Their texts were mostly messages from my dad that ended with an excessive number of exclamation points. But again, as a good millennial, I knew that people have very loose definitions of the word "friend."Ībout two years ago, I asked my dad if I could see their texts. He seemed pretty famous - and definitely not like anyone who would be friends with my dad. Like a good millennial, I Googled Charles Barkley. The first time my dad told the story, I didn’t pretend to know who this person was. Whenever we attended dinner parties, my dad would talk about his friend Charles Barkley. "Well, yeah, he's a top-50 player in the history of the NBA," he said. My dad told me that he knew about Barkley long before he met him. "You know, has a big personality," my dad, Lin Wang, told me last year, when I recorded him talking about Barkley. I said, 'That’s my boy, Lin.' They’re, like, 'How do you know him?' I said, 'It’s a long story.' " Everybody’s like, 'Who’s the Asian dude over there?' I just started laughing. "You know, it was obviously a very difficult time," Barkley told me recently. Charles Barkley and Lin Wang (Courtesy Shirley Wang) In short, he was everyone’s suburban dad. ![]() He worked as a cat litter scientist in Muscatine, Iowa. Here’s what I can tell you about him: He wore striped, red polo shirts tucked into khaki shorts and got really excited about two-for-one deals. He wasn’t a basketball player, he wasn’t a sports figure, and he wasn’t from Barkley’s hometown. But there was also an unexpected guest.īarkley’s friends couldn’t quite place him. When Charles Barkley's mother, Charcey Glenn, passed away in June 2015, Barkley's hometown of Leeds, Alabama, came to the funeral to pay respects. (Editor's note: Check out an update from reporter Shirley Wang.) I felt bad for her, and I don’t wanna feel bad for your mom and dad if something happens to you man, stop being selfish.This story was re-broadcast on September 19, 2020 as part of The Best Of Only A Game. “I saw what happened to my mom, when my brother passed away, I thought she quit living after that happened. “Man, don’t screw up your career… and I’m worried about your life,” he said. He died of a heart attack.īarkley also spoke to former football Johnny Manziel about his off-field issues, once again, detailing the struggles his brother went through and how it affected the entire family. It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when.īarkley’s brother Darryl passed away in 2009, at the age of 42, after struggling with substance abuse problems for much of his life. And Josh Gordon is going to die if he keeps going on this road he’s going. And like I said, I love my brother, I miss my brother, but when you get involved with alcohol and drugs and you can’t control it, you look at (actor) Philip Seymour Hoffman (who died of an overdose last year). He died in his early 40s, so I take all drug stuff seriously. This is very personal to me. My brother is dead. The wide receiver was, at the time, reportedly facing an indefinite ban from the league after violating the substance abuse policy again and Barkley didn’t mince words while talking about it on ESPN’s His and Hers. ![]() Barkley has never backed away from voicing his opinion, but in 2015 he delved into something a bit more personal than usual when discussing NFL player Josh Gordon. She’s teamed up with the Fresh Start Women’s Foundation in the past, which works to provide women with “education, resources and support to positively transform their lives.” Maureen was also spotted with her daughter at the Fresh Start Fashion Gala in 2016, an event which raised more than $1.5 million for the Foundation. ![]() And while she hasn’t ever been quite as vocal as her husband, Maureen does do a considerable amount of charity work. In fact, she’s a regular on Twitter, providing updates and insights into her life. Maureen has, mostly, stayed under the radar throughout her marriage, but she’s maintained a strong social media presence. They tied the knot in 1989 while Barkley was playing for the Philadelphia 76ers, but settled in Scottsdale, Arizona when basketball took them across the country. ![]() The pair reportedly first crossed paths while Maureen was working as a model and legal aid and it didn’t take long for the two to hit it off. Happy, playful 29th #WeddingAnniversary wishes to NBA legend Charles Barkley and his wife Maureen! #Brides #Wedding #Invitations #Stationery #IvoryIsleDesigns /yGZUUewCb7
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