Barkley disobeys his doctor's orders to visit Sager

Charles Barkley wasn't going to allow a hip replacement to stop him from visiting Craig Sager in the hospital this week, even if his doctor advised against it.

After hearing Sager's wife couldn't be be with her husband for a few days after she came down with a bad cold, Barkley flew to Houston to be with his TNT coworker as he prepared for his third bone marrow transplant Wednesday. However, Barkley wasn't medically cleared to travel after undergoing hip surgery last month, and he told told The Associated Press his doctor was very upset.

"Craig Sager is one of the most interesting people I've ever met,'' Barkley said. ''We go to see Sager to cheer him up and by the time you leave you're like, 'Is anything wrong with him?' He has the most positive attitude ... When you go to try and cheer him up his attitude is so upbeat he cheers you up.''

Related: Sager in good spirits during bone marrow transplant

Sager's son - Craig Sager Jr. - thanked Sir Charles on Twitter for taking the time to visit his father.