“With all BS that goes on in NBA” – Charles Barkley credits Giannis Antetokounmpo & Nikola Jokic for enjoying ‘super team & drama’ free NBA
Charles Barkley recently appeared on The Bill Simmons podcast and the two talked about a plethora of topics, including boxing and the NFL among other things.
Inevitably, the topic eventually shifted to the NBA and basketball in general. The pair talked about some of basketball's all-time greats while working their way to superstars in the modern era.
Barkley, while talking about superstars in the NBA today, couldn't help but praise Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks for how they won an NBA Championship.
"With all the BS that goes on in the NBA, what the Nuggets and the Joker accomplished just made me feel good, man. No super teams, no drama. Joker and Giannis, they make me feel good about my sport," Barkley said in reference to the Nuggets winning the championship last season and Antetokounmpo's NBA Title with the Bucks in 2021.
Overall, the Denver Nuggets have been one of the teams that have not been at the center of some dramatic event in the NBA. Most of the players in their core were drafted by them and even through the years where they suffered devastating injuries and heartbreaking playoff exits, they remained patient until they finally captured the NBA Title.
Similarly, Giannis Antetokounmpo has never been at the center of any major drama that has taken the fans and the media's focus away from what he accomplishes as an NBA player, and Charles Barkley approves of the way he handles himself on and off the court.
Charles Barkley talks about how Steph Curry would perform during the "Bad Boys" era
Aside from praising the Joker and the Greek Freak for playing drama-free basketball, Charles Barkley also talked about what would happen to Steph Curry if he were playing when Isiah Thomas and the Detroit Pistons Bad Boys were active.
"As much as I love Steph Curry, and I love Steph Curry, can you imagine if the bad boys would beat the hell out of him?" Barkley asked, referring to the physicality that was present in that era.
He continued:
"If you think that he could take those blows that John Salley, Dennis Rodman, Bill Laimbeer. Those body checks that they were putting on Michael [Jordan], and Scottie [Pippen], and myself and guys like that you really think Steph Curry wouldn't break?"
The Pistons' bad boys were notorious for playing a physical brand of basketball that was considered to be over the top even during an era where players were highly physical with one another. The era saw a combination of extremely physical play and the lack of advancement in sports medicine cut careers short.
The league has implemented several rule changes since then to protect players and prioritize their health.