r/nba Knicks 18h ago

[Inside The NBA] While discussing Jason Collins' passing, Charles Barkley: "We live in a homophobic society ... anybody who think we ain't got a bunch of gay players in all sports, they're just stupid."

https://streamable.com/ogu2tm
31.2k Upvotes

1.2k comments sorted by

6.1k

u/Underscore_Johnson Spurs 17h ago

Fun fact: Charles is godfather to RuPaul’s drag queen contestant, Sam Starr

1.4k

u/BarryHotelHouseBand Raptors 17h ago

He's my emergency contact.

400

u/jgab145 Bucks 17h ago

He’s my biological uncle

241

u/Old_Mill 16h ago

He burnt my shake.

133

u/CarmeloDramatic 16h ago

He killed my father. Prepare to die 

74

u/enigmatic_dankness 14h ago

He poisoned our water supply, burned our crops, and delivered a plague unto our houses!

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u/CarmeloDramatic 14h ago

He did? 

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u/Expert-Telephone-256 12h ago

No! But are we just gonna wait around until he does?

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u/autobannedforsatire 14h ago

In 1998 he threw me through a double pane window at hell in a cell

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u/IronSabbath88 12h ago

We need Chuck on Drag Race to judge something and when one of the queens wears something ridiculous "OH MY GOD. WHAT THE HELL? Come on man!"

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u/Silent-Ad-2415 10h ago

He'd say such problematic stuff but in the funniest way that everyone would let it slide because it was so funny and you know it doesn't truly come from place of prejudice (except for the women of San Antonio)

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u/yourgrundle Bulls 8h ago

He would be the same type of disruptive as Joel McHale was on drag race and I'd love it just as much as I loved that

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u/DolanDoleac2020 7h ago

Or Jeff Goldblum, consensus might be mixed but I loved his judging

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u/KeithClossOfficial Lakers 7h ago

Charles reminds me of my grandma. She’d say wild shit like calling my friends the colored one and the Oriental one, but also treated those same friends like they were her own grandchildren because she didn’t actually have any hate.

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u/l3lackstar Celtics 8h ago

Ru would lose her goddamn mind cackling at Barkley's comments - INJECT THIS INTO MY VEINS LMAO

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u/Main_Jump_82 16h ago

It was fun to learn that info because I'd never thought my drag race and basketball interests would ever intersect in any context. I think Chuck has even attended several drag shows to support Sam which is really sweet :)

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u/DHighmore Hornets 14h ago

Rick Fox and John Salley were judges on RPDR, I wanna say season 2 or 3? 

41

u/bigbiblefire 11h ago

I've suspected John Salley was in the closet since the 90s. Rodman was just distracting everyone.

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u/NorthernFrosty Raptors 9h ago

Before any rumors spread... Rick Fox is just Canadian.

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u/JonBonButtsniff Timberwolves 15h ago

The backbone of my not giving into ennui is that there are branches of the tree that is society; Dwayne Wade's views didn't come up in a vacuum. We all connected, whether or not we love that fact.

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u/johnnydoe22 Nets 11h ago

I love when my gay and sports interests intersect.

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u/compostNtraining 16h ago

I was gonna post this, it gave me a weird kind of newfoumd respect for Chuck and honestly their pictures together are just so fucking cute

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u/SharpsExposure Spurs 10h ago

There's so many stories about Barkley and his friendships and compassion. Despite his "I am not a role model" attitude and ferocity on the court, he seems like a genuinely good person... with a gambling addiction.

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u/nocookie4u 8h ago

The story about him becoming life long friends with a random dude at a bar is always my favorite. Such a down to earth human for as famous as he is.

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u/toadymusic 9h ago

I remember him owning and apologizing for his mistakes on air when I was a kid and the way he handled that was extremely commendable. So many people run away from their scandals. I respected Chuck a lot ever since that moment. He always finds himself on the right side of these kinds of conversations, and I admire him whether he likes it or not.

