Basketball legend and current NBA analyst Charles Barkley was caught off guard, like the rest of America last week, when the Supreme Court decided race can no longer be used as criteria for college admissions.
The end of affirmative action will have long lasting negative impact, but Barkley wanted to do his part to help at his alma mater.
“In my will, I am leaving Auburn $5 million,” he said Friday. “I’m going to change it to be just for scholarships for Black students. That’s just my way of trying to make sure Auburn stays diverse. I love Auburn. I’ve actually changed it to be used for kids from poor homes. But after that ruling yesterday, my phone was blowing up. I was talking to my friends and said, ‘I need to make sure Black folks always have a place at Auburn.’ So, I’m gonna change my will and make it exclusive for Black students — all $5 million. It’s just for me the right thing to do. I always want to make sure that Auburn’s diverse.”
Barkley Wants To Keep Black Kids At Auburn
Providing scholarship money won’t help Black kids pass the new admissions protocols, but for those who do, and lack the finances to attend a prestigious PWI and deal with the rising costs of a quality education, Barkley’s contribution will help them stay in school and complete their degrees.
Racial Diversity Already Lacking At Auburn
According to Auburn’s data, Black student enrollment fell slightly from 5.3 percent in 2020 to 4.91 percent in the fall of 2022.
Hopefully the powers that be at Auburn share in Barkley’s vision and find a way to create an endowment with that $5 million for potential Black students. Create a mechanism through financial instruments that will have this $5 million last.
But that’s just one university. Will we need every Black and minority person of means to set up similar gifts/endowments at elite institutions to ensure racial diversity, but that is a farfetched mission.
As for the end of “affirmative action”, the ultimate impact of this decision will become clearer as time passes. However, it is safe to predict that the result will be fewer students from traditionally underrepresented minorities on college campuses, particularly at the most competitive institutions.
Barkley Is Enjoying The Offseason
Barkley was recently a commentator for the latest installment of “The Match,” where Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs defeated Golden State’s Splash Brothers.
Steph and Klay’s teammate Draymond Green was also present and Chuck couldn’t resist going after the man he dubbed “Mr. Triple Single.”
“Draymond talks a lot for a guy that ain’t got no job,” Barkley said.
That was in reference to Green’s status as an unrestricted free agent. But the former Defensive Player of the Year didn’t have to wait too long, as the Warriors offered him a four-year, $100 million extension the next day.
Green also has a broadcast deal with Turner so he and Chuck will have plenty of opportunities to trade barbs over the next few years.
Barkley will rejoin his frienemy Shaquille O’Neal on TNT’s “Inside the NBA” next season along with recent Broadcast Hall of Fame Inductee Ernie Johnson and Kenny “The Jet” Smith.
“Inside” was inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame in October 2016, becoming the 12th program to receive the honor and the third sports show after “SportsCenter” and “Monday Night Football.”
