NBA great Charles Barkley, now an “NBA on TNT” analyst, has a well-established reputation for not mincing words — or pulling punches — when it comes to giving his opinion and that reputation was on display Sunday when he responded to Dallas Mavericks point guard Chris Paul being involved in an altercation with a fan who allegedly harassed Paul’s wife and mother during Game 4 of the NBA Western Conference Semifinal Series.
“Hey we could put an end to all this stuff. Some of the stuff these fans say. … Let’s take it right down to center court for five minutes, I’ve always said that,” Barkley said.
“Some of the crap they said to you, hey, just give me five minutes at center court with them and say ‘You ain’t gonna press no charges, ain’t nobody gonna be sued civilly. Say what you just said to me right to my face and for these five minutes I’m gonna beat your ass and beat the hell out of you,” he added.
Charles Barkley offered a solution to when a fan at a game can’t control themselves. pic.twitter.com/DEw45eV7Kj
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) May 9, 2022
And Barkley was clear that he would use up the full five minutes.
“I’m gonna take my time. I’m not gonna beat him up quickly,” he said. “I’m gonna jab ’em a little bit, then I’m gonna lay the haymakers on they ass.”
Fellow TNT host Shaquille O’Neal certainly sympathized with Barkley’s boasts.
“I hear you Foreman,” the fellow NBA star joked, alluding to boxing great George Foreman. “Charles Foreman.”
The thing is, Barkley isn’t necessarily joking, having hurled a fan through a plate glass window at a bar in Orlando, Florida, in 1997 while in town to play the hometown Magic. The man allegedly shouted curses and threw a cup of ice and a glass in Barkley’s direction — the man’s attorney denied the claims.
Barkley owned up to his actions and had no remorse whatsoever.
“What [police and witnesses) said happened, happened,” Barkley said, according to the Sun-Sentinel. “What he did was inappropriate. I’m going to defend myself. Let there be no debate. If you bother me, I’m going to whip your ass. The guy threw ice in my face, and I slammed his ass into the window. I’m not denying that. I defended myself. He got what he deserved.”
The altercation involving Chris Paul can be seen here:
Someone was escorted out of AAC after allegedly putting hands on one of Chris Paul’s family members pic.twitter.com/Z7UhGsHV59
— Dallas Texas TV (@DallasTexasTV) May 9, 2022
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Tom Tillison grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills. Tillison also contributes to BizPac Review.
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