“I think it’s weak to have the debate all the time, when you have no talent you have to make s*** up to talk about” - Charles Barkley critical of ‘experts’ who keep bringing up the LeBron James-Michael Jordan debate

Hall of Famer Charles Barkley has an opinion on the LeBron James-Michael Jordan debate. Not on choosing one over the other as the greatest of all time, however. No, on the debate itself.

As a guest on "The Pat McAfee Show," Charles Barkley called out media personalities who compare the players from different eras, incessantly comparing and analyzing them. Barkley said the continual debate on this topic over the past few years is weak and was manufactured by talentless individuals looking for relevance.

He believed that if there was to be a comparison it should be done as regards to each player being the best in their different eras.

"Well, I think it's weak personally to have that debate all the time," Barkley said. "I think, when you have no talent, you have to make up shit to talk about.

"Are we still talking about Michael? Michael has been retired 30 years. And LeBron is great. I've got a lot of love and respect for LeBron. But first of all, if you're gonna do it like that, you should say he was the best dude in the era. That, to me, will make more sense than try to compare."

To further drive home his argument, Charles Barkley made an illustration, showing how unfair it will be to compare Bill Russell and Shaquille O'Neal.

"Bill Russell, to me, is like a father to me. He's amazing. He's been a great father figure for me," Barkley said. "But to try to compare him to Shaquille O'Neal, who's 4 inches taller and a 100 pounds heavier, I don't know if that will be fair. But what Bill Russell did, is probably one of the greatest ... you know, went 7 championships."

He said most media personalities make these comparisons to get clicks and traction to their platforms.

"I just think some of these guys don't have any talent," Barkley said, "so when they go on radio or TV, you know they are going to get clicks when you're like bringing up Michael against LeBron."

---

The legend that is Charles Barkley and an overview of his career with the NBA

Charles Barkley speaks before his sculpture is unveiled at the Philadelphia 76ers' training facility Sept. 13, 2019, in Camden, N.J.

Charles Barkley was the fifth overall selection by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1984 draft. He registered 14.0 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game in his rookie season, making the 1985 All-Rookie first team.

In his third year, Barkley became the 1987 rebound champion, with an average of 14.6 rebounds per game. The 11-time All-Star spent eight seasons with the 76ers before moving on to the Phoenix Suns, where he spent four seasons and won the 1993 MVP award. He finished his career with the Houston Rockets at the age of 36 in 2000.

Although he never won a championship, Barkley's impact on the game cannot be overlooked. "The Round Mound of Rebound" was named among the NBA's 75 greatest players of all time. His 23,757 career points in 16 seasons has him ranked 27th among the all-time scorers.

---

---