Philadelphia Daily News - March 30, 1990
"Look at the candidates for MVP and the MVPs of the past," said Sixers swingman Derek Smith. "They've always had an all-star teammate or two. Without Charles, this basketball team is way down there."
Philadelphia Daily News - April 09, 1990
"Charles Barkley may not have been named Player of the Week or Player of the Month," said Derek Smith, "but if he's not the MVP, they ought to abolish the award and never give it out again."
Philadelphia Daily News - May 03, 1990
"What happens is, Charles gives you legitimacy just by going on the court," said Sixers general manager John Nash. "He goes out there with four other guys and you have a chance to win. But two years ago, we didn't have a complementary group that was nearly as productive.
"Some of our best games have come when he has not been the leading scorer, because even when he doesn't score, he rebounds. He always rebounds."
Said Barkley: "I can lift other guys. If that didn't work in the past, it was because there wasn't enough to lift. But I knew we had enough this year."
"He brings a spirit to me," Mahorn said. "He gets so emotional, if you're not emotional with him, he'll head-butt you, knock your head off. Sometimes you have to hold him back a little, pull in his reins, so he stays effective. But that's the way he is."
St. Paul Pioneer Press - Apr 29, 1990
Jordan is on record as saying he would vote for Charles Barkley as the MVP this season. A worthy choice, given the way Barkley has elevated both his game and his team. But Jordan says that's not why he would pick him. "Barkley thinks he's an outcast," Jordan said, smiling. "He thinks no one admires his talents. He talks about it all the time, how he never gets any respect. I'd like to see him get it (the MVP) so he could quit being so hard on himself." "I haven't campaigned for it and I'm not going to," Jordan said.
Philadelphia Daily News - April 23, 1990
Rick Mahorn says he would vote for teammate Charles Barkley as the NBA's Most Valuable Player.
"But I don't feel he'll get it, 'cause I'm here," Mahorn said after the 76ers ended their regular season yesterday with a 118-98 loss to Boston.
"People seem to see a negative side to Charles, and there are people who don't like that in a player. Then they see me playing next to him, and they don't like me, either.
"If it were up to the players, he'd be one of the top five, and without him it would have been kind of rough for this team. People don't understand that the things he can do are unbelievable.
"People see Magic (Johnson), Michael (Jordan), Patrick (Ewing). There's media stuff on them everywhere, but there's not that much on Charles."
Philadelphia Daily News - April 23, 1990
Mahorn wondered if the brawl might cost Barkley some MVP ballots, even if the media panel's votes had to be in by yesterday, even if the majority of the panel probably had decided long before last Thursday.
"Some people file their taxes at the last minute," Mahorn said. "Maybe there are people voting at the last minute, too. You never know."
Philadelphia Daily News - May 23, 1990
Charles Barkley says his reputation came back to haunt him.
That is why he says he could draw the most first-place NBA Most Valuable Player ballots (38) from a 92-member media panel and still finish second behind Magic Johnson, of the Los Angeles Lakers.
"You get stereotyped, you develop a reputation," the 76ers' captain said yesterday before undergoing magnetic resonance imaging to clarify the problem he has been having with his right shoulder and arm.
"I think this year is even more special than the other two, because of the competition," Johnson said. "I was shocked to hear I had won it . . . This makes me feel a little better. I've been sad, frustrated, upset since we lost (to Phoenix in the Western Conference semifinals).
Third-place finisher Michael Jordan, on the other hand, remains alive with the Bulls in the Eastern Conference final against Detroit.
"I seriously thought that Charles would win it because of what I believe the credentials were - to make your team better and improve the situation within a team," Jordan said. "You look at what was expected of Philly and what they did and who was the main reason for that, and it all led to Charles Barkley."
So why didn't Barkley win?
"I'm seen as a controversial guy, I'll be a controversial guy the rest of my career," Barkley said. "So in a situation like this, if a voter likes you, he'll pick you No. 1. But if a voter doesn't like your personality and doesn't want to put you No. 1, he might not put you No. 2, either. He'll put you lower."
Barkley might not buy this, but he's more likely to be viewed as a media darling by the majority of the balloters, who were making their choices strictly on the strength of regular-season performance.