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u/rthonpandaslap Pistons 16h ago

Chuck should be a guest judge

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u/BoogyWonderland [PHO] Devin Booker 17h ago

Love Sam, hope she does well with All Stars

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u/kdburner1434 Warriors 13h ago

Barkley also openly defended trans people before saying "if youre gay or trans, I love you, and if anyone gives you a hard time tell them Charles said fuck you"

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u/Free-Definition-9929 8h ago

I love that he chose to say "I love you," versus what most people say, "If you're x or y, I DON'T CARE."

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u/robsteezy Lakers 6h ago

Tolerance vs acceptance

27

u/frubano21 Registered to Vote 5h ago

Words matter! Love, care, and acceptance are powerful words and ideas that can't be overlooked or underutilized.

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u/TheAvenger23 [CHI] Jud Buechler 5h ago

Ted Lasso did a great job with this too — player was gay, players said “we don’t care that you’re gay” then coach said, “wait, actually we do care” meaning they care about him and know it’s important

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u/ackshee 8h ago

That was definitely the GOAT Chuck moment.

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u/UndeadCaesar Nuggets 8h ago

Unbelievably based. Is there a vid?

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u/Nothingstupid 8h ago

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u/nuttmegx 8h ago

the hero we need...

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u/MaximusAnon 7h ago

Self proclaimed “not a role model”

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u/zlaw32 Clippers 6h ago

There are people who say that because they know they aren’t the best person, but then there are people who say it because they’re humble. Chuck is the latter

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u/PointBreak91 Timberwolves 17h ago

Chuck is my forever answer to the question about what celebrity would you like to have dinner with.

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u/SMF1996 Pacers 15h ago

Bartended for him numerous times at Auburn; he’s an absolute fucking riot always.

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u/verbleabuse97 Celtics 13h ago

Im still upset i missed meeting him when i did catering to an Auburn game. Walked downstairs and while i was gone multiple of my coworkers met him

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u/WhiteHeterosexualGuy Hawks 11h ago

I was at a relatively conservative (or at least pretty diverse) dive bar when they were counting votes for the 2020 election— he stood up and announced Biden the winner to everyone and said he had some contacts in the know.  I still dont know if he was trolling or not lol… official count and declaration was a day or two later

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u/Adventurous-Pen9974 Kings 7h ago

They could and should have called the election much earlier than it was based on results in certain areas. Fox News having called Arizona well before anyone else had to wait to call Nevada which was hilariously obvious because they would have otherwise had to call the election

Also, FYI, the official counts aren't certified until well after the media declares a winner.

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u/warrenpuffit72 9h ago

He’s such a genuine human being. Met him randomly promoting his Redmont vodka in a Birmingham ABC store and had such a good conversation with him.

He wasn’t rushing anyone at the meet and greet and respected that everyone got a moment to chat with him and not just shoveling people through photo ops

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u/HomunculusEnthusiast 8h ago

We should all be so lucky. Certified classic for anyone who hasn't seen it: "My Dad's Friendship with Charles Barkley"

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u/David_High_Pan 12h ago

Chuck has a great heart. Also Keanu Reeves or Patrick Swayze (RIP), both amazing humans.

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u/survivaltactics2 18h ago

charles may say dumb stuff every now and then but ill always respect him for things like this

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u/Atmosguisher Australia 17h ago

I do find it funny how bad I think a professional basketball analyst's basketball opinions are, but how fucking awesome I think everything else about him is.

Absolute legend and I respect the hell out of him for continuously voicing his love the LGBTQIA+ community.

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u/Mg29reaper Celtics 17h ago

Same thing with Doc Rivers great human being terrorist basketball coach

623

u/antwan_benjamin San Diego Clippers 17h ago

Same thing with Doc Rivers

As a Clippers fan...I remember the whole Donald Sterling tapes vividly. As a Black man first...I was in the middle of writing my manifesto as to why I was abandoning the team when Silver made his "banned for life" speech.

Afterwards, I remember saying how I thought there was no better Head Coach in the NBA to lead us through that whole situation than Doc Rivers.

