*Charles Barkley wants to do his part in helping to curb America’s housing crisis, which is why the retired NBA star intends to sell what he calls unnecessary awards and accolades in order to provide affordable and green housing to his hometown of Leeds, Ala.
According to CBS Sports, his goal is to use the money from selling items, such his 1996 Olympic gold medal and his 1993 MVP award, to build around 20 homes.
Barkley explained to ESPN that the has no need for the trophies and medals that he’s collected throughout his professional basketball career.
“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. “ That just clutters my house. 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.”
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Charles Barkley grew up as the first black baby born in a segregated hospital in Leeds, Alabama.
He went on to become one of the best players in NBA history.
He just announced he’s selling his memorabilia, including Dream Team gold medal, to build affordable housing in Leeds. pic.twitter.com/Tk5s0ICVFm
— Muhammad Lila (@MuhammadLila) March 6, 2020
Barkley was told the MVP trophy alone could bring in a minimum of $300,000, an amount that could be used to make a world of difference.
“I want to do something really nice for Leeds. And if I could build 10 to 20 affordable houses—I want to do green housing too,” Barkley said, according to NBC Sports. “If I could sell all that stuff, it would just be a really cool thing for me.”
He described the current housing situation in Leeds as being quite bleak.
“We’ve probably got 30 eyesores, as I call them, where houses used to be when I was growing up. Either a rotted-up house or there’s just weeds that are overgrown,” he said.
Barkley went on to explain the first steps of the rebuilding process in the area, “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.”
But Barkley has made clear that not everything he has is being sold, specifically his 1992 Olympic “Dream Team” gold medal. His daughter has requested that it stay in the family “because of how sentimental it is for the world.”
There’s no word yet on when the public auction will kick off.
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