Charles Barkley, NBA Hall of Famer and one of Auburn University’s most famous alumni, has ignited controversy after publicly admitting he has given both legal and illegal financial contributions to Auburn’s athletic programs.

“There’s nobody, legal or illegal, who has given more money to Auburn than me,” Barkley told the gathered media. “Let’s get that out of the way, but the notion I’m gonna give them millions of dollars a year, so Auburn can be good at football and basketball is not gonna happen. ...

Barkley was a star player at Auburn in the 1980s before he embarked on a Hall of Fame career in the NBA and garnered additional fame as part of TNT's Emmy-winning "Inside the NBA" studio show. He has always given back to Auburn, especially as the men's basketball program has ascended to elite status under head coach Bruce Pearl.