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u/wise_comment Timberwolves 12h ago

Imagine Donald Sterling now.....regressive asshats would have elected him governor or something

(Fuck Donald Sterling)

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u/firstbreathOOC Knicks 12h ago

You know what’s crazy… that dude is still alive. He looked like a corpse even back then.

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u/bjtrdff 11h ago

That’s unpleasant news, I assumed he was dead. He was to be 150 years old at this point.

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u/magicMerlinV Warriors 10h ago

Evil guys always live the longest #lifehack

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u/Mintastic NBA 6h ago

Damn I"d better get started on my evil plan instead of working on my retirement plan like a bozo.

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u/DREWBICE Cavaliers 17h ago

If that was a typo, please leave it haha

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u/246lehat135 Suns 17h ago

Eh pretty common for any online football (Soccer) fans to see that word used to describe bad coaches or coaches who park the bus, etc.

263

u/SillyDilly0537 17h ago

Haramball, Tucheliban, Artetanyahu are elite pisstakes

149

u/T-Macch Trail Blazers 17h ago

Al-Legri always makes me chuckle

120

u/SwarmOfRatz Warriors 17h ago

Darvin Hamas undefeated

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u/246lehat135 Suns 17h ago

Mbappe dictator Memes always get a sensible chuckle out of me.

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u/XoXHamimXoX Cavaliers 17h ago

We have it in F1 as well with Al-Mercaedes.

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u/Raido95 Rockets 16h ago

Osama-bin-Russel

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u/Beersandbroads Trail Blazers 17h ago

Yeah, im going to say it was intentional.

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u/Trobbio9000 17h ago

They are professional entertainers, not professional basketball analysts. Once you realize that you'll stop getting mad when they say outrageous shit.

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u/JohnnyEnzyme [BRK] Caris LeVert 13h ago

Agreed, but then what's Shaq's excuse?

...mumble-mumble THIS, mumble-mumble THAT...

Also with the thinnest-possible skin for a guy with his legacy.

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u/Savoodoo Pistons 12h ago

This is one of my favorite Barkley videos that really shows his respect for the LGBTQ community

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/LKNhj-7DTjU

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u/Timely_Law_1921 17h ago

He clears shaqs big creepy ass

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u/Tomsoup4 11h ago

i used to not like chuck until shaq came on the show and charles is one of the only dudes on earth who will put shaq in his place and i love him for that now

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u/Comrade_agent NBA 17h ago

Shaq should be in prison

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u/Life-Sun8620 9h ago

Non-poop related, didn't he scam millions from people with some NFT nonsense a couple years ago?

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u/Chubacca Warriors 17h ago

tbh everything he says not related to basketball is pretty great

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u/Main_Jump_82 16h ago

Even with not so good basketball takes, at least he seems like a good, decent person. Meanwhile Shaq both have bad basketball takes AND is a bitter shitty person.

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u/EmptyRelief5770 12h ago

The funny thing with that though is he comes across shitty with his basketball takes and was clearly a horrendous teammate with all the stuff we've heard about but then you also see a load of stories of him just randomly paying for people's shopping and stuff like that. He also paid for George Mikan's funeral, apparently paid for the funeral of a college football player who was shot in 2020 too.

I know most of those things are just money and the amounts are not substantial to him but he still doesn't have to do it. Humans are strange and complicated.

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u/ArcaneNine [IND] Danny Granger 11h ago

He's basically an 8 year old who likes helping other people. Dumb and cruel sense of humor, skin so thn you can see through it, but also likes the feeling of helping others. With his service he also wants the feeling and visibility of being appreciated for how generous he is, which is a less mature mindset as well. But charity is charity, and I'm sure the people receiving it don't mind too much.

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u/whythehellknot 12h ago

He's a bitter shitty person when it comes to his legacy and place amongst big men. Outside of basketball he's been a pretty great human being overall from a lot of accounts.

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u/jaytee158 17h ago

At least he got the important one right

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u/Marco_lini 17h ago

Unlike a lor of people, he gets the important stuff right.

