NBA Legend Slams Kyrie Irving While Praising Nikola Jokic
Throughout the entire 2022-23 NBA season, Charles Barkley was voicing his support for the Denver Nuggets. When no one expected them to win a championship, Barkley believed they would from day one. Now that Denver has won, Sir Charles couldn't be happier.
Barkley was a guest on The Bill Simmons Podcast where he praised the Nuggets winning the NBA Championship - he also praised Giannis Antetokounmpo and slammed Kyrie Iring at the same time.
"With all the BS that goes on in the NBA, what the Nuggets and the Joker accomplished just made me feel good,” Barkley said. “No super teams, no drama. I mean, with Kyrie there’s drama. He’s a hell of a player, but there’s drama. That’s the thing. Joker and Giannis, they make me feel good about my sport.”
No matter what anyone says, the Denver Nuggets winning the NBA Championship is certainly a feel-good moment. They're a team that could have disbanded years ago, a team that could have abandoned Jamal Murray during his injury, and a team that could have fired coach Mike Malone. Not only that, but they have arguably the greatest second-round draft pick of all time in Nikola Jokic. This is a team that no one expected to win an NBA Championship, nor ever would. For all of the drama in making superteams, the Nuggets and the Bucks showed that loyalty can still mean something - that's what makes Charles Barkley happy.
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