Charles Barkley is selling Olympic gold medal and NBA MVP award to build affordable housing in hometown
Most athletes would likely never entertain the thought of auctioning off an Olympic gold medal.
Former NBA star Charles Barkley is doing just that and more in order to help build affordable housing in his hometown of Leeds, Alabama.
Barkley is working with the sports card company Panini to auction off one of his two Olympic gold medals — Barkley has medals from the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games — and his 1993 NBA MVP award. The proceeds will be used to build 20 homes in Leeds, Barkley said on the “Dan Le Betard Show” on March 5.
“I don’t think I have to walk around with my gold medal or my MVP trophy for people to know I’m Charles Barkley, so I’m going to sell all that crap,” Barkley said.
His daughter wants to keep one gold medal. Barkley told Birmingham sports radio station WJOX she wanted the 1992 medal from Barcelona, the year of the “Dream Team.”
Barkley said that the awards used to be at his grandmother’s house before she passed away.
“That just clutters my house,” said Barkley. “I used to keep it at my grandmother’s house, but they all passed away, and I don’t want that stuff crapping up my house.”
Barkley is becoming increasingly more well-known for his philanthropic efforts. He has donated $1 million each to Alabama’s Miles College, Alabama A&M in Huntsville, Clark Atlanta University and Morehouse College — all historically black colleges and universities — in recent years.
CNN has reached out to Barkley for comment.
