"Most of them are dumber than rocks": Charles Barkley admitted he'd rather face athletic powerhouses than battle with NBA's smartest players

Charles Barkley would rather face teams comprised of elite athletes rather than cerebral players such as Nikola Jokic or Magic Johnson. The former NBA All-Star believes that most players with exceptional athleticism are "dumb as rocks," which makes them easier to play against.

Barkley's comments came during a recent appearance on "The Dan Patrick Show." The former Phoenix Suns standout discussed Nikola Jokic's impact on the NBA and why his ability to think the game makes him such a daunting prospect for opposing defenses.

(Starts at 11:07.)

"I always wanted to play against really athletic guys because most of them are as dumb as rocks. Because most of them played the game on athletic ability. The thing is, you can get through athletic ability in high school, you can get through athletic ability in college. But, the problem is, when you get to the NBA, you're not going to be more talented than LeBron, or Michael, or Kevin Durant, or Devin Booker, or Jayson Tatum."

Barkley continued:

"So, I used to love playing against athletic guys, because you can outsmart them. They just want to run and jump, they don't use any of their brain cells...I used to hate playing against the smart kids, Dan, I really did."

Some of the best players in NBA history have based their game on their incredible processing speed rather than elite athleticism. However, when you get a player such as LeBron James, who can think the game and beat you athletically, you get an unstoppable superstar who can dominate the league for a generation.

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Charles Barkley credits Magic Johnson and Larry Bird for saving the NBA.

In the mid-70s, the NBA struggled to retain viewership and grow its fanbase. There was no loveable superstar and no heated rivalries. Then, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson entered the league toward the end of the decade, and things began to change.

During the same podcast appearance, Charles Barkley credited Bird and Johnson for saving the NBA, noting how the league is built on their success. Barkley also admitted that Micahel Jordan then helped take that success and amplify it on a global scale.

(Starts at 6:56.)

"He [Nikola Jokic] reminds me of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson," Barkley said. "Because neither one of those guys, you would say, had exceptional athletic ability. But they are two of the greatest players ever because of hard work, brains and work ethic. And I told people they're the two most important players in NBA history because they saved the NBA."

Barkley continued.

"Every time I see Magic and Bird, I say 'thankyou for making all of us. They saved the NBA, if it wasn't for those two guys — obviously, Michael [Jordan] took it to another level — but if it wasn't for Magic and Bird, we wouldn't be around today."

Over the years, the NBA has become deeply rooted in pop culture and ubiquitous in sports discussions, music and even movie references. By crediting Bird, Johnson and Jordan, Barkley is paying homage to some of the greatest players in modern history who all helped elevate the league to new heights.