Charles Barkley has never been one to mince words, and his latest comments are no exception. After recently calling out the Lakers’ coaching staff for their critiques of NBA analysts, Barkley turned his sights on the league’s current players, criticizing them for embracing load management and failing to appreciate their privileged positions.
In a candid appearance on They Call It Late Night with Jason Kelce, Barkley expressed his frustrations with today’s NBA landscape, contrasting it with his playing days and emphasizing the importance of gratitude and dedication.
“I don’t like the current landscape at all,” Barkley said. “We’re not f— steel workers, we’re not teachers, we’re not nurses, we’re not somebody in the service. To make 30, 40, 50 million dollars to play basketball two days a week in a row, if that’s too much to ask, please tell me”.
Reflecting on the financial disparity between eras, Barkley added, “We’re so lucky and blessed. In my day, I made $5 million, which is a ton of money. Now these guys are making 50, 60 million, and I’m like, are y’all serious right now? Are y’all serious y’all can’t play basketball two days in a row for $60 million?”
Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans drives the ball up the court against the Milwaukee Bucks at Smoothie King Center. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
Barkley calls out Zion Williamson as example
One of Barkley’s focal points during his remarks was Zion Williamson, the New Orleans Pelicans star who has played in just six games this season due to injury. “I always tell these guys, you know, they talk about Zion’s weight,” Barkley said. “I said, let me tell you something—he’s making like $40 million. I’d be anorexic for $40 million. They’d be like, ‘Charles is too skinny, we need to get him on’”.
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For Barkley, Williamson’s situation highlights a broader issue with some modern players failing to meet basic physical and professional standards despite lucrative contracts.
“So, stuff like that annoys me,” Barkley continued. “We’re the luckiest people in the world to play a sport. We make more money in a week than most people are going to make in their entire lifetime, and you should be appreciative of that”.
With his blunt critique, Barkley once again positioned himself as a voice of accountability in the evolving NBA, reminding players of the privilege and responsibility that comes with their roles.
