Charles Barkley is not a head of track Espn Again.
This will happen next year, when TNT is popular “Inside the NBA”Studio Show – which features Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal And Kenny Smith Analysts and Ernie Johnson as a host – will be dismissed on ESPN from the 2025-2026 season.
In the meantime, Barkley does not seem to have a problem tearing the speaking heads current ESPN, Call the group collectively “idiots” and “fools” and distinguish one of them, Kendrick Perkinsby name.
Barkley, however, recognized that “we are going to become fools next year when we work on this network”.
Speaking Thursday before the Lakers match against the New York Knicks, Barkley made a long diatriber on what he perceives as a bias shown by ESPN to the Lakers And Golden State Warriors, while teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder have better overall seasons but do not receive the same coverage amount.
The Cavaliers (52-10) and Thunder (51-11) have the two best NBA records. Lakers and Warriors have come strong in recent weeks, with 9-2 since the addition of a recent acquisition Luka Donic to the range and Golden State also goes 9-2 from the trade Jimmy Butler.
The winners of their last eight gamesThe Lakers took place until n ° 2 in the classification of the Western Conference, but Trail Oklahoma City by 10½ games. The Warriors are at n ° 6 of the conference, 16½ games behind the Thunder.
But Lakers and Warriors have combined 23 NBA titles in total and 10 since 2000, The most recently won it in 2020 And Golden State in 2022. The riders and Thunder won two titles in total (Cleveland in 2016 And the Thunder when they were the Supersonics of Seattle in 1979), which seems to give California teams a possible advantage in national recognition and popularity.
All this prepared the field for Barkley's Diatribe, who had the Ex-Laker O'Neal in stitches in the middle of the point.
“I saw an idiot, idiot on TV Lakers saved the NBA“Said Barkley. “He's an idiot and a fool, but he knows who he is. What is his name, Shaq? Kendrick Perkins. … He said the Lakers had saved the NBA season. It is because of their fool in the other network, of which we are going to work next year is all they are talking about.
“Let me tell you something.” … Lakers are fine. I have a long way to go. But the season went well for the Cleveland riders and the Oklahoma City Thunder. You all want to talk about the Warriors and the Lakers. They are both doing very well, don't get me wrong. If I'm wrong, I have no problem with that. But you are all idiots because you all talk about Lakers and Warriors all the time.
“Cleveland riders won 12 consecutive games. Oklahoma City obtained the MVP and they are on fire. You all talk about who is second in. This is the reason why I am upset.
“Oklahoma City and the balls for six months. You all talk about teams that have had two big weeks. “”
Barkley continued to take a shot on the chefs who like to debate who is the best player of all time, Michael Jordan or LeBron James.
“I have said it for years The only people to talk about LeBron and Michael These are people on television who had no talent to talk about something else, “said Barkley.
At halftime, the Lakers dragging the Knicks at nine, Barkley could not help but accumulate.
“I am not a hateful. I'm just worried about people in the other network“He said. “They will be sad tomorrow. They will be sad and cry. 'A loss of lake!' “”
TNT's NBA account has published a video of some of Barkley's comments – calling them “a diatribe of all time” – But left aside the parts on Perkins and some of the remarks on ESPN.
ESPN refused to comment on this story.
Perkins, on the other hand, had a lot to say about Barkley's comments in two articles Thursday on X.
“Hey @nbaontnt might want Tell this senior Charles Barkley that I will be there“Wrote Perkins, who played 14 years in the NBA and won a title with the Boston Celtics in 2008.” When he sees an idiot or a fool in person ensuring that he keeps the same energy. “
Perkins added a separate post a few hours later, following the Victory in extension of the Lakers over the Knicks: “” The idiot “is heading on @sportscenter to talk about all the Lakers !!!! They said Bron and Luka couldn't play together But their game says the opposite. They said we're going to cry in the morning to talk about the Lakers. They are mistaken again. … #Aimentwatchbasketball ”
