When Charles Barkley and Madonna's dating rumors almost caused his mother-in-law a heart attack: "When my wife goes out, they play Madonna songs"

Back in 1989, Charles Barkley got married to Maureen Blumhardt. However, false rumors of another relationship were almost fatal to them and their loved ones.

At the time, Charles Barkley was one of the top players in the NBA. He was a multi-time All-Star and on the cusp of becoming league MVP (in 1992-93). With this added fame came unwanted outside noise and distractions.

During the 1993 NBA Finals, rumors started to swirl that Charles Barkley had a romantic relationship with Madonna. He constantly shot down the rumors, but the story refused to go away. It was borderline harassment at one point as people were calling his in-laws and his home.

Things got so bad at one point that Barkley believed the incident caused his mother-in-law to suffer a heart attack.

"She (his mother-in-law) has had a lot of stress from the jokes about me and Madonna (dating) and has been harassed with people (media) calling the house," Barkley said. "She's not doing well right now, and that's a major concern. I only met her (Madonna) one time when she was in Phoenix. We don't date. We don't have a relationship.

"They should leave my wife and daughter alone. When my wife goes out, they play Madonna songs. They're calling my in-laws. This stuff is ridiculous, unbelievable."

On top of dealing with this false story, Charles Barkley and the Phoenix Suns went on to lose to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the NBA Finals. Across the six matchups, the Hall of Fame big man averaged 27.3 points, 13.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists.

Is Charles Barkley still married?

Despite this issue causing major drama in his personal life, Barkley and his wife managed to get through it. The couple is still married and has one child. Their daughter Christina Barkley was born in 1989, the same year Barkley and Maureen Blumhardt were married.

While Barkley has been in the limelight for most of his adult life, he has managed to keep his personal life rather private. He met his wife early in his career while he was with the Philadelphia 76ers. He first met Blumhardt at a restaurant.

The 11-time All-Star keeps his married life private, but he still makes sure to applaud his wife when he gets the chance. He often speaks out about what a great partner and mother she is to him and their daughter.