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'He will return'

Barkley's Rockets to play exhibition in Birmingham

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Posted: Friday July 02, 1999 07:50 PM

Home start: Charles Barkley may kickoff the 1999-2000 season at home in Birmingham. AP

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) -- The NBA's Houston Rockets are coming to Birmingham, but will hometown hero Charles Barkley be coming with them?

The Rockets and Detroit Pistons will meet Oct. 24 in a preseason basketball game at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex, the Alabama Sports Foundation announced Thursday.

The game is scheduled for a week before the start of the regular season.

"We feel confident all the big names will be playing a great deal," said ASF Executive Director Gene Hallman.

Barkley, a 15-year NBA veteran from Leeds, became a free agent upon the conclusion of the 1999 season and has yet to re-sign with the Rockets. Plus, he has spoken for several years of retiring.

"The discussions I've had with Charles' camp and the Rockets indicate that he will return for at least one more year," Hallman said.

He said they planned to honor Barkley at halftime, inviting his teammates and coaches from Leeds High School and Auburn University to participate in the ceremony.

 

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