As fans, none of us wants to see our idols struggle at the craft they have mastered.
For instance, “The Dream” fans were hurt to see Hakeem Olajuwon play in his final three seasons because he wasn’t himself and wasn’t able to perform at a level of greatness.
This goes the same for Patrick Ewing fans.
And for Michael Jordan fans as well.
That’s why Charles Barkley wants the Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James to retire soon.
On an episode of Club Shay Shay, the Phoenix Suns’ legend told Shannon Sharpe that he doesn’t want to see LeBron make the same mistake he and his friends made by forcing themselves to play longer than they should have.
“It ends badly for every jock. Your ego says you can still do it… But to answer your question, I hope [LeBron] retires while he can still play because, man, I’ve been there. Myself, I saw Patrick Ewing on his last legs, I saw Michael Jordan play with the Washington Wizards. I was like ‘that’s the greatest player I played against. I don’t want to see him doing that with the Wizards.’ I don’t want to see any great play when they past their prime.”
Barkley knows a thing or two about playing past his prime.
Though he put up relatively good numbers in his last few seasons -though they were nowhere near his prime seasons- he wasn’t able to play many games due to injuries.
In his final four seasons, he played 183 out of 296 games.
“I hated the way I retired because I sucked… I remember telling myself in my last two years, ‘Okay, I’m going to get myself in great shape this summer, I’m gonna have a good year, then reitre.’ Then I figured out that playing against air -everybody’s good against air. But when that 25-year-old is looking at you like, licking his lips, you’re like, ‘oh, sh-t.’ And like, there’s nothing you can do.”
Barkley averaged 15.6 points, 11.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists in his final two seasons.