As Mark Jackson got Dr J on his show, they had to talk about a young Charles Barkley. He came into the league in 1984, more than a little hot-headed, already missed his first Olympic berth, and didn’t take rejection well. So when the fifth overall draft pick wasn’t automatically in the 76ers starting lineup, Barkley was mad. Julius Erving recalled the moment Chuck directed his fury at the veteran he believed stole his spot.

The Philadelphia 76ers were the reigning champions of ’83 when they selected Charles Barkley right after Michael Jordan. Marc Iavaroni, a veteran power forward who won his only ring with the Sixers the year before, was supposed to be the starter. Dr J told Jackson, “he [Iavaroni] was a good fit because you didn’t have to run any plays for him.” 

However, Barkley was a power forward too, with expectations to be in the starting lineup. Erving said on the Come and Talk 2 Me podcast that he had no idea that would stage the chaotic start to Charles Barkley’s career. “That all changed real fast, Charles was gonna be the power forward and he almost kill Marc.”

Not uncommon for a young Barkley to duke it out on the court. Usually, it’s his opponents. But his teammates weren’t spared either. Sir Charles targeted Iavaroni at practice one day, according to Erving. “He just got beneath him under the basket and he just backed him all the way up to the foul line…” That was some spectacle for the legendary Dr J who said, “I was like, ‘I ain’ never seen nothing like that,’ you know?”

Watching the future Round Mound of Rebound do his thing that day told Erving what to expect in Chuck’s future career. “Then he [Barkley] went and got the rebound. So it was like, ‘well you gotta play him. And then he would get, when he got rebounds, he’d just take off… so we knew he was raw. But I didn’t know he was going to be as as good as he ultimately was.”

Charles Barkley would eventually replace Iavoroni in the starting lineup for the Sixers. But the snub still stung.

Charles Barkley’s start in Philly was tough

Chuck believed it was then Sixers coach, Billy Cunningham who refused to start him. The Auburn alum was initially not keen on going to Philadelphia despite the team’s express interest in him. He even tried to binge-eat before the draft to avoid them. He was selected anyway and the team ownership couldn’t reconcile with the coach’s decision to not start their top draft pick. So they abruptly traded Iavoroni to the Spurs.

Barkley claimed that Cunningham told him after that, “The owner traded Iavaroni behind my back. I am not f***ing starting you [Charles Barkley]. He traded you behind my back so you could start. You are not starting until you get your a** in shape.”

Chuck is grateful to Cunningham’s tough love, but he also claimed he tried to establish himself as the top dog of the team. But not while Dr J was there. Erving refuted Chuck’s brag on TNT stating he never tried to ‘take over’ while he and Moses Malone were there.

“We didn’t even know Charles was gonna be a starter because he had Marc Iavaroni playing ahead of him,” Erving told Chuck’s bestie Shaquille O’Neal on The Big Podcast. “And then he showed his stuff in practice.”

Barkley earned the veterans’ and coach’s trust to eventually become a cornerstone of the Sixers. Meanwhile, Iavaroni can still joke about getting under Chuck’s skin.