Charles Barkley is one of the most underrated superstars in NBA history. He was a huge figure in the association throughout the 1990s and won an MVP award in 1993, but his failure to ever get his hands on a championship has led to many younger fans not truly appreciating how great he was on a basketball court.
He could compete with the very best of them, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t some stars who he found it tough playing against. In fact, considering some of the talent that was in the NBA throughout his career, it would have been miraculous if that wasn’t the case. Michael Jordan, the greatest player in basketball history, dominated the association during Barkley’s time on the court, among other all-time greats.
With that said, during an interview with House of Highlights, Barkley was asked to name the five toughest opponents he ever faced and he surprisingly didn’t include Jordan on his list.
Kevin McHale
The first player that Barkley named is Boston Celtics icon, Kevin McHale. The two faced off multiple times over the years and he left a lasting impression on the former Phoenix Suns man. So much so, in fact, that Chuck didn’t just name McHale as one of his toughest ever opponents, but as the best player he ever faced off against. In the House of Highlights video, he said: