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Charles Barkley has spent more than two decades as a member of the Inside the NBA crew, and he’s provided viewers with an endless amount of entertainment over that span thanks to his wildly unfiltered nature.
The retired big man has occasionally ended up in hot water for his comments on the program (like his well-documented beef with the women in San Antonio), but for the most part, Chuck’s shenanigans are cheeky and fun and serve as a virtually endless source of entertainment.
The most recent installment of the long-running TNT program was no exception, as Barkley once again briefly caused things to go off the rails when he alluded to a recent controversy that was sparked by Kendrick Perkins.
Last week, Perkins risked tearing a muscle based on how hard he stretched to suggest Nikola Jokic, Dirk Nowitzki, and Steve Nash had only been able to win an NBA MVP Award because of the color of their skin.
Perkins was soundly rebuked by J.J. Redick on First Take earlier this week, and Barkley echoed a similar sentiment when he described the stance as “asinine, silly, and stupid.”
On Thursday, Barkley pounced on the chance to have some fun at Perkins’ expense while the Inside the NBA crew was discussing the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
During the segment, Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal said they both think the Bucks will punch their ticket to the NBA Finals when everything is said and done, and Shaq supplemented that take by saying Giannis Antetokounmpo is currently his pick for Most Valuable Player honors.
That presented Barkley with a golden opportunity he took full advantage of, as he quipped, “You’re only voting for him because he’s black,” which caused Shaq and Ernie Johnson to fall victim to a fit of laughter and bang the desk while (unsuccessfully) trying to maintain their composure.
Shaq: "Giannis is my MVP"
Chuck: "You're only voting for him because he's black" pic.twitter.com/tWdDKXm1kW— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) March 10, 2023
Never change, Chuck. Never change.