Charles Barkley isn’t a talking head on ESPN yet.
That will happen next year, when TNT’s popular “Inside the NBA” studio show — which stars Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith as analysts and Ernie Johnson as host — will be licensed out to air on ESPN starting with the 2025-26 season.
In the meantime, Barkley doesn’t seem to have a problem ripping the current ESPN talking heads, calling the group collectively “idiots” and “fools” and singling out one of them, Kendrick Perkins, by name.
Barkley did acknowledge, however, that “we going to become fools next year when we’ll be working on that network.”
Speaking on air Thursday before the Lakers’ game against the New York Knicks, Barkley went on a lengthy rant about what he perceives to be partiality shown by ESPN toward the Lakers and Golden State Warriors, while teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder are having better overall seasons but don’t receive the same amount of coverage.
The Cavaliers (52-10) and Thunder (51-11) have the two best records in the NBA. The Lakers and Warriors have come on strong in recent weeks, with L.A. going 9-2 since adding recent acquisition Luka Doncic to the lineup and Golden State also going 9-2 since trading for Jimmy Butler.
Winners of their last eight games, the Lakers have bolted up to No. 2 in the Western Conference standings but still trail Oklahoma City by 10½ games. The Warriors are at No. 6 in the conference, 16½ games behind the Thunder.
But the Lakers and Warriors have combined for 23 NBA titles overall and 10 since 2000, L.A most recently won it in 2020 and Golden State in 2022. The Cavaliers and Thunder have won two titles total (Cleveland in 2016 and the Thunder when they were the Seattle SuperSonics in 1979), which would seem to give the California teams a possible edge in national recognition and popularity.
All of that set the stage for Barkley’s diatribe, which had the ex-Laker O’Neal in stitches by the midway point.
“I saw a fool, idiot on TV talking about the Lakers saved the NBA,” Barkley said. “He’s an idiot and a fool, but he know who he is. What’s his name, Shaq? Kendrick Perkins. … He said the Lakers saved the NBA season. That’s because of them fools at the other network, which we’re going to be working at next year, that’s all they talk about.
“Let me tell y’all something. … The Lakers are doing great. Got a long way to go. But the season’s been going great for the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Y’all just want to talk about the Warriors and the Lakers. They’re both doing great, don’t get me wrong. If I turn out to be wrong, I got no problem with that. But y’all are idiots cause y’all talk about the Lakers and the Warriors all the time.
“The Cleveland Cavaliers have won 12 straight games. Oklahoma City got the MVP and they are on fire. Y’all are talking about who’s in second place. That’s the reason I get pissed.
“Oklahoma City and the Cavs been balling for six months. Y’all talking about teams that had two great weeks.”
Barkley went on to take a shot at the talking heads who like to debate about who is the all-time best player, Michael Jordan or LeBron James.
“I’ve said it for years, the only people talking about LeBron and Michael is people on television who got no talent to talk about anything else,” Barkley said.
At halftime, with the Lakers trailing the Knicks by nine, Barkley couldn’t help but pile on.
“I’m not a hater. I’m just worried about people on the other network,” he said. “They’re gonna be sad tomorrow. They’re gonna be sad and crying. ‘A Laker loss!’”
TNT’s NBA account on X posted a video of some of Barkley’s comments — calling them “an all-time Lakers rant” — but left out the parts about Perkins and some of the remarks about ESPN.
ESPN declined to comment for this story.
Perkins, on the other hand, had plenty to say about Barkley’s comments in two posts Thursday on X.
“Hey @NBAonTNT might wanna tell that senior citizen Charles Barkley that I’ll be around,” wrote Perkins, who played 14 years in the NBA and won a title with the Boston Celtics in 2008. “When he see an idiot or fool in person make sure he keep that same energy.”
Perkins added in a separate post hours later, following the Lakers’ overtime win over the Knicks: “‘The Idiot’ is headed on @SportsCenter to talk ALL Lakers!!!! THEY said Bron and Luka couldn’t play together but their play say otherwise. THEY said we’re going to be crying in the morning talking about the Lakers. They’re WRONG AGAIN. … #IACTUALLYWATCHBASKETBALL”
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