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harles Barkley is more than just one of the most entertaining people on Inside the NBA on TNT, he’s also got a big heart.
The Hall of Famer has plans to sell his NBA MVP trophy and memorabilia from the 1992 Dream Team so that he can put the money towards building affordable housing in his hometown of Leeds, Alabama.
Barkley told WJOX 94.5 he’s not a big fan of seeing the trophies around his house and getting rid of them in the name of charity is the move.
“We probably got 30 eyesores, as I call them, where houses used to be when I was growing up. Either a rotted-out house or there’s just weeds that have overgrown,” Barkley said. “So, what I’m trying to do — I want to work with the city of Leeds, I want them to give me the spaces, number one. I want them to give me the houses, and I’m going to use my own money selling my memorabilia.
While he doesn’t mind getting rid of most of the hunks of metal taking up room, there’s one thing he plans on keeping– his 1992 gold medal from the Dream Team because his daughter wants it. Barkley says that he’s got a deal with Panini and plans to use that money, plus whatever he makes from selling the memorabilia, to put towards his new affordable housing venture.
The former NBA player said he realized how much his hometown had become rundown while in the Birmingham area for Remont Distilling, which he’s a major owner in.
“In Leeds we have probably 20 to 30 eyesores in the black community,” Barkley told AL.com. “So we probably have 20 to 30 houses that were [there] when I was growing up that have either rotted out or weeds have grown over.”
Next up, Barkley will put together a group that will figure out how to turn the money into a visible change for the community.
Charles Barkley Is Selling His MVP Trophy & Dream Team Memorabilia To Build Affordable Housing In Hometown was originally published on cassiuslife.com
