In a recent appearance on The Art of Dialogue, Oakley did not hold back his criticism, labeling Barkley a hypocrite for denouncing the modern trend of star players forming superteams. Oakley pointed out that Barkley himself had once teamed up with stars Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler during his time with the Houston Rockets.
“You look at Barkley who said everybody team up,” Oakley stated. “He teamed up with Hakeem Olajuwon and Scottie Pippen in Houston. And he’s always talking about somebody teaming up. Just this guy, just a hypocrite on TV.”
But Oakley’s critique didn’t stop at Barkley’s past. He delved into the standards of basketball commentary, claiming that many former players fail to inform the audience properly. “They commentate but they are not educating people about the game,” he insisted. “If you listen to him, something else is wrong with you. Everyone thinks his opinion is so good. He ain’t saying nothing. TNT and them guys, they do more clowning around than they do telling people about the game.”
Interestingly, Barkley is no longer part of TNT’s popular show, “Inside the NBA,” as the program has now shifted to ESPN.
Barkley has often been vocal in his criticism of players like Kevin Durant for forming superteams, yet fans can’t overlook the irony in his own career choices. In 1996, Barkley joined a Rockets roster that included Hall of Famers Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler, and Scottie Pippen soon followed suit when he arrived in Houston.
This ongoing rivalry is not just limited to words, either. During their playing days, Oakley and Barkley had physical confrontations on the court, and Oakley’s public mentions of Barkley have often rekindled their feud.
This latest exchange adds yet another chapter to a long-standing rivalry, keeping the dialogue alive in the sports community.
