Charles Barkley Says NHL Star Jack Eichel Didn’t Recognize Him

The NBA analyst played the role of a fan for once.

With ABC broadcasting the NBA Finals, Charles Barkley’s work for TNT is over for the year, opening up his schedule to attend the Stanley Cup Final. The Basketball Hall of Famer was in attendance for Game 4 between the Panthers and Golden Knights on Saturday, and he shared a humorous story about one of the competitors in this year’s NHL championship series.

Barkley said he recently introduced himself to Golden Knights star Jack Eichel, but the NBA analyst is convinced Eichel didn’t recognize him.

“The other day I was at the hotel. I walked up to Jack Eichel and said how great he was. I think he had zero idea who I was,” Barkley said. “He looked at me like, ‘Who the hell are you?’ It was pretty funny.”

Charles Barkley got humbled by... Jack Eichel? 😂 pic.twitter.com/PuMdISlS84

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 11, 2023

Considering the NBA and NHL seasons play out simultaneously, it’s certainly possible that Eichel hasn’t seen an episode of the Inside the NBA, even if he is a basketball fan.

It’s not often that Barkley is playing the role of a fan and not the star, but that was the case when he met Eichel.