I never would say a player stinks. Ever. I'll tell you their team stinks, and first of all, they know their team stinks. And the fans know their team stinks.

In 2010 just two years removed from announcing he had a serious interest in becoming a candidate for Governor of Alabama Barkley admitted that he asked for and had been given money from sports agents during his career at Auburn University. However Barkley demanded a trade out of Philadelphia after the Sixers failed to make the postseason with a 35–47 record. He earned his third straight All-Star Game appearance and was named to the All-NBA First team for the second straight season.

In 2000 he retired as the fourth player in NBA history to achieve 20000 points 10000 rebounds and 4000 assists. Barkley was popular with the fans and media and made the NBA's All-Interview Team for his last 13 seasons in the league. Since retiring as a player Barkley has had a successful career as a television NBA analyst.