After 12 years with the Philadelphia 76ers and Phoenix Suns, NBA legend Charles Barkley joined the Houston Rockets in 1996. There, he teamed up with two future Hall of Famers, Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler. It was Barkley’s last attempt to win a championship.
Houston reached the Western Conference Finals in Sir Charles’ first season with the Rockets, but was defeated by the Utah Jazz. Barkley retired in 2000 without a single NBA ring. But, according to him, had he won a championship with the Rockets, it wouldn’t have counted.
“I wouldn’t even have counted that as a championship,” Barkley said on Zach Lowe’s “The Lowe Post” via Jason Owens of Yahoo Sports. “I’m not gonna lie. Me and Karl Malone. If he had won a championship with the Lakers, that doesn’t count. That doesn’t count.”