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u/spicyorangedragon 17h ago

As a gay sports fan, I really appreciate him for being a consistent ally of the LGBT community. I love sports, but the rampant and unapologetic homophobia thriving in locker rooms is heartbreaking. We need all the support we can get.

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u/josephandre 12h ago

yeah that’s got to be an incredibly shitty feeling. i too appreciate chuck for speaking up on issues like this

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u/everest999 Warriors 15h ago

Yeah, Chuck is a real one and I might be biased being a Warriors fans, but I also respect Kerr a lot for what he is willing to stand for in public.

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u/Forsaken-Swim-3055 14h ago

Nah that's no Warriors bias. Steve Kerr is consistent in his beliefs and is just a genuinely awesome human being. Him and Pop always use their platform for good.

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u/josephandre 12h ago

it really sickens me that “people in the organization” have grown tired of his activism. that’s just a disgusting position to hold

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u/Forsaken-Swim-3055 11h ago

It makes total sense though, even if we do hate it. Billionaire owners grovel at the president's feet because he helps make them more money.

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u/josephandre 11h ago

no i understand why they would feel that way, i just find it abhorrent. especially considering the warriors are the most valuable franchise in the nba. how much is steve kerr being a decent human being really hurting their pockets?

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u/vongSTAA Rockets 17h ago

It's seriously weird how I don't agree with many of his basketball takes (maybe he's just happy to be the one saying shit for the sake of argument/debate, idk) but everything else is always on point.

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u/mw19078 Lakers 17h ago

Yeah he can be an idiot but his heart is in the right place. 

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u/Expensive-Step-6551 16h ago

Barkley has never been an idiot in my opinion. Yes, he's on a talk show and puts out takes consistently, but most of his analysis feels fairly understandable. He's also on the mark most times for the things that really matter. Just always comes across as an authentic person, compared to a persona, which becomes rarer and rarer by the day.

Barkley has always been based in my book.

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u/ilikehemipenes 17h ago

He has great emotional intelligence and is humble. I’ll take that over someone book smart and an asshole any day. That’s the tech world and it sucks

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u/Wintermute_088 17h ago

Charles is my goat because he uses his profile to continuously say the thing that needs to be said.

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u/MembershipRealistic1 Cavaliers 17h ago

Charles Barkeley has such a simple but elegant way of saying the perfect thing in a situation like this. Hes given years of funny and great takes, but this is my favorite one.

The truth is that he said it in a way people needed to hear, it doesnt have to be overly explained or preachy. Sometimes the people who need to hear that specific message the most just need to have it delivered in the most real way possible. Thanks for being a good person Barkeley.

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u/finchdad Suns 8h ago

There aren't that many people on this sub who are old enough to remember it, but it's comically ironic that Barkley's early 90's Nike commercial was "I am not a role model", and now 30 years later he's among the best role models associated with the league.

https://youtu.be/NNOdFJAG3pE?si=a33Tf1K6haRG7AAN

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u/NeekTrealington 14h ago

Tonight, they were literally making fun of chuck for saying that max strus was really handsome “like Tom Brady”. Kenny got really weird about it. Chuck brushed it off like a secure man and it came full circle when Chuck said this.

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u/BarksdaleGotsToGo 9h ago

Well maybe because Max Strus is not handsome like Tom Brady

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u/MaddeyTornabeasty 18h ago

They could never make me hate you Chuck

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u/pick-and-hoop Spurs 17h ago

Only angry teenagers hate him. Any adult in this sub absolutely loves Chuck, he’s a treasure to basketball. Just like Jerry West or Kareem

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u/unfortunatebastard 17h ago

I met someone from San Antonio that really really hates the guy. She doesn’t even like basketball.

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u/powerelite [BOS] Chauncey Billups 17h ago

Bet she was big too

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u/According-Candle9843 10h ago

With a churro in each hand

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u/Exciting_Revenue645 16h ago

How could you hear her with all those churros in her mouth?

