Charles Barkley's 10 wildest NBA takes, ranked
09/23/2024 06:13 PM
Charles Barkley carved out a Hall of Fame worthy NBA career. His accolades include an NBA MVP, 11 All-Star Game appearances, and 11 All-NBA Team selections with the Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, and Houston Rockets.
Although he has long retired from playing basketball, the Hall of Famer continues to impart his knowledge and experience as an analyst of the NBA. Here’s Charles Barkley’s 10 wildest NBA takes, ranked.
10. The rest of the Lakers suck
Charles Barkley: "Anthony Davis not the reason the Lakers suck."
Shaq: "Who is?"
"The rest of them."
(h/t @ohnohedidnt24)
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) April 12, 2024
Although Anthony Davis has finally answered the call for the Los Angeles Lakers with an MVP-caliber season, it was quite questionable for Barkley to claim that the rest of the Lakers make the Purple and Gold suck.
In fact, the Lakers registered a solid 47-35 record during the 2023-2024 season. Furthermore, LeBron James successfully defied Father Time once again, while role players like Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves, and D’Angelo Russell also stepped up.
9. Not a fan of the probable Bronny-LeBron team-up
When Bronny James entered the transfer portal and declared for the 2024 NBA Draft while maintaining his college eligibility, there was obviously a good chance the former USC player would get to play alongside his legendary father LeBron James.
Although the partnership would be a dream come true for The King, it seems that Barkley doesn’t like the team-up. The former NBA MVP does have a point, given how he wants the younger James to become his own man, but that didn’t deter the Lakers from drafting Bronny in the second round anyway.
8. Moving the All-Star Game away from Charlotte
Charles Barkley: 'The NBA should move the All-Star Game from Charlotte' https://t.co/iEWeTq0WcF
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) April 7, 2016
Barkley isn’t a fan of discrimination. As a result, the 11-time All-Star voiced out by saying the 2017 All-Star Game should be moved away from North Carolina.
In 2016, Charlotte implemented House Bill 2, which limits protection for the LGBTQ+ community. While it was a bold statement, the NBA eventually did decide to relocate the 2017 All-Star festivities to New Orleans, as per reports.
7. Janitors, plumbers, and load management
Charles Barkley sounds off on today's player salaries
"We're paying bums today … We're just giving $200-300 million out like candy." pic.twitter.com/SXQKNAoUez
— First Take (@FirstTake) February 27, 2023
Barkley has a point in speaking out against NBA stars participating in load management. However, when a player suffers a legitimate injury, they have the right to sit out games. But more importantly, mentioning hardworking blue-collared workers like janitors and plumbers in the same sentence as load management seems controversial at best.
6. Forecasting a lockout
TNT's Charles Barkley: "Y'all baby these dudes so much today. They don't want to play back-to-back games. Every time a fan says something, they get them tossed. If they're not happy, they want to get traded. It's going to come to a head in the next CBA." pic.twitter.com/gpSrmCMElq
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) February 17, 2023
With the Collective Bargaining Agreement set to expire after the 2022-23 season, Barkley claimed that a lockout could be on the horizon, as per reports. The former NBA MVP boldly claimed that the players are being “babied.” It was truly an eye-opening statement that concerned basketball fans around the world at the time. Fortunately, they agreed to a new CBA.
5. Kevin Durant is not a leader
Charles Barkley on Kevin Durant:
"KD a follower. He's not a leader. He's proven that on all of his stops…"
Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/Fxp0XhzJC9
— Beastbrook (@Beastbr00k0) February 19, 2024
Despite two Finals MVPs in four Finals appearances, Barkley didn’t see Kevin Durant as a leader. It’s quite a surprise given that KD won NBA MVP during his time with the Thunder while taking them to a Finals appearance in 2012.
He was also the Finals MVP when the Warriors conquered back-to-back NBA championships. Although his move to Golden State is criticized by many, including Chuck, that doesn’t take away the fact that KD led the Warriors to the promised land twice.
4. LeBron not wanting to compete
Charles Barkley on Lebron
"He's got to have all the best players on his team. He wants everybody. He dont wanna compete. He wants to be the favorite all the time. It pisses me off a guy that great,doesnt want to compete"
This was 7 yrs ago. Nothing's changed.This is his legacy pic.twitter.com/LD2EaWdhPs
— BossHogg (@6Hogg6) March 17, 2024
It’s crazy to claim that LeBron James isn’t a fierce competitor. While James is frowned upon for building super teams, he did do most of the heavy lifting for his teams en route to four NBA titles, one NBA Cup, four Finals MVPs, one NBA Cup MVP, and four MVPs.
Moreover, James is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. Those accolades are fruits of James competing as the best basketball player in the world.
3. Stephen Curry would break under Bad Boy Pistons defense
Charles Barkley says Bad Boy Pistons would "break" Steph Curry
pic.twitter.com/lz25Y4JcYP— TheWarriorsTalk (@TheWarriorsTalk) August 25, 2023
While the Bad Boy Detroit Pistons were a great defensive team during their era, they never had to guard an elite shooter like Curry. However, Barkley claimed that the best shooter in the world wouldn’t survive with the Pistons’ suffocating defense. Barkley’s statement turned some heads, given that Curry has shown that he can make the most difficult shots from the perimeter.
2. No respect for Kevin Durant until he becomes the ‘bus driver’
Despite collecting an NBA MVP, two NBA championships, and two Finals MVPs, Barkley isn’t going to give Durant his flowers. Given that KD won his championships with a stacked Warriors team, the Basketball Hall of Famer will only give his respect to KD until he wins as the “bus driver” or leader of his team.
It’s certainly hard not to respect a player like Durant, given how individually talented and gifted he is in terms of scoring.
1. Rooting against all super teams
As an analyst, Barkley has expressed rooting against all forms of super teams. However, it’s quite ironic that the former NBA MVP once bolted Phoenix to join the Houston Rockets to team up with fellow All-Stars Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler, and eventually Scottie Pippen. Of course, that team’s results weren’t so super.
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