Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley took another photo in the city of San Francisco making it clear he had no plans to go to the NBA All-Star Game.
Barkley spoke on TNT’s “Inside the NBA” about young Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham’s All-Star bid. With the Golden State Warriors scheduled to host the game at Oracle Arena in San Francisco, Barkley said Cunningham will be there, but he won’t.
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January 21, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona: Former Phoenix Suns player Charles Barkley at the Footprint Center. (Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)
“He’s going to make the All-Star team,” Barkley said. “I’m not going. I’m not going to that rat-infested place in San Francisco.”
Barkley responded to one of his colleagues calling San Francisco “beautiful.”
“San Francisco is not a nice city. Rats. Cats. You’re not going to make me like San Francisco. No. No, no, no”
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This isn’t the first time Barkley has criticized the city. Last year, he tore up San Francisco during the NBA’s alternate broadcast of the All-Star Game, which took place in Indianapolis.
College basketball analyst Charles Barkley on air before the Final Four championship game of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. (Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
Barkley asked Miller what he would choose: playing in the cold in Indianapolis – where Miller spent his entire 18-year NBA career – or “being with a bunch of homeless crooks in San Francisco.”
Warriors star Draymond Green called Barkley “crazy” and said Barkley was not “welcome” in the city. WNBA star Candace Parker said “we love San Francisco,” but Barkley fired back.
“No, we don’t,” he said. “…You can’t even walk around there.”
Green was adamant in his reluctance.
“Yes, you can walk around,” he said.
Barkley responded by saying, “Yeah, with a bulletproof vest.”
November 15, 2024; San Francisco, California: Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) argues a call with referee Brian Forte (45) during the third quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at Chase Center. (Image by D. Ross Cameron-Imagn)
New San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie has pledged to make San Francisco’s streets safer again, build “enough housing to address our affordability crisis” and tackle ” our drug and behavioral health crisis.”
