Photo Courtesy Of Chensiyuan/ Wikimedia Commons
NBA legend and sports commentator Charles Barkley has donated $1 million to Jackson State University (JSU).
According to Sportskeeda, Barkley donated $1 million each to Mississippi’s JSU and Florida’s Bethune-Cookman University for their efforts in ALS research. ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is “a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord,” a website dedicated to research on the disease indicates.
“Thank you, Mr. Charles Barkley, for your generous $1 million donation to Jackson State University! We appreciate your support of HBCUs!!” JSU’s social media team tweeted on Dec. 10.
Barkley reportedly made the generous donation in honor of his former Auburn University teammate, Gary Godfrey, who was diagnosed with ALS in Jan. 2019.
“Gary is a good man. He’s been battling. He’s on his last legs, but he’s battling,” Barkley said.
In October, News Onyx reported that the former NBA all-star scored a ten-year agreement with the popular cable network TNT. Neither party had disclosed the deal’s actual amount. Still, the NY Post alleged that it exceeded $100 million and could reach $200 million.
News Onyx added that Barkley’s current contract reportedly pays him $10 million each season, and his deal with TNT corresponds with TNT’s deal with the NBA, which expires during the 2024-2025 season.
In addition to the 59-year-old, fellow NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal and sportscasters Ernie Johnson and Kenny Smith also renewed their deals with Warner Bros. Discovery Sports, which reportedly owns TNT.
“We’re all a big family. Ernie, Kenny and Shaquille are brothers to me, and I wouldn’t still be here if it wasn’t for them and all the amazing people who work on our show,” Barkley shared. “I’m not gonna lie, though; this is a life-altering deal…, and I’m blessed to be able to do live television for a living.”