"I just wanted my shoes light because I played a couple games in MJ's shoes, them motherf***ers was so heavy" - Charles Barkley recalls giving input on his Nike sneakers back in his playing days
Charles Barkley is known for spitting hot takes and recently had one that might rile up the basketball community. He admitted that he was not a fan of wearing Michael Jordan's shoes during his playing days.
Whether it was back in the 90s or today, NBA players and fans donned Michael Jordan's shoes. The Chicago Bulls legend paved the way for signature sneakers and still sits in the top spot.
While many adore MJ's sneakers, Hall of Famer Charles Barkley spoke out against them. In a recent interview, he spoke about the discomfort he had playing in them, stating:
"The main thing, I just wanted my shoes light because I played a couple games in MJ's shoes. Them mother******* was so heavy.... I know he could really jump, I was like 'yo man how you playing in these mother*******.'"
Similar to Jordan, Barkley got a signature shoe with Nike once he cemented himself as a top player in the NBA. Based on his comments, it's safe to assume he made sure they were light on his feet.
Charles Barkley on the Dream Team, wanting all the smoke, retirement, and how controversial opinions!! It’s a must see @thepivot
@FredTaylorMade
@OfficialCrowder
@alicialauren
youtu.be/GT6FdhgXcns https://t.co/IxdiN9ArFU
Charles Barkley under fire for recent comments
Once one of the NBA's top big men, Charles Barkley is now just an analyst. He can regularly be seen quarreling with Shaquille O'Neal during broadcasts on TNT.
Charles Barkley occasionally catches heat for his comments and we are seeing it in full force. Following the 76ers' blowout loss to the Miami Heat, he called out Joel Embiid for being too caught up in not winning MVP, stating:
"Joel was so distracted by this MVP stuff. He came out with no energy, distracted, and the team followed."
"He came out with no energy, distracted, and the team followed."
Chuck weighs in on the struggles of Embiid and the Sixers in Game 5. https://t.co/ApfjvKKew6
It did not take long for people to come after Charles Barkley regarding his thoughts on Embiid. While he may have looked less energetic than usual, falling short of MVP had nothing to do with it.
With his team's season on the line, Embiid was out there with a broken face and an injury to his shooting hand. As a former player himself, Barkley should be commending Embiid for his efforts, not kicking him while he's down.
What Barkley said was a reach, and fans instantly called him out for it. To try and degrade a player who is pushing his body to the limit to be on the court is just low. Especially in Embiid's case, as the media created an injury prone narrative around him.
For someone who once played in the league, more is expected from Barkley. Comments like this were bound to come out, but not from someone of his stature.