Charles Barkley sentenced to jail

PHOENIX (Reuters) - Former NBA great Charles Barkley was sentenced on Monday to 10 days in jail after pleading guilty to driving drunk in Scottsdale, Ariz., last New Year's Eve, city officials said.

Barkley, a television basketball analyst, will have five days off the sentence suspended upon his completion of a court-approved alcohol program, officials said. He also was ordered to attend traffic school and pay $2,000 in fines.

The 46-year-old Hall of Fame player is expected to begin serving his sentence on March 21, according to court records.

Barkley was arrested on December 31 in Scottsdale with an blood alcohol content of 0.149, nearly double the amount allowed under Arizona law. He apologized for his behavior and returned to cable network TNT last week after a six-week leave of absence.

The often-outspoken Barkley dominated at the power forward position during his 16 seasons in the NBA and was named one of the 50 greatest players in league history in 1996. He made 11 NBA All-Star appearances and won two Olympic gold medals.

(Reporting by David Schwartz, editing by Vicki Allen)