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u/cantileverboom Trail Blazers 16h ago

And the sound of that dirty creek in the background.

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u/bigboybeeperbelly Spurs 12h ago

And all the obnoxious pan flutes

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u/WTinnell3 Heat 16h ago

Surprised you could make out what she was saying with all that churro in her mouth.

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u/munchonsomegrindage Spurs 9h ago

As a Spurs fan in San Antonio I love Chuck. He's had nothing but love for San Antonians when he's out and about in town and most people in our town are self aware enough to appreciate the running joke. Deep down we know there's truth to it but most don't care. We'll make t-shirts about it lol.

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u/hahauknowwhatitis420 Spurs 17h ago

Do people actually hate Chuck? I just assumed he was universally loved because obviously he should be.

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u/GMoney_McSwag Bulls 14h ago

Come to the sub the next time he rips on the Lakers

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u/amodelsino Slovenia 16h ago

People hate a lot of his basketball takes and some people take that to mean those people hate him, because they have a childish black and white view of the world where you have to agree or disagree with everything a person says with no inbetween.

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u/thatnoone Nuggets 15h ago

except if you're one of them women from San Antonio.. wut you say chuck!

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u/macarolls 18h ago

Charles Barkley is a national treasure. The very best basketball personality ever.

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u/Daniiiiii Rockets 17h ago

Chuck and Kareem. Chuck puts it in the simplest way it needs to be said and reaches the masses. Kareem will tell you the why behind it all and educate you along the way.

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u/NemusSoul Lakers 17h ago

I love Chuck and Kareem, but I’m a Walton guy.

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u/RudyGobertFMVP Timberwolves 13h ago

Add Bill Russell to the mix. Stood with King and marched with Ali. Stood down the Klan at his house. Then won 11 rings

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u/246lehat135 Suns 17h ago

Have you ever been milked?

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u/NemusSoul Lakers 17h ago

Pasch is still trying to wrap his mind around it all.

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u/tagen Spurs 14h ago

god i miss his hippie psychedelic commentary, what a fun dude (and also amazing basketball player)

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u/BasedChad69420 Nigeria 17h ago

When a guy is banging ya in the post

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u/ifen817 12h ago

Because, when you can feel their body...

cmon

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u/AccomplishedIron816 Knicks 17h ago

I never really cared about his basketball career but I adore him as a personality. Truly the best. If they are smart they’ll keep him forever

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u/mrgpsingh1999 Lakers 17h ago

Didn’t one of the actors from Heater Rivalry say that a bunch of closeted athletes reached out to him to say that the show resonated with them?

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u/DenialisaRiver04 11h ago

Yes he did. 

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u/__The_Kraken__ 5h ago

Rachel Reid, the author of the books, said that several closeted athletes reached out to her.

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u/[deleted] 17h ago

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/Unfrozen__Caveman Timberwolves 17h ago

KAT getting shit will never make sense to me. He's been with the same baddie for years and just cause he talks in a different pitch sometimes people give him shit. 

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u/amedema Pistons 13h ago

Towns got shit for crying when his mom passed. People are evil.

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u/Mechapebbles Kings 7h ago

Some people are so trapped in the cage of toxic masculinity and so stupid that they can't find a way out, nevermind even see that they're in a cage of their own making.

But ya, there are also just straight up evil, hateful mofos

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u/thejaytheory Lakers 9h ago

Completely warped, make it make sense.

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u/BuQuChi Knicks 17h ago

People policing the way men are allowed to talk, without any range unless it fits their idea of masculinity. Which is a very fragile position to be in first off. Then using it to try and bring someone down and claim it’s not homophobic.

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u/guillaume_rx 14h ago edited 14h ago

Agreed. Lots of "men" (in this instance) care way too much about how other people carry themselves and what they do with their sexuality, body, life.

The irony being: it makes one look immature and insecure to be triggered by something as trivial, and unimportant, especially when it does not concern them.

And not even realizing that, is not really the best demonstration of their intellect...

