Source: Boston Globe / Getty / Charles Barkley
The Inside The NBA crew on TNT haven’t transitioned to
ESPN yet, but things will definitely be awkward when they do. Ahead of Thursday night’s matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and the New York Knicks, Charles Barkley ripped the “dummies” at ESPN, specifically the “idiot” Kendrick Perkins for their constant glazing of the Lakers.
“I saw a fool, idiot on TV saying the Lakers saved the NBA. He’s an idiot and a fool but he knows who he is,” Barkley began his rant. Barkley then asked Shaquille O’Neal, who is celebrating his 53rd birthday, to reveal who he was talking about.
O’Neal didn’t say his name, but Barkley eventually said “Kendrick Perkins” before railing against both Perkins and
ESPN.
“He said, the Lakers — first of all, the Lakers have had a great two weeks,” Barkley begins. “He said the Lakers saved the NBA season. That’s because them fools on the other network, which we’re going to be working for next year, that’s all they talk about. Let me tell y’all something. And first of all, I want all the smoke. I don’t whistle when I walk by the graveyard or anything like that.”
Charles Barkley Believes ESPN Is Snubbing The Cleveland Cavaliers & Oklahoma City Thunder
Barkley did acknowledge
that the Lakers and Golden State Warriors are playing good basketball, but Ba. Still, Barkley’s beef with ESPN and Perkins is their favorable coverage of teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder, which the Basketball Hall-of-Famer believes are this season’s best stories.
“Hey man, the Lakers are doing great,” Barkley said. “Got a long way to go. But the reason the season’s been going great — the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Oklahoma City Thunder — y’all just want to talk about the Warriors and the Lakers. They’re both doing great. Don’t get me wrong. If I turn out to be wrong, I got no problem with that. But y’all are idiots ’cause y’all talk about the Lakers and the Warriors all the time. The Cleveland Cavaliers have won 12 straight games. Oklahoma City got the MVP and they are on fire. Y’all are talking about who’s in second place. That’s the reason I get pissed. Hey, the Lakers are doing great. I don’t mind being wrong. The Warriors are doing great.
“But that’s ’cause you fools on the other network, which we’re gonna become fools next year when we be working on that network, but Oklahoma City and the Cavs been balling for six months. Y’all talking about teams that had two great weeks.”
Kendrick Perkins Claps Back At Barkley on X
Word got back to Perkins about Barkley calling him an idiot and the NBA on ESPN analyst and former member of both the Thunder and Cavaliers clapped back at Barkley.
“Hey @NBAonTNT might wanna tell that senior citizen Charles Barkley that I’ll be around. When he see an idiot or fool in person make sure he keep that same energy. He can come playing with me if he want to and imma Address his ass like the numbers on a house. Straight from the 409 homeboy and we bar none and fade all. #TexasBoy”
Barkley Also Hates ESPN Constantly Bringing Up The Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James Debate
The constant glazing of the Lakers and Warriors was not the only thing on Barkley’s mind. The Round Mound of Rebound also was fed up with the “lame ass LeBron / Michael Jordan debate.”
“But don’t say basketball’s only watching now — first of all, between that and this lame-ass Lebron-Michael Jordan debate, which is lame,” he said. “I’ve said for years, the only people who talk about LeBron and Michael is people on television who got no talent to talk about anything else. I’ve been saying that for years. I ain’t hanging on to the 90s. I’ve always said, LeBron’s great, Michael’s great. But y’all talk about it all the time and then got LeBron out there posing, talking about he all mad about being the face of the league. But it makes me mad.
“The Oklahoma City and the Cleveland Cavaliers are the two best stories in the NBA this year. Congratulations to the Lakers and the Warriors. They’ve had two good weeks. The Cavs and OKC have had six great months.”
Stephen A. Smith also chimed in telling Barkley to say names, specifically his.
“Yo Chuck, stop the b.s. with the “y’all.” Attach a name to it. I know I’ve been talking about @cavs being the No.1 threat to the @Celtics. Once you come over here, there’s gonna be some folks waiting to call YOU a fool. P.S. You know I love ya, though,” Smith wrote.
Whew, that was a lot.
Of course, social media is reacting to the Barkley’s rant, you can see those reactions in the gallery below.
