Kendrick Perkins Calls Out Shaq, Charles Barkley for ‘Obviously’ Not Watching Basketball

Karl Rasmussen | Apr 16, 2024

NBA analyst and Hall of Fame player Shaquille O'Neal / Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Neither Charles Barkley nor Shaquille O'Neal have shied away from their opinion that the New York Knicks are destined for an early exit in the playoffs, prompting Kendrick Perkins to accuse the pair of TNT analysts of "obviously" not watching basketball.

During an appearance on The Michael Kay Show, host Michael Kay asked Perkins what Barkley and Shaq see that makes it so easy for them to write off the Knicks. Perkins didn't hesitate to say that the former stars turned analysts don't have enough time to watch games, and are thus misinformed about the Knicks.

"Obviously they don't watch basketball," said Perkins when Kay asked why the duo frequently dismissed New York. "I'm serious, they can't watch basketball on a consistent basis. The only time they actually probably watch the Knicks are when they're covering the Knicks on their game nights."

"If you're watching the New York Knicks, there's no way in hell that you can just downplay the way they've been playing the game of basketball," he added.

New York finished the regular season as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. Despite their strong campaign, O'Neal and Barkley continue to disrespect the team.

O'Neal has previously claimed that he believes the Orlando Magic would not only beat, but sweep the Knicks in a playoff matchup. Just last week, Barkley and O'Neal both stated they'd take the Indiana Pacers in a best-of-seven series against New York, too.

Perkins likens those claims to lazy analysis, suggesting that neither of the duo were actually familiar with the Knicks outside of a handful of nationally televised games that they worked.