"None of us would be around": Admitting Michael Jordan made league global, Charles Barkley thanks Magic Johnson and Larry Bird for saving them
Charles Barkley played against some of the greatest talents in NBA history. In his career, the 6-foot-6 forward faced off against Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson. As such, Barkley understands each of those superstars' impact on the NBA and how they helped take the league to new heights.
During a recent "The Dan Patrick Show" appearance, Barkley boldly said that Johnson and Bird "saved the NBA." Barkley is referring to the league's struggling numbers and diminishing fanbase before Bird and Johnson helped renew interest in the league by making the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers rivalry prevalent again.
"He [Nikola Jokic] reminds me of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson," Barkley said. "Because neither one of those guys, you would say, had exceptional athletic ability. But they are two of the greatest players ever because of hard work, brains, and work ethic. And I told people they're the two most important players in NBA history because they saved the NBA."
Barkley continued:
"Every time I see Magic and Bird, I say 'thankyou for making all of us'. They saved the NBA, if it wasn't for those two guys — obviously, Michale [Jordan] took it to another level — but if it wasn't for Magic and Bird, we wouldn't be around today."
(Timestamp 10.22)
Charles Barkley's comments came while discussing Nikola Jokic's dominance, noting how his cerebral approach to the game is more akin to Bird and Johnson, which is why the two-time MVP is such a dominant force in a league full of elite athletes.
Charles Barkley believes LeBron James is 'too soft' to play football
During the same podcast appearance, Charles Barkley shared his belief that LeBron James wouldn't have been a dominant player in the NFL, noting how the NBA legend is "too soft" to play on the gridiron.
(Timestamp 6.56)
"Please don't say LeBron," Barkley said. "This dude be making me so mad thinking he can play football. He played football in high school because he was better than everybody else. What's one thing about the pros, you're not bigger or faster than anybody else."
Charles Barkley continued:
"But let's be honest, most of my NBA players, they're not tough enough to play football," Barkley added. "They're not. No disrespect to them. Basketball players aren't built like that."
One of the biggest differences between the NBA Barkley played in, and the current version of the league is the reduced physicality. As such, we often hear players from previous generations discussing how the league has become "softer."
Nevertheless, there are multiple elite talents in the NBA right now, as the rise in sports science has produced more elite athletes, making the league more competitive than it's ever been.
Regardless of whether LeBron James would have excelled on an NFL pitch, he has dominated the NBA for over 20 years. There aren't many players that have had that level of success in any sport.