NBA Hall-of-Famer Charles Barkley Shows Off Dramatic Weight Loss

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NBA legend Charles Barkley is showing off his incredible weight loss transformation!

During the ESPN premiere of Inside the NBA on Wednesday, Oct. 22, the basketball legend wowed his co-hosts when he debuted his dramatic weight loss.

“You did lose weight,” Kenny Smith said to Barkley.

“Look at this guy,” added Ernie Johnson.

Barkley thanked his co-stars for the compliments and gave a shout-out to his doctors at Ro, the healthcare company that provides the GLP-1 medication that Barkley has used amid his weight loss journey.

Earlier this year, Barkley became a celebrity ambassador for Ro. A press release at the time revealed that the NBA Hall-of-Famer lost nearly 50 pounds when he initially began taking a GLP-1 medication, but gained most of it back after struggling to stay on the treatment due to ongoing supply and access issues.

“I know GLP-1s work — I’ve seen it for myself,” said Barkley in the release. “The hard part was getting the medication when I needed it.”

Now that he consistently takes his medication, the sports broadcaster has been able to successfully keep off the weight.

During the Inside the NBA episode, Smith joked that Barkley told him he lost the weight solely due to exercise.

“You told me you was, like, riding a bike and jogging,” Smith quipped.

“I’m working out too. You got to work out. You can’t just take a shot,” Barkley replied.

Inside the NBA panelist Shaquille O’Neal also joined in on the playful teasing of Barkley about his weight loss.

“That’s last year. Chuck was fat last year,” O’Neal joked. “Now look at him. He’s a sex symbol.”

Barkley smiled and added, “He’s got a point about the sex symbol.”

Barkley played in the NBA from 1984 to 2000, and was the NBA’s most valuable player in 1993 while with the Phoenix Suns. He won two Olympic gold medals as a part of the U.S. men’s basketball team, including the famous 1992 “Dream Team.”

He is also a two-time inductee into the NBA Hall of Fame, inducted in 2006 for his individual career and in 2010 as a member of the “Dream Team.”

Since his retirement, he has become a well-known sports commentator and analyst.

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This story was originally reported by Parade on Oct 23, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.