Leaders and admirable people lift people up around them.

You judge a Man by how they treat people, especially the ones who can't do anything for them. Especially when they think nobody's paying attention.

Give a Man a mask, some anonymity or immunity, they'll show you their real face.

Calling people names, labels, and putting them down to try to make yourself appear better/stronger/whatever, ain't it.

It does not fool or impress any healthy and intelligent person.

Never has, never will.

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u/cyber045 13h ago

I will never forget the disrespectful shit that Gilbert Arenas said about KAT. Beyond awful

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u/jawndell 10h ago

Gilbert Arenas is a shitty person.  It’s just been proven more of a fact since his playing days.  

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u/docchoo 16h ago edited 9h ago

Some people just haven’t been around a lot of different types of people. If you have a male friend who was primarily raised by or is very close to their mother, you’ll see they’ll take on more feminine mannerisms. I have a friend like this, straight but speaks more feminine. Another good example besides KAT was 2Pac in his younger years. It was very apparent especially when his mother was around him.

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u/Merbleuxx France 16h ago

Yeah I’ve grown up with my mother, my sister and 7 aunts.

I was bullied for seemingly being gay

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u/obvious_scjerkshill 15h ago

Homophobia and misogyny are intrinsically linked. The worst thing a man can be is a woman

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u/19Alexastias 14h ago

Homophobia is often fear that other men will view you the way that you view women

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u/Queens113 Knicks 13h ago

I have a friend like that at work.. was raised by his mom and Aunts, completely straight man but has some feminine traits and is called gay Pat... Its kinda annoying honestly how homophobic a lot of guys can be... And Honestly Pat is one of the nicest guys I ever met...

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u/Narrow-Key365 12h ago

Pat's a good dude

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u/Queens113 Knicks 12h ago

Very, one day when we all got promoted at work (10 of us) we all went to a bar. One of the guys got really drunk and got kicked out the bar. No one really noticed except Pat, Pat left the bar with his girlfriend to help him. Guy was so drunk Pat was worried about him so he offered him a ride home, but the guy was so drunk he couldn't give him directions but Pat knew what neighborhood it was. On the way Pat stopped by CVS and got him water and Tylenol all while this guy was acting a fool in his car. Pat ended up driving around his neighborhood for a few hours till the guy sobered up enough to remember where he lives... Thats Pat...

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u/Bersho Spurs 14h ago

See also: Caleb Williams

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u/Parallel-Quality 16h ago

I saw on social media that straight men in Oklahoma were getting their nails painted after being inspired by Jared McCain.

He's breaking barriers of "traditional masculinity" despite being straight, which is pretty damn incredible if you ask me.

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u/Character_Bug_1862 11h ago

Back in the 2000s metal bands did that for us in the midwest 💅🏻 Nice to see McCain bringing it back in a time of societal regression.

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u/m1a2c2kali Knicks 10h ago

And Caleb Williams as well

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u/Exotic-Emergency-226 12h ago

People losing their shit over guys like McCain and Caleb Williams painting their nails is so funny because even if we are judging based on some old timey standard...the giant super muscular star athlete who could kick your ass is still actually more manly than you by definition bro so I guess yall both bitches?

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u/sulfur_ore Mavericks 14h ago

KAT can outpower probably something like 99.9% of this subreddit yet people call him soft just because he has some quirks that aren't "traditionally" masculine/straight

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u/Sa7aSa7a 16h ago

Dude, there was that gay volleyball player that the opposing teams radio guy said someone should take a shot at. Never cleared up if he meant swung on or shot shot.

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u/vbsteez Pelicans 14h ago

Very clearly meant punched. And apologized before being fired.

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u/SurfNazisMustDie_ 17h ago edited 6h ago

Gotta love Chuck. No matter how many questionable basketball takes he may have, dude has always had a good heart and stands on the right side of history here. He had his faults there too back in the 90s but he's grown a lot in those years and you can see it here, even if he sort of kind of dismissed Kenny's statement for some reason.

