Broke the mold

There will never be another Charles Barkley

From Sports Illustrated SI Cover: Charles Unchained SI Flashback: Hot Head SI Flashback: He's Everywhere Stats Barkley's Career Highlights Statitudes: Barkley by the Numbers Stories Legend of Sir Charles Barkley signs studio deal with TNT Turner's Tom Heitz: Barkley is one of a kind

Although Charles Barkley was one of the greatest players ever (and, sadly, we now have to use "was" when describing Barkley's NBA career), no one wanted to be like him.

Kids grow up wanting to be like Mike, the tightly muscled 6-6 shooting guard with great talent and a greater will. They grow up wanting to be the next Magic, a 6-9 point guard with flashy passes and a flashy smile. Kids on the playground have even started dreaming about becoming the next Allen Iverson, the league's scoring champ who features twisting layups and twisted braids.

But no one grows up hoping to become the next Barkley, the undersized power forward who's always been a little chunky and has seemingly never had any hair.

That's because, in essence, if you're hoping to be the next Charles Barkley, you are hoping to be fat and bald.

The only thing Charles could do on a basketball court was play. He is closer to 6-4 than to his listed 6-6, but Barkley somehow led the league in rebounding during the '86-87 season. Admittedly, Charles was never the best player in the NBA, yet he won the 1993 MVP award. And Chuck wasn't the most skilled player you'll see, but he did garner 20 career triple-doubles.

And his game wasn't even the most entertaining aspect of Barkley's 16 years. His quotes were. Charles would say anything at any time, and he didn't care who it offended or what the ramifications might be. And no one was immune. At times during his career, he riled against the media, the NBA, the All-Star Game, younger players and older players.

He hinted that following his playing career he would pursue a career in politics or become a general manager or even work in TV. "I'd preferably work for NBC or TNT," he said. "I want a job where I can make money and not work."

Vintage Charles. Who knew if he was serious or joking? As long as it was entertaining -- and it usually was -- we didn't care.

Barkley wasn't pretty, just effective.

And he'll be missed.

Highlights wanted

Still think a spectacular dunk is only worth two points? Don't tell Gary Payton. The Sonics point guard claims one of the reasons for Seattle's lackluster play last season was the paucity of highlight-type plays. "What we missed when Shawn Kemp left [were] a lot of dunks, a lot of heroics," Payton said.

This past offseason, Sonics general manager Wally Walker allowed the steady, blue-collar Hersey Hawkins and Detlef Schrempf to walk away while acquiring the high-energy and not-so-steady Ruben Patterson and Brent Barry. The two moves, along with the free-agent signing of Vernon Maxwell, are the main reasons the Sonics are only a game away from the top record in the West.

"I'm the type of person who brings energy and effort and everything else on the court," Patterson said. "I'm a high jumper. I can do a little showtime. I'm a good dunker."

"We needed a guy a guy like [Patterson] to come in and keep us energized, and he's been doing that," Payton said.

In Seattle this season, scoring and winning are up, while the number of Payton's blowups and Vin Baker's weight are down. It's no coincidence then that things are a lot sunnier in the rainy city.

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