Charles Barkley is never afraid to share his opinion on just about everything, which makes him one of the best analysts, and personalities, on television.
He continued that during Wednesday night’s Inside the NBA when he took a minute to bash analysts on other networks who have been taking shots at Los Angeles Lakers coach Darvin Ham and Phoenix Suns coach Frank Vogel after their teams were bounced from the playoffs.
Barkley isn’t a fan of the way other people on other sports shows have been talking about Ham and Vogel, and he didn’t hold back with his feelings, calling those people “cowards” and “jackasses.”
Both Ham and Vogel could very well be fired after their poor playoff performances. And it seems like Barkley wouldn’t be a fan of either of those moves happening.
Galveston, Texas took it on the chin this weekend.
The Gulf of Mexico resort city—minding its own business during the NBA playoffs—suddenly gained notoriety when Hall of Fame forward and TNT analyst Charles Barkley proposed the city as an alternate vacation destination to Cancun for teams after uninspired playoff efforts.
"We're not even gonna send them to Cancun. We're gonna send them to Galveston with that dirty-a-- water," Barkley said after the New Orleans Pelicans lost 106-85 to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 of the first round Saturday. "Y'all quit. Drive your a-- down to Galveston."
However, Galveston has struck back. Per TMZ, mysterious billboards taking shots at Barkley have sprung up around the city.
Messages include "Hey Charles, our water is cleaner than your golf swing," "Hey Charles, come on down—the water's fine!" and "Hey Charles, you've never turned down any of our great food."
All are signed, "Love, Galveston."
Who would've guessed a feud between a television personality and a city that has produced two NBA players ever—and a city close to one of Barkley's old teams, the Houston Rockets—would rank among the most compelling rivalries of these NBA playoffs?
Episode 497 of "SI Media With Jimmy Traina" features a conversation with Charles Barkley. The "Inside the NBA" host discusses the possibility of TNT losing the NBA in the current television rights negotiations, his frustration with the lack of communication from Warner Brothers Discovery about the negotiations, whether the show could continue on another network, reaction from fans to the possible end of "Inside the NBA," the awkwardness of still having to work next season for TNT if they lose the NBA beginning in the 2025-26 season, the lack of loyalty from the NBA and what would make him decide between ESPN, NBC and Amazon if he became a free agent.
Barkley also goes off on CNN for never telling him that his show with Gayle King, "King Charles" was canceled, he explains what could make him be the subject of a comedy roast, who the two nicest GOATS are in sports, the Lakers saying that LeBron James doesn't have a say in their coaching search, reaction to his recent Caitlin Clark rant. Following Barkley, Sal Licata from WFAN and SNY joins Jimmy for the weekly "Traina Thoughts" segment. This week's topics include the passing of Bill Walton, Angel Hernandez's retirement from Major League Baseball, the mystery behind the Dov Kleiman Twitter account and the latest story about a restaurant charging for a ridiculous service.
TNT basketball broadcaster Charles Barkley joined Sports Illustrated's Jimmy Traina on the SI Media podcast this week to discuss a host of topics, including an incredible story between the exchange of a watch between Barkley and future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady.
"[Brady] and Wayne Gretzky are the two nicest GOATs [Greatest of All-Time] I've ever been around," Barkley began. "As a matter of fact, see this watch here? I've been offered $250,000 for this watch," Barkley told Traina.
"So I'm broadcasting one of the [TNT golf matches for charity], probably four or five years ago, I make a nice comment about this watch and this watch is a pretty penny. I'm talking double-digit thousands. I said, 'That's a nice watch.' He says, 'Thanks, Chuck,' blah blah blah. We do the broadcast another two or three hours. One of Tom's boys comes up to me and he says, 'Hey Tom is looking for you.' ...I go up [to the clubhouse] and I say, 'Tom, what's up?' And he says, 'Chuck, take my watch.' I go, 'What?' I said, 'Tom, I'm just saying you have a nice watch.' [He says], 'I appreciate the compliment,' and he just gives me this watch. A couple of collectors have offered me $250,000 for it. I wouldn't sell it for any amount. That's what a guy Tom is. Him and Wayne Gretzky for being the GOATs of their sports are two of the nicest, most humble guys I ever met."
Barkley said it was never his intention for Brady to give him his watch.
"I didn't want him to think I gave him a compliment on the watch because I wanted the watch," Barkley added. "It was a nice watch. I said, 'Tom, you don't have to do that.' But when he said it a second time, I said thank you."
It's clear there is a healthy amount of mutual respect between two all-time greats in their respective sports, but it's pretty wild that Brady handed over a watch that is being appraised for a quarter of a million dollars.
