Charles Barkley takes leaf out of Michael Jordan & Co to give honest assessment on NBA super teams
Hall of Famer Charles Barkley is never afraid to speak his mind, and during an appearance on former coach Mark Jackson's Come And Talk 2 Me podcast, Barkley didn't hold back while discussing superteams. While the new Collective Bargaining Agreements have created obstacles for franchises hoping to create superteams, the topic is still frequently discussed in NBA circles.
The way he sees things, creating superteams, is essentially cheating, and if he had known that ending his career without a ring would be used against him, then he would've teamed up with Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, or Magic Johnson.
In Charles Barkley's heyday, superteams weren't really a thing, with teams instead focused on drafting and developing talent. At the same time, he also said that players like Bird and Johnson hung their hats on competing against the best of the best, not teaming up with them.
"You know, I hate superteams because it's cheating. If they had told me back in my day that it would be held against me, I'd have said, 'Well, I want to play with Michael Jordan, Bird, or Magic.'"
"If they're going to say I didn't win, let me know that beforehand, not after the fact. I'd have loved to team up and win. ... If you ask Bird and Magic, their legacy is built on competing against each other. ... There's no shame in losing to [Michael], the greatest player ever. We got our shot, and it was a hell of a game."
You can see his comments in the video above, which begins just before the one-minute mark.
"I'm happy with what I accomplished," - Charles Barkley reflects on his career
While Charles Barkley may have ended his career without an NBA Championship, he cemented his place in NBA history with his remarkable play. In addition to the fact that Barkley set a new standard for undersized forwards and earned a reputation as a fierce competitor, his accolades can't be denied.
On top of leading the Dream Team in scoring, Barkley finished his career with two Olympic gold medals, an MVP award, 11 All-Star selections, and ten All-NBA selections.
Further, Charles Barkley was named to both the NBA's 50th and 75th Anniversary teams, and his No. 34 jersey was retired by both the Philadelphia 76ers and Phoenix Suns.
While he may not have won a title, the Hall of Famer has no complaints when looking back on his career.
"If I'd known they'd judge me for not teaming up, I'd have said, 'Yo, man, let's get together and super team up.' But I don't feel any type of way. I'm happy with what I accomplished. I exceeded all my expectations; I mean, I way exceeded my expectations."
While not having a ring to his name may prevent him from ranking higher on fans' lists of greatest players of all time, his place in NBA history can never be denied.