Like many legends of the 80s and 90s, Charles Barkley earned much less money than today’s players, even though he was much more talented.

But he doesn’t let his frustration affect his integrity.

Before he was a legendary consultant on the TNT channel, where he stood out more for his crazy humor than for his sharp analyses, Charles Barkley was a huge basketball player.

To give a good indication of his level, it is enough to say that he was the best player on the Barcelona Dream Team, even though he played alongside Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson.

But be careful, Chuck was not only a monster on the international scene, he was also a dominant interior in the NBA, despite his relatively small size.

A “only” 1m98 post 4, he retired with 22.1 points, 11.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists on average, but also with an MVP title in 1993 and 11 appearances on the All-NBA teams.

The 100 million offer refused by Charles Barkley this summer

Nowadays, such accomplishments would have been rewarded with contracts worth more than 200 million dollars and partnerships with many brands… But in his time the salaries were not as high and he had to “settle” for 40 million cumulatively over his 14 years in the league.

Which makes the gesture revealed on Dan Le Batard’s show even more impactful:

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All I wanted was for the people who work with me at TNT to keep their jobs for at least a year. I think that for that, I refused at least $100 million.

But really at the very least. It was a good feeling to feel coveted on the media free agent market.

And I want to thank all the networks that thought of me.

It was really cool to be honest.

Afterwards, even if all the networks offered me mind-blowing sums that made me jump, I never thought about anything other than the safety of the people I work with at TNT.

I am very happy in my situation. I am paid to go on a set and talk about anything and everything. I can’t complain.

Because the NBA decided to sell its rights to another network than TNT this summer, no one knew if the show “Inside The NBA” would be able to continue in the fall.

Charles Barkley therefore found himself on the market, and competitors visibly offered him sums exceeding $100 million.

But he had only one thing on his mind: guaranteeing the safety of those who have worked with him for years.

Because he did not earn a lot in the NBA, Charles Barkley could have been selfish and thought of himself before everything else.

But no, he gave up $100 million to allow TNT technicians to keep their jobs.