Charles Barkley in crossfire over reaction to Wally Szczerbiak's comments, NBA analyst calls out alleged double standards of the league

Charles Barkley, a former NBA star and current analyst, was mentioned in reference to Wally Szcerbiak’s apology to Tyrese Haliburton.

Szczerbiak, a former NBA player, apologized after calling Haliburton, an Indiana Pacers guard, a "wannabe All-Star." The New York Knicks color analyst made the comments during the broadcast of the Knicks' 109-106 win over Indiana on Sunday. The comment quickly spread on social media, causing outrage among fans and leading Szczerbiak to issue an apology.

Some fans contend that Barkley, who is known for criticizing players consistently, should face a similar fate.

Charles Barkley criticized in reaction to Wally Szczerbiak’s apology for Tyrese Haliburton

Szczerbiak said in a statement that he was "deeply sorry" for his comments and that he had "no intention of disrespecting Tyrese Haliburton or his accomplishments." He said that he had "great respect" for Haliburton:

"I want to address something I said about Tyrese Haliburton being a 'wannabe All-Star': I want to apologize personally to Tyrese Haliburton. …wonderful young player … definitely in the All-Star conversation – along with guys like Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson."

The apology has been met with a mixed response, with some fans accepting Szczerbiak's apology and others feeling that it was insufficient. Regardless of the response, it is clear that Szczerbiak is taking the incident seriously and is looking to put it behind him.

Haliburton, in his third season, is averaging a career-high 20.0 points and a league-leading 10.6 assists per game. Haliburton, who was acquired from the Sacramento Kings in February, has helped Indiana (16-16) improve this season after finishing 25-57 last season.

Charles Barkley has also regularly criticized the current crop of NBA players, including some big names such as Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, Carmelo Anthony and Blake Griffin throughout the years.

Despite disagreements over his comments, Barkley is known for his blunt and often controversial opinions, and it is clear that he is not afraid to speak his mind on the state of the league. Regardless, one fan criticized the former Philadelphia 76ers’ and Phoenix Suns' player, claiming that Barkley was only one of the numerous analysts who had a habit of unfairly criticizing players.

The fan referenced TNT analysts focusing on Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry in a 10-minute interview despite the New York Knicks winning by a huge margin of 38 points (132-94 on Tuesday).

While the Twitter user might have a point in the sense that none of the analysts are New York Knicks fans or former players, Barkley might feel hard done by, considering the controversy had nothing to do with him.