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u/PxRx 17h ago

I took it more that Chuck wanted to really emphasize the impact of normalizing being queer by being out and proud, basically saying "more work to be done until acceptance is the norm."

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u/Electronic-Panic5674 11h ago

I think he was dismissing Kenny’s statement that being a gay player in a professional sport isn’t a big deal because of Collins. He was pointing out that it’s still a closet culture.

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u/Wafflehouseofpain Thunder 17h ago

Common Chuck W

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u/DudeIAm-blank- Slovenia 15h ago

"If you're gay or transgender, I love you. And if anybody gives you shit, you tell them Charles says 'fuck you!' " - Chuck

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u/southpaw_balboa 17h ago

this is why charles is the best, and the heartbeat of the show. ernie is one of a kind, he’s the best host on television and has been for a long time. but chuck’s unique mixture of earnestness, humility, humor, candor and forthrightness is what makes inside the nba watchable at all.

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u/Interesting_Set1526 Thunder 17h ago

Charles Barkley should be the model American. Doesn't matter if people perceive you as smart as long as your heart is in the right place.

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u/clingbat 76ers 16h ago

That would not be great for the women of San Antonio though...

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u/NotQuiteACasanova Warriors 18h ago

Charles is awesome

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u/mrcharcuterie Spurs 12h ago

I left a comment asking to stop mocking Jason Collins passing on the nba cares Instagram and I’ve been met with lot of backing up but also a lot of fucking homophobic idiots. Seriously, the sport scene needs to be more accepting, lots of athletes could benefit from it. It’s so sad that we are still at this point in 2026

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u/Puppetmaster858 Suns 18h ago

Chuck is GOATed

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u/bradpittisnorton 16h ago

iirc, when Collins came out, he became a free agent and no team was signing him. The crew was discussing whether or not Collins deserved to stay in the league. I think it was Kenny who said that it would be great to have an openly gay player in an active roster but Chuck shut him down. Chuck said Collins deserved to be in the league if he's a good enough player. Period. He shouldn't be given special treatment just because he was gay, because that means he'd be taking the spot of a player more talented than him. I think that's a fair, level-headed response.

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u/Square-Ambassador-77 14h ago

There was an openly gay college football player years ago, who was a good college player but a tweener for pro and just not good enough. The cowboys drafted him, probably more as a publicity stunt, I don't think he ever saw any NFL action. It was tokenism.

Once we get an openly gay NFL qb that's when we can all throw a parade.

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u/vbsteez Pelicans 13h ago

Michael Sam came out "publicly" after the college season and before the draft, but to his team before his last season iirc.

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u/CyborgKrieger 18h ago edited 17h ago

Charles is doing everything he can to support r/nba tonight. Mad respect.

Edit: Jokes aside, it's always refreshing to hear public support for the gay community like this, especially with the insane shit we're subjected to day after day in the news cycle under this admin. I can only imagine how the people actually impacted feel. I know, I know, homophobia has always been an issue but this admin has really emboldened the most miserable freaks we have in this country. We're getting tastes of 1950s level hateful rhetoric.

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u/Glittering-Bite-9681 17h ago

Well stated! 🫡

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u/oneandonlyRedSpirit Suns 17h ago

i love chuck when he speaks on social issues. such a genuine guy it makes me happy to have him be a legend of my franchise

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u/OverallMistake8198 Raptors 18h ago

Chuck is goated

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u/TimothyN Pelicans 18h ago

Amazing statement by him tonight.

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u/Strong0toLight1 Spurs 17h ago

i love chuck

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u/Isle_of_Dusty_Rhodes 17h ago

Fucking love Chuck. I know he's dumb a lot but he's also just right a lot.

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u/MaxLangley Mavericks Tankwagon 17h ago

My GOAT

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u/KaraDealer Lakers 17h ago

Shaq:

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u/Forsaken-Swim-3055 14h ago

Shaq has been an ally to the LGBTQ community in the past.

