Charles Barkley to auction off his NBA MVP trophy for a great cause

Former NBA star and current TNT analyst Charles Barkley intends to part with the NBA MVP Trophy he won in 1993, announcing he is putting it up for auction along with other cherished—or not so cherished—awards he’s won throughout his career.

The Olympic gold medal he won as a member of the USA Olympic basketball team in 1996 and other “good stuff” will be sold to raise money to build affordable housing in his hometown of Leeds, Ala., he told WJOX-FM in Birmingham, according to NBC Sports.

“That stuff’s not that important to me,” Barkley told WJOX-FM. “I’ve had an unbelievable life. I’ve been in Leeds a lot and we’ve probably got 30 eyesores, as I call them, where houses used to be when I was growing up. Either a rotted-out house or there’s just weeds that have overgrown.

“So, what I’m trying to do, I want to work with the city of Leeds, I want them to give me the spaces, number one. I want them to give me the houses, and I’m going to use my own money, selling my memorabilia…

“I want to do something really nice for Leeds. And if I could build 10 to 20 affordable houses — I want to do green housing, too. If I could sell all that stuff, it would just be a really cool thing for me.”

While a guest on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" on Tuesday night, Barkley said he plans to keep his 1992 Olympic gold medal for his daughter but will auction the rest, announcing, "I’m getting rid of all the crap trophies I ever won."

He later softened his statement, saying, “I’ve got a bunch of good stuff I’m going to sell. Man, it’s just clutter.”

No word what auction house he’ll be using or when the auction is planned.