Charles Barkley: Unfair to compare concussions in football, basketball

Speaking on ESPN’s SportsCenter, NBA on TNT analyst Charles Barkley said that head injuries in football and basketball are two different things.

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Speaking on ESPN’s SportsCenter, NBA on TNT analyst Charles Barkley said that head injuries in football and basketball are two different things.

“I know we’ve got a problem with concussions in football, but I think it’s unfair to try to compare football and basketball concussions together,” Barkley said. “You get hit every play. You can have a bunch of mini concussions in football. Kevin’s been three days, and I just think it’s unfair to Kev.”

He was then asked how many concussions he thinks he suffered during his playing days.

“I probably had 10 good ones.”

The NBA recognizes that concussions “may have significant long-term concequences.” A 2010 study by Pediatrics showed a 70 percent increase in on-court traumatic brain injuries in basketball.

Love will miss Game 3 with a concussion he sustained after being struck in the back of the head during Cleveland’s Game 2 loss.