Charles Barkley?had an illustrious career in the NBA. Known for his time with the?Pheonix Suns,?the TNT analyst was something special. He was always looked at to be on the heavier side. However, Barkley was brutal and fast when he stepped on the court. The 11-time All-Star quickly rose among the ranks, even winning the league’s MVP award in 1992. Likewise, he had established himself as one of the outspoken superstars in the NBA. The following year he also received his first signature shoe from Nike.

Charles Barkley wore the Nike Air Force sneaker throughout his NBA career. The former rebounding leader of the league arguably loved the shoe. Likewise, his signature line was an adaptation of the iconic Air Forces. Notably, he came out with the Air Force Max CB. It was the first of seven signature shoes the?Philadelphia 76ers?forward would have under his name.

Recently appearing on the All The Smoke podcast, the renowned analyst spoke about his deal with Nike. In addition, he also got emotional talking about his late mother, Charcey Glenn.

Charles Barkley opens up about his mother’s efforts before the Nike deal

While on the podcast, Stephen Jackson told Barkley about playing in the state championship in his signature shoes. This prompted the 11-time All-Star to take a trip back down memory lane. Notably, the Hall of Famer growing up wasn’t the wealthiest. However, in the tough times, his mother, Charcey Glenn was the hero. When Charles Barkley chose basketball, his family couldn’t afford to buy new shoes. But his mother couldn’t do with worn-out shoes on his feet. So before the game, she would deliver him the shows, and after each game, she would come to the locker room and take his shoes.

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The mention of his mother made Barkley’s voice crack on the All The Smoke podcast. He said,?“My mom..rest in peace. She always made sure I had a good pair of shoes. She bought them to the game. At the game, she is knocking on the door, ‘Chuck bring them shoes here’.”

Because of his mother, Charles Barkley could use one shoe for an entire season. And he didn’t take her work lightly. Barkley worked on his craft and became an explosive forward. His unique blend of brute force and skill took the NBA by shock. After making it to the league, his struggles never existed. He signed a deal with Nike for his sneakers. In 1993, he began in own sneaker line.?According to Sneaker News,?Nike paid him $2 million.

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The 59-year-old also revealed his relationship with the swoosh is still great. The leading sports brand makes sure to take of its athletes. As Barkley sneakers get reissued, the Hall of Famer receives cheques even today. However, there might never have been a Hall of Fame story attached to Charles Barkley without Charcey Glenn.