“Mandatory drug testing” – Charles Barkley once shared his to-do list for if he ever became NBA commissioner

Charles Barkley has been entertaining fans ever since his transition into the media realm. However, should the NBA legend ever ascend to the role of commissioner, his to-do list stands ready and waiting.

In 1992, when Barkley was a standout for the Philadelphia 76ers, he was interviewed by Ernie Johnson. He was asked what his potential to-do list would look like if he were to assume the role of NBA commissioner. Right off the bat, he said that implementing mandatory drug testing would be his top priority.

“Well, I’ve always felt like we should have mandatory drug testing. I think all jobs should have mandatory drug testing because you can’t be successful at your job if you’re using drugs,” Barkley said.

Random drug tests have become a common occurrence within the league. In recent history, players like DeAndre Ayton and John Collins have been suspended for violating the NBA's anti-drug policy.

In recent times, the league has taken the step of banning multiple players due to similar violations. Notably, Tyreke Evans faced a two-year ban in 2018, and Jalen Harris, during his rookie season with the Toronto Raptors, also incurred a ban for violating the NBA's anti-drug policy.

Barkley holds a clear stance against the use of performance-enhancing drugs or other prohibited substances by players. Should he assume a leadership role within the league, it's certain that mandatory drug testing would be his initial course of action.

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Charles Barkley would also like to revive basketball in inner cities

During the same interview, Charles Barkley also said that he would like to see the game of basketball revived in the inner cities. He emphasized that despite the game's current high-profile status, he envisioned a return to its origins.

“Probably the second thing I would do is I would take the game of basketball back to the inner city. Basketball has become a high profile, high uppity type sport and I think we need to take the game back to where it started, back in the inner city, in the ghetto. I mean because that’s really that’s how the game originated and that’s who should be for,” he said.

Although the prospect of Barkley becoming the NBA commissioner is highly uncertain, his potential blueprint of action is already in place should he step into that role.

Presently, Charles Barkley is thriving in his role as a successful NBA analyst. His TNT's "Inside the NBA" show has garnered a devoted following, consistently delivering a blend of humor and insight to the fans.