sex with Magic.

I can be bought. If they paid me enough, I'd work for the Klan.

I don't hate anyone, at least not for more than 48 minutes, barring overtime.

You can talk without saying a thing. I don't ever want to be that type of person.

Every time I think about changing a diaper, I run a little bit harder and a little bit faster to make sure I can afford a nanny until my daughter's old enough to take care of that herself.

I like to help poor people who got no chance. If rich people don't, who will? Not other poor people, that's for sure.

I just wish all these young black kids would realize how significant it is to stop acting a fool out there, killing each other, not getting their education. You know, people have died to put us in a situation to be successful.

I got pulled over when I was behind the wheel of a Porsche in Philly once for what we call DWB - Driving While Black.

Yeah Ernie, its called defense, I mean I wouldn't know anything about it personally but I've heard about it through the grapevine.

I think the biggest problem is parents are so concerned with being friends with their kids. You're not their friend. You're their parent.

I don't worry about playing basketball; that comes natural. I just want to have fun. David Robinson, Patrick Ewing, Michael Jordanthis is like spring break in the ghetto.

Adrian Dantley is a guy that I looked at . . . on how to maneuver my body around.

Poor white people and poor black people just don't know how much they have in common. Rich people don't give a damn about either group.

I played against him (Wilkins) in college. Getting nominated with him, that's pretty cool.

Being black or white isn't an accomplishment. What you do with your life - or what you accomplish with your life - dictates what you should be proud of.

I came to the realization a couple months ago that I am fat. If you get tired from walking - and that's all that golf is - then you are officially fat.

I know a lot of people did a lot of heavy lifting to make me successful and I do everything in my power not to screw it up.

I don't create controversies. They're there long before I open my mouth. I just bring them to your attention.

People say I eat a lot. I really don't. More or less I just eat all the time.

When you read the book you see that these guys aren't holding any punches. They're straightforward. They're honest. They're giving you their honest opinion.

I want her to understand that it's going to be a factor in her life. I just want her to know that (racism) does exist, and I want her to always be diligent, and if she sees it, address it and fight it.

What I told [my teammates] after the game was I'm just fortunate [for] my 16 years because, this [injury] can happen every single night you go out and play... It can be over in one instant, so you should appreciate everyday.

It's kinda great to see the Celtics doin well again cuz that was so much fun in my day to go to the Boston Garden and they spit at you and throw things at you and talk about your mom. It sounds like dinner at Kenny Smith's house.

If you go out with a girl and they say she has a great personality, she's ugly. If they tell you a guy works hard, he can't play a lick. Same thing.

I remember sitting down with the Rockets and saying, 'Yeah. I'm going to retire.' They said, 'Well, we'll give you $9 million.' And I said, 'You got a pen on you?'

Half Man, Half Sit-Out-The-Season.

If I weren't earning $3 million a year to dunk a basketball, most people on the street would run in the other direction if they saw me coming.

All I know is, as long as I led the Southeastern Conference in scoring, my grades would be fine.

I'm just what America needs: another unemployed black man. (on his retirement from basketball)

I May Be Wrong but I Doubt It.

I don't how anybody taller than 6-4 can sit in those seats. And the airline executives don't give a damn 'cause they never walk back there in the first place. I don't fly first class because I have a lot of money. I do it because I need the room.

You know what's amazing to me? America. There have been so many people who have stepped up, and I'm just proud to be an American. Yeah, there were some mistakes made, but I don't play the blame game. Let's move forward and rebuild New Orleans.

What does politically correct mean? If you're fat, don't ask me if you're fat, because I'm gonna tell you the truth. You're fat.

He's got to bring something stronger than that. That's like bringing milk to a bar, it's not strong enough

I'm not paid to be a role model. I'm paid to wreak havoc on the basketball court.

I want to be a politician. I think I understand how the system works, I think a lot of politicians are corrupt, and it's about time we put some people in there who are going to look out for the majority of the people instead of the rich people.

I don't believe professional athletes should be role models. I believe parents should be role models...

I was asked for years about being a Republican, probably because most black people are Democrats. My mother heard it once and called me and said 'Charles, Republicans are for the rich people.' And I said, 'Mom, I'm rich.'

I always laugh when people ask me about rebounding techniques. I've got a technique. It's called just go get the damn ball.

You know what I always say about basketball whenever anybody tried to tell me the Knicks are gonna be good: They're old. Old people don't get healthy. They die.

You got to believe in yourself. Hell, I believe I'm the best-looking guy in the world and I might be right.

I'm not a role model, ... Just because I dunk a basketball doesn't mean I should raise your kids.