Charles Barkley played two seasons with Moses Malone, and has always said it was Malone who convinced him he was “fat and lazy,” and had to take his career more seriously. Here’s his statement, from NBA.com, on Malone’s death this morning:

“The man I called ‘Dad’ passed today. Words can’t explain my sadness. I will never know why a Hall of Famer took a fat, lazy kid from Auburn and treated him like a son and got him in shape and made him a player.

Every time I saw him I called him ‘Dad.’ I hope he knew how much I appreciated and loved him.”

[ NBA.com]