EX NBA baller Charles Barkley has hired a criminal defense attorney to navigate him through his drunken-driving case from his arrest Wednesday in Arizona. Attorney Scott Maasen has “launched an independent investigation into the case and managed to get the basketball star to finally talk about it,” TMZ.com reported.  In a statement released Monday, Maasen said, “Mr. Barkley, who has no prior DUI convictions, believes wholeheartedly in the court system and is cooperating fully with the court’s process. Mr. Barkley wishes to thank family, friends and his ardent fans for their tremendous outpouring of support during this difficult time.” Barkley is set to appear in court on Jan. 20.

Report: Barkley Was Juiced When Arrested
Charles Barkley had a night of heaving drinking with actor Jaleel White and retired NFL player Michael Strahan at a Scottsdale, Ariz., bar the night he was nabbed on a DUI charge, the Dirty.com reports. Barkley spent Tuesday evening at the nightclub Dirty/Pretty running up a hefty bar tab with White, a.k.a. Steve Urkel from “Family Matters,” and former New York Giants linebacker Strahan, the Web site reported. TMZ.com reports that Barkley had wine coolers and bear claw donuts in the car at the time of his arrest. Barkley told the arresting officer that he was on his way to get oral sex from a woman who had given him “the best one he ever had in his life” a week earlier, the Web site reports.

Rutgers Star Will Go Pro
Rutgers wideout Kenny Britt said he will not play his senior year, opting instead to enter the NFL Draft. “It’s always been a dream to me to go to the NFL,” Britt said at a news conference at Rutgers’ Hale Center. “This year was my gateway, my opening.” Britt said he went through potential scenarios with his family members and coach Greg Schiano for more than two hours on Friday before arriving at his decision. Britt, a 6-4, 215-pound junior from New Jersey, is the Big East’s all-time leading receiver with 3,043 career yards. He was named a third-team All-American this year and tied former Pitt receiver Larry Fitzgerald’s Big East record of 14 career 100-yard receiving games. This season, he finished with 87 catches for 1,371 yards, a Rutgers single-season record.

Boston’s renewed NBA rivalry with Los Angeles stirred excitement among more than just the players and fans who filled both arenas. The ABC network reports that the Celtics’ blowout of LA this week earned a 10.7 viewer rating, the highest TV response since Indiana’s 2000 finals game six against the Lakers. Last year’s entire series between the Spurs and Cavaliers averaged only a 6.2. Ratings are based on the total percentage of homes with TVs tuned-in to a specific program.

Miami’s Jason Taylor sought by Green Bay. The Green Bay Packers reportedly have been checking on Miami Dolphin Jason Taylor’s availability. Despite Taylor’s having said he’s willing to play in Miami this coming season, The Green Bay Press-Gazette and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel newspapers relay that queries have been made on the defensive end. The Dolphins won’t comment, but it’s reported that they may be willing to deal the recent “Dancing With the Stars” contestant for a second-round draft pick. Following his “Dancing” debut, Taylor has said he’s considering an acting career.

Barkley to participate in poker tournament. Charles Barkley, who claimed he was giving up gambling, will participate in a celebrity poker tournament at the 2008 World Series of Poker. Where are the proceeds going? Read more at Playa Hater.