TNT analyst and former NBA player Charles Barkley appeared on the Dan Patrick Show on February 3, 2023, and shared his thoughts on the current state of the NBA. In the podcast, Barkley criticized the league for becoming a “three-point shooting contest every night” and claimed that the emphasis on three-pointers has taken away from the fundamental skills of the game. But did Chuck’s takeaway undermine Shaquille O’Neal’s impact on the current NBA scene? 

Recently, Charles Barkley harped on how the NBA has changed over the years. The former 76ers star also laid down a plan for big guys to dominate today’s league.

Charles Barkley on Shaquille O’Neal and the “7 ft Dummies” of today’s game

During a recent appearance on the Dan Patrick show, when asked about Shaquille O’Neal’s impact on the game, Barkley stated that if Shaq played in the current scenario, he would make a significant difference. Subsequently, he went on to call out the “7 ft dummies” aka the current big men in the league for only shooting three-pointers and not focusing on other important aspects of the game such as offensive rebounding and making their teammates better through setting screens and making the extra pass.



“If I’m a big guy I’d love to play in today’s game,” Barkley proposed. He then laid out a plan for big guys like Jokic and Embiid to dominate the hardwood instead of trying to shoot threes.

“Most big guys ain’t gonna make enough threes to make a difference in the game, but I’m gonna kill them in the paint...” Barkley advised. He also explained that the reason Jokic and Embiid are MVP contenders is because they are taking their ‘big b*tts‘ in the paint while most players are fixated on three point shooting.

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Barkley criticizes modern NBA 

Barkley expressed his disappointment with the absence of shot blockers in the league and said that players need to improve their basic skills to succeed. He added that the current focus on three-pointers has caused players to neglect the other aspects of the game such as defence and teamwork. 

Barkley also praised players like Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid, who he believes are dominating the league because of their focus on their offensive play style, rather than just shooting three-pointers.

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Barkley concluded by stating that he wouldn’t change his game even if he played in the current NBA. He said that he would continue to play with his signature style and wouldn’t let the opposing team make enough three-pointers. He also added that he wouldn’t be intimidated by the current players and that the “big guys” would struggle to guard him.

What do you think about the current NBA scene? Let us know in the comments.