CHARLES Barkley and Kevin Durant are both known for their decorated career in the NBA.
Barkley, now an NBA analyst, has focused some of his comments on NBA superstar Durant who currently plays for the Phoenix Suns.
Kevin Durant now plays for Charles Barkley’s old team, the Phoenix Suns
Kevin Durant and Charles Barkley’s feud origins explained
The feud between the two basketball players began during the 2022 NBA playoffs when the Celtics knocked Durant’s then-team, the Brooklyn Nets, out in the first round.
Barkley, who is an analyst on TNT, commented on Durant’s performance on an Arizona radio station, saying he was more of a “bus rider” than a “bus driver”– and that he hadn’t won a championship as such.
Durant, who has two championships from his time with the Warriors, beats Barkley’s ring count, which is zero.
In return, Durant posted a photo of Barkley playing with the Sixers, surrounded by his teammates, to his social media.
The caption read: “Where would Chuck be without the big homies.”
What caused the feud to escalate?
Durant was traded to the Phoenix Suns in February 2023. while Barkley played with the Suns from 1992 until 1996.
In Barkley’s first season with the Suns, he led them to the NBA finals against Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.
Although Barkley won the NBA MVP award, the Suns fell to the Bulