Charles Barkley Finally Got His Ring After Inside The NBA Creates A Custom Ring To Celebrate Their Final Season On TNT

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Charles Barkley is famous for a lot of things. A legendary NBA career, one the best TV personalities in television history, his brutal golf swing, his hatred of San Antonio women, and of course, being an all time great player to never win a championship. His entire playing and post playing life he's been unable to escape it. They make commercials about it. Chuck not having a ring is his thing.

On Inside The NBA, what makes that show so great is that Shaq and Kenny never let him forget it. It's been a running joke for those guys running for over two decades. Any and every single chance they get (especially Shaq), they do not hesitate to remind Chuck that they have rings (multiple) and he has none. You know it eats at Chuck at his core, even if he's heard it so many times by now that he may try and act numb to it. I'd argue him being able to joke about it is actually pretty healthy, because it's not exactly his fault that Michael Jordan was born. Chuck did his part, it just never worked out.

That was, until now. Finally, after all these years, Chuck has a ring of his own

Listen, if I know one thing it's that you never, under any circumstances, thumb your nose up at a championship ring of any kind. You win a state title? Hell yeah. You win a college title? Congrats. An NBA title? Yup, those count. Hell, even if you win your fantasy football league, that ring counts. 

(Sidenote: I started this tradition in my league the season I finally won for the first time after 15 years back in 2022. Bought every former champ their own ring for every season they won it. Huge hit. Highly recommend)

So you won't see me discrediting Chuck just because his first title ring came via a TV show he's been on for a 35 years. That thing looks sick and pretty much mimics what you get when you win an NBA title. It's not quite the Celtics ring of 2024 (let me cope OK, fuck) but last time I checked it's better than having 0 rings. I love the Mount Rushmore part with all their faces, the overall look is simply and clean, it's arguably better than some previous real NBA rings if we're being honest. 

I'm also just happy that Chuck won't have to die while never experiencing what it's like to get a championship ring. I'm a firm believer in everyone should get to experience that at some point in their lives (outside of Lakers fans). It's cool that Chuck gets that moment, even if I'm sure he'd trade it in for a real one without hesitation.

I do hope the show is able to stay the same even though it'll now be on ESPN, because I think we can all agree that there has truly been nothing like this show in the history of television. A true one of one