LeBron James’ Close Friend Exposes Charles Barkley’s Hypocrisy After Accusations Over NBA’s Problem

LeBron James has rearranged the trajectory of the NBA in many ways. However, if someone tells you that it’s because of him that the league has introduced the second apron, would you believe it? Well, Charles Barkley seemingly believes in this alternate reality. And yes, he shared his thoughts on Bill Simmons’ podcast recently. But, there is someone, Bron’s old teammate, to be precise, who hopped onto the matter as the ultimate mythbuster.

Before that, here’s what the NBA Hall of Famer had to say. “Why did Adam Silver have to put the second apron in? Because LeBron got all his guys together. Kevin Durant wanted to go play with the Warriors. Y’all don’t want to win a championship and just compete against each other?” Chuck said on Bill Simmons’ podcast. “Don’t get mad at Adam Silver because all y’all want to play together and dominate the league because y’all don’t want to compete.”

Now, former NBA champ turned broadcaster Richard Jefferson wasted no time firing back at Barkley over his comment. On Road Trippin’, he didn’t hesitate when he said, “F— him,” to Chuck right after Allie Clifton took the legend’s name.

“I remember Charles Barkley going to Houston, and then he teamed up with Hakeem Olajuwon. Then Scottie Pippen was also there. Clyde Drexler had just retired and then Scottie Pippen, who was only in year 11. So it wasn’t older than him,” Jefferson recollected. “Olajuwon and Charles Barkley were at year 14. Pippen was in year 11. So he was in his prime. That sounds like teaming up. That sounds like teaming up if I’m wrong.”

Calling out Barkley’s hypocrisy, Richard Jefferson reminded everyone that Shaq and Kobe actively recruited stars like Gary Payton and Karl Malone at the height of their primes. He pointed to history, citing Olajuwon and Scottie Pippen joining forces, questioning the notion of a second apron. Jefferson praised Charles Barkley as his icon and big brother while stressing that forgetting their own history ignores the legacy of elite teamwork.

And to be honest, Barkley indeed chased an NBA ring by joining the star-studded Houston Rockets in 1996 after four seasons with the Phoenix Suns. The team already featured Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler, yet they fell in the Western Conference Finals in 1997 and the first round in 1998. In 1999, with Drexler retired, six-time champion Scottie Pippen joined, adding more firepower to Barkley’s pursuit.

Thus, once again taking LeBron James and Kevin Durant’s side, RJ called out: “Charles, let’s be honest. You literally joined a team with Hakeem Olajuwon because he had won two championships,” he remarked. “That sounds like maybe LeBron is going and joining D-Wade. And then you brought in Scottie Pippen. Man, that sounds like Chris Bosh joining.”

Jefferson pointed out that Barkley needs only to look at Shaquille O’Neal, his close friend and co-host on Inside The NBA, as a blueprint. In 2003, Shaq stacked the Lakers with two Hall of Famers, Karl Malone and Gary Payton, proving even legends assemble superstar-laden rosters to chase championships. Barkley’s example was closer than he realized.

Shaq and Kobe recruited Gary Payton in his prime and then Karl Malone, the second all-time leading scorer, to join Shaq after three championships in four years. Thus, Richard Jefferson challenged Chuck, highlighting that Charles joined Houston’s star-studded roster, proving the second apron excuse for LeBron fails.

Did LeBron James turn into an easy target for Charles Barkley’s claims?

“Why do we always make it seem like LeBron is the first person to ever join up in NBA history? The Celtics before Bron made his move,” Richard Jefferson noted. “KG, Paul, and Ray joined up. Joined up, right? So when you look at this over history, come on. The second apron doesn’t… We’re blaming everything on LeBron. Right, wrong, ugly.” Meanwhile, the second apron marks the final spending threshold an NBA team can exceed before facing serious penalties. For the 2025-26 season, it is set at $207.8 million.

Superteams have always sparked debate, especially among players from the 1990s and 2000s, who chased titles with the teammates on hand instead of stacking stars. Yet before Barkley throws another critique at today’s NBA, it is worth remembering that he joined a superteam himself. History, context, and irony collide, showing that even legends occasionally play by the very rules they now question.

Legends love to rewrite history until someone reminds them of their own playbook. Richard Jefferson shredded Barkley’s claims, tracing superteams from Shaq and Kobe to Barkley’s own Houston experiment. Superstars teaming up is nothing new. The second apron is just rules catching up to reality. Honestly, competition, strategy, and a little irony rule the court. And currently, LeBron James is pretty busy with his project with Nike. So, maybe just maybe, the King fell under unwanted scrutiny once again!