Hall of Famer Charles Barkley says that most players with great athleticism are ‘dumb as rocks’

Charles Barkley recently appeared on “The Dan Patrick Show” and shared his thoughts on many subjects, but dedicated many interesting takes into explaining Nikola Jokic‘s domination in the NBA. According to the Suns legend, he would much rather face teams comprised of athletic players, rather than cerebral ones like the Serbian star or Magic Johnson. 

While explaining his position, he referred to these players with outstanding physique as being ‘dumb as rocks’, which he considers a much easier opponent to compete against. While at it, the ESPN analyst discussed the Nuggets star’s impact in the league and the reasons why he’s become unstoppable.

“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,” he said.

Barkley then added that the conflict begins when you realize you’ll never be as gifted as most superstars, and sometimes athleticism is all you got.

“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,” he expressed.

The former Phoenix star recalls how he’d beat athletic players in the past. “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,” Barkley shared.

In the modern NBA, now we’ve see players like LeBron James who proved to be just as athletic as cerebral.

Barkley credits players like Magic Johnson and Larry Bird for saving the NBA in the moment the league needed them the most

Back in the 70s, the NBA wasn’t as popular as it is today. On the contrary, it was struggling to increase their fanbase as there were no strong rivalries and players hadn’t reached their potential as superstars.

According to Barkley, who started off his career late in the 80s, things began to change right when athletes like Larry Bird and Magic Johnson dominated the NBA. If it wasn’t for them, Charles believes his career would have never been the same.

“He [Nikola Jokic] reminds me of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson,” Barkley pointed out. “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.”

"None of us would be around": Admitting Michael Jordan made league global, Charles Barkley thanks Magic Johnson and Larry Bird for saving them #NBA #Basketball https://t.co/fAiRWIyfkx

— Sports Worldwide (@Sportsworld0412) October 2, 2023

“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,” he concluded.

Today, the NBA has evolved to the point that many consider it a show business, and not just a competitive sport.