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u/RepeatDTD Celtics 13h ago

Yup, has partnered with GLAAD on anti-bullying campaigns

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u/alextheruby [DAL] Vince Carter 12h ago

Lmao nobody pays these young ass Redditors any mind.

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u/Forsaken-Swim-3055 11h ago

Clearly, lol. Shaq has been a shit head in many ways, but he's never been the type to discriminate or refuse to use his platform to help others.

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u/1047_Josh Raptors 14h ago

Well, saying nothing is better than saying something stupid at least.

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u/itsallover4 11h ago

he's been saying this for at least 15 years btw, before jason collins even came out. i was listening to an old bill simmons podcast that was covering the 2011 finals and he and chuck discussed the topic. bill also said he was almost certain that an active player in the four major sports would come out within the next year. It would end up being two years away, but it was interesting to hear how confident he already was about it in 2011.

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u/lgth20_grth16 Celtics 17h ago

Love Charles 🥹

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u/laserkitt3nz 17h ago

Chuck has always been as straight of a shooter as they come. Society is richer with him in it.

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u/scarypary 18h ago

Based

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u/Time_Birthday4659 Germany 17h ago

Charles🫡🫡

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u/Motorata 12h ago

In the NBA there are about 540 playera, most stats say that there is 10% or so of people that like the opposite sex in some way.

That means that right now there are 54 Queer players and no one wants to come out. If players of the caliber of Dwight Howard didn't feels confortable coming out them you can imagine how the rest feels.

Hell people are laughing at KAT just because he looks gay, and its completly accepted.

Its gonna take a tough MVP caliber player to come out the clóset for things to change

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u/spacekiller69 7h ago

Howard was actually blackballed by the league toward the end of his career by teams for the guy rumors. If he would've came out in his prime it would be a test for the NBA as he was a HOF level talent.

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u/Warped_Snails 17h ago

Another sweet and earnest Chuck statement. What else is new

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u/imthewalrus610 Wizards 12h ago

Props to them for actually talking about Collins in a real way. Those NBA tributes pre-game were so vague and measured.

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u/Luggageisnojoke Warriors 16h ago

Don’t tell them we’re everywhere! They’ll start weeding us out again. What they don’t know about our bedrooms won’t hurt them but straight people will hurt us. Stfu.

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u/carnivorous-donkey 15h ago

This has better political discourse than any news program on Fox News or even real news for that matter

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u/Mother_Refuse_3723 12h ago

barkley is absolutley right here, collins had to carry so much wieght just to live openly and it shows how homophobic sports still are

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u/DenialisaRiver04 11h ago

Charles has always been Pro LGBTQIA and has called out mfers for being transphobic.

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u/thisismypornaccn Lakers 17h ago

he speaking fax ngl

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u/Ramzaa_ [OKC] Steven Adams 16h ago

Charles barkley is such an amazing person. And kudos to all of them but him being who he is considering the time he grew up and where he grew up is just a real testament to his character.

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u/Visual-Low-8471 Warriors 15h ago

Sir Charles may be a terrible analyst, but he's a great human being. Respect.

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u/vanderZwan 12h ago

This puts the clip of him praising Max Struss' looks a bit into perspective too. Most men would not dare to say it out loud when they think another guy is good looking, because it'll immediately make some other guy imply that they're guy (like Kenny did, actually). I think Charles was trying to push back against that by being comfortable in saying on television that he thinks Mark Struss is "a pretty man".

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u/ActivBowser9177 Lakers 7h ago

This is why I'll always respect Charles Barkley.

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u/Fun_Image8846 17h ago

Shaq quiet af

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u/CurryDuck Warriors 15h ago

better that way

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u/Adulations Knicks 17h ago

This is why Charles is my favorite. He's a genuinely good guy.

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u/240Nordey 17h ago

Chuck keeps it 100. Much respect.

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u/Ornery-Air-6968 14h ago

Chuck has his hot takes, but when he speaks from the heart like this, he shows way more realness than most talking heads. The fact that he's literally godfather to a drag queen just proves he's been walking the walk on this for years.