Charles Barkley calls out Victor Wembanyama noise while taking aim at Inside the NBA critics

May 22, 2026 - 09:45

Charles Barkley has subtly hinted that the modern NBA has gone a little too soft for his liking.

After San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama erupted for 41 points and 24 rebounds in their 122-115 double overtime victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, the NBA’s reigning champions attempted to neutralize their biggest threat on the opposition in Game 2.

Victor Wembanyama 1 of the San Antonio Spurs and Isaiah Hartenstein 55 of the Oklahoma City Thunder look on — Wembanyama (L) was neutralized in Game 2, largely as a result of Hartenstein’s (R) defensive effort

Having featured in just 12 minutes in the series opener, OKC deployed big man Isaiah Hartenstein on the league’s unanimous Defensive Player of the Year in Game 2.

It worked.

In 27 minutes, not only did the 28-year-old post 10 points, 13 rebounds and three assists, but he also contained Wembanyama to just two free throws – down from the 13 attempts he had in Game 1, of which he made 12.

Furthermore, Wembanyama shot just five of eight from field goal attempts he took in the paint, compared to 14-of-25 in Game 1, and with Hartenstein using his broad 7-foot- frame to be more physical on the interior, he limited the Spurs phenom to just 21 points, 17 boards and six assists.

Some argued that the Thunder big man was overly zealous in his defense on Wembanyama, with many clips circulating around social media showing that he was, at times, too aggressive by holding his opponent’s arms down when getting tight to him.

NBA legend Barkley, though, is not having those claims.

“You people at home and tv talkin about they were physical with Wemby, man y’all need to stop it. I’ve been kissed harder,” Barkley said on Inside the NBA on Thursday.

“Was he [Hartenstein] physical, putting a body on him? … I love Hartenstein, but he just put a body on Wemby. It wasn’t overly aggressive.

“There was no excessive fouls. For you people thinking that’s physicality, y’all need to shut the hell up!”

Is the Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer subtly making the case that the NBA has gone soft in its modern era? Perhaps.

Barkley went toe-to-toe against some of the NBA's greatest ever players during his career — Barkley knows a thing or two about being physical in the NBA

Wembanyama was forced to fight for every inch of court

After all, the former Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets star played in the 1980s/1990s era of basketball, known for its rugged paint play and more bruising defense than the modern day is accustomed to seeing.

Barkley also calls out critics of Inside the NBA

In recent weeks, Inside the NBA, the show that Barkley forms part of a panel with alongside that of Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny “The Jet” Smith and Ernie Johnson, has been dealing with something unprecedented – criticism.

The hugely popular show was formed on TNT, but after the NBA agreed a new $76 billion media rights agreement ahead of the 2025-26 regular season, the show was then picked up, and aired, by ESPN.

Some have been left disappointed by the show – including Barkley, who criticized the show’s infrequent airings earlier in the season – since its switch of networks.

But as he wraps up his first season of Inside the NBA on ESPN, 63-year-old Barkley has had a change of heart.

In a recent appearance on Jimmy Traina’s Sports Illustrated podcast, Barkley argued that he has had “a great time” working with ESPN over the past season, and is of the belief that nothing has changed since making the switch of networks.

Inside the NBA was licensed to ESPN from TNT when the latter lost their media rights to the NBA

He did, however, argue that as they are on air for seven hours late into the night and trying to desperately to keep people entertain, that it sometimes appears as though the team’s energy may not always be there.

“We want people to have fun. We’re trying to entertain people. We’re on television from 7 to 2 in the damn morning,” Barkley said.

How many people really know enough about basketball for us to X and O them from seven to two in the morning? We have an obligation to entertain people.

“Do people really want to see us four dummies sit there from 7 o’clock to 2 in the morning and talk about picks and roll, blitzes, over under, elbow wings and things like that? I want people to have fun watching basketball. Period.

“People don’t understand all the intricacies of the X’s and O’s. We can sit there for five hours and talk like that, but nobody understands that. We want people to have fun watching basketball, because it’s stupid basketball! We’re not saving the world.”

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