"The NBA is a huge orphanage, where the majority of people are jerks, no matter how well the media dresses them up. So if someone pisses you off, you have to strike back promptly and make him feel the pain; only then will he act somewhat decently in front of you, even if it's all an act."
"Do you know why I've maintained a long friendship with Charles Barkley? It's not because I'm so kind to him. A lot of people are nice to him, Gene Shue included. The key is that I show him my fists from time to time, letting him know there are dire consequences for crossing me."
————Excerpt from the biography "The True Story of Ah Gan" by Wu Zhixiong about Gan Guoyang, published in 2025.
Barkley helped Bol, who had fallen on the ground, get up; without assistance, it would have been tough for him to rise.
Barkley patted Bol and said, "I told you Sonny is crazy, you better be mentally prepared."