The revolution of force that rocked basketball in the 1980s had more than one architect. From moses malone to alonzo mourning, force reigned supreme due to the thunder of hoop gods who seemed to innovate the game every time they stepped on court. Yet there was one player who, in particular, built a legend that defied every standard set upon it and designed a style unlike any other before it or since. Charles barkley embodied the truest essence of force, the notion that the power of the game lies in the power of the soul, and that stereotypes and limitations have no place in a sport ruled by passion, and fed by desire.

To celebrate barkley’s awesome contribution to the foundation of force, a series of air force 1 shoes have been created to hallmark the various stages of chuck’s incredible career. From his days as a unconventional high school basketball player in leeds, alabama, to his pro career in cities like philadelphia and houston, to the glory he found as an olympic athlete: this series of af1’s tell the story of a player who re-wrote the boundaries of his sport and gave the game something it has thrived on ever since. Force was born before barkley came into the spotlight, but as the torch was passed from moses to charles, force made a quantum leap into the hearts of players all over the world, players who looked at charles barkley and saw a rebel without a pause, an icon in the making, and a model destined to forever exceed his role.