"I'll slap you in the head": Charles Barkley threatens Ernie Johnson with churro attack for yelling on National TV
On a typical day of Inside the NBA, Charles Barkley is at it again with his humorous antics, and this time targets lead host Ernie Johnson. After debating how back-to-back games should be played, the 11-time NBA All-Star jokingly told Ernie to not shout at him and threatened the veteran journalist with a food attack.
"Don't yell at me on TV. I'll slap you in the head with churros," Barkley tells Johnson.
The TNT crew was analyzing the anticipated matchup between top rookie Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs and Kevin Durant of the Phoenix Suns.
With KD taking the individual battle outplaying Wembanyama with 26 points, seven assists, and two assists, the French big man took home the team win, 115-114, while doing 18 points, eight rebounds, and four blocks.
As a center who thrived in the NBA, Shaquille O'Neal suggested Wembanyama that he needs to be more aggressive.
"He has to get stronger and a little meaner," said O'Neal. "He's going to have to learn. He will be a great player. Chuck made a great point, [NBA] is different than the French league. When you come in as a rookie, you are just seeing things."
Shaquille O'Neal was a rookie for the Orlando Magic in the 1993-94 season averaging 23.4 points, 13.9 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks in 81 games. The team finished 9th in the NBA Eastern Conference missing the chance to make the playoffs.
Charles Barkley compares Victor Wembanyama to other superstar rookies
Seeing the NBA grow from his perspective, Charles Barkley sees rookies getting younger and only playing a few months in college before turning pro. Looking at Victor Wembanyama, the former league MVP tells the TV audience to be patient with the Spurs center as he is not expected to win right away.
"I've been in the NBA for 40 years, only one guy and was great right away and that was LeBron. Kobe struggled. Kevin Garnett struggled," said Charles Barkley. "The notion that a guy who's 18 or 19 years old don't come in and dominate right away, that is just not going to happen. The players are too good. [Wembanyama] is in the Western Conference-- they are not better than any team in the West."
The San Antonio Spurs scored their second victory of the season over the Phoenix Suns and will face them again two days from now. This time, both teams will be battling at the Frost Bank Center located in San Antonio, Texas.