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Charles Barkley blasts ESPN NBA coverage, calls out Kendrick Perkins in fiery rant

ns_headshot_2024-clearby:Nick Schultz•03/06/25•

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Charles Barkley and Kendrick Perkins
Photo of Charles Barkley: © Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images; Photo of Kendrick Perkins: © Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Earlier this week on NBA Today, ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins said the Los Angeles Lakers “saved the NBA” with the blockbuster Luka Doncic trade. That quote made its way to Charles Barkley, who called out Perkins and ESPN for their coverage of the league.

Barkley rattled off a fiery rant during Thursday’s Inside the NBA – which will be sublicensed by ESPN next year as part of a settlement with TNT Sports. He called out “fools on the other network” and specifically called out Perkins for his thoughts on the Lakers.

Barkley’s point was more about other great teams, such as the Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder, not getting the credit he thinks they deserve on ESPN airwaves. He said the network cycles through the same topics while talking about the NBA.

“I saw a fool, idiot, on TV talking about the Lakers saved the NBA,” Barkley said. “He’s an idiot and a fool, but you know who he is. … Kendrick Perkins. First of all, the Lakers are having a great two weeks. He said, the Lakers saved the NBA season. That’s because them fools on the other network, which we’re gonna be working for next year, that’s all they talk about. Let me tell y’all something – and first of all, I want all the smoke. I don’t whistle when I walk by the graveyard or anything like that. … The Lakers are doing great. Got a long way to go. The season’s been going great for the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Y’all just want to talk about the Warriors and the Lakers.

“They’re both doing great. Don’t get me wrong. If I turn out to be wrong, I’ve got no problem with that. But y’all are idiots because y’all talk about the Lakers and the Warriors all the time. The Cleveland Cavaliers have won 12 straight games. Oklahoma City’s got the MVP and they are on fire. Y’all are talking about who’s in second place. That’s the reason I get pissed.”

The Lakers are currently 39-21 overall, 11 games back of the Thunder in the Western Conference. However, Los Angeles is in the midst of a seven-game winning streak and has won 13 of its last 15 games as Doncic got more familiar with the franchise and playing alongside LeBron James. The Warriors, meanwhile, are 8-2 in their last 10 games and are the No. 6-seed in the West.

Still, Oklahoma City is also still red-hot at 51-11 and with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander making a strong case as the MVP favorite. Cleveland also became the first team to clinch a playoff spot at 52-11, sitting eight games ahead of the Boston Celtics for first place in the East.

Charles Barkley acknowledged the Lakers’ recent hot stretch and admitted he could be wrong about how things are going. But he also implored ESPN to talk about the Thunder and Cavaliers, who have been dominant all season.

“Hey, the Lakers are doing great,” Barkley said. “I don’t mind being wrong. The Warriors are doing great. But that’s because you fools on the other network – which we’re gonna become fools next year. We’ll be working on that network. But Oklahoma City and the Cavs been balling for six months. Y’all talking about teams that had two great weeks. … They talk about the same stuff every single day.”

Charles Barkley calls out ‘lame-ass’ LeBron James-Michael Jordan debate

In addition to the dialogue about the Lakers and Warriors, Charles Barkley also called out the LeBron James-Michael Jordan debates on ESPN. He reiterated his stance fans should appreciate both players’ greatness and let go of the 1990s.

“Between that and this lame-ass LeBron-Michael Jordan debate – which is lame. I’ve said it for years. The only people that talk about LeBron and Michael is people on television who’ve got no talent to talk about anything else,” Barkley said. “I’ve been saying that for years. I ain’t hanging onto the ’90s. I’ve always said, LeBron’s great, Michael’s great. But y’all talk about it all the time, and then got LeBron out there posing talking about he’s all mad about being the face of the league.

“But it makes me mad. The Oklahoma City [Thunder] and the Cleveland Cavaliers are the two best stories in the NBA this year. Congratulations to the Lakers and the Warriors. They’ve had two good weeks. The Cavs and OKC have had six great months.”