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Back in the 2016-17 NBA season, LeBron James received a lot of criticism from the media, especially Charles Barkley, for wanting more good players. Barkley said that he wasn't a fan of LeBron's lack of competitive spirit and called him weak for wanting to have more solid players around him to win another title.
James wasn't too happy with Barkley's remarks and hit back at him. LeBron said that Chuck was a hater and called out Barkley's flaws. James added that he was tired of playing nice and holding his feelings back from all the haters.
"He's a hater," James said. "What makes what he [Charles Barkley] says credible? Because he's on TV? I'm not going to let him disrespect my legacy like that. I'm not the one who threw somebody through a window. I never spat on a kid. I never had unpaid debt in Las Vegas. I never said, 'I'm not a role model.' ... I'm tired of biting my tongue. There's a new sheriff in town."
Shaquille O'Neal defends LeBron James from criticism in 2017
During the 2016-17 NBA season, LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers were the reigning champions, having fulfilled James' promise to bring a title to his hometown in 2016. The Cavs were thus expected to contend for another championship in the following season. However, they encountered challenges and difficulties throughout the 2017-18 season.
As a result, James came under media scrutiny, with personalities like Charles Barkley criticizing him for allegedly demanding excessive support to win. Barkley questioned LeBron's competitiveness, highlighting the talent that surrounded him at that time. This criticism sparked a heated debate between Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal, who disagreed with Chuck's remarks, defending LeBron and his quest for additional help to achieve success.
O'Neal flamed Barkley for not knowing what success was like, considering he never won a championship. Shaq also pointed out that teams need everyone they can get to win a title. While the 2016-17 Cavs were already a talented team, they needed more firepower to dethrone the newly assembled big four in Golden State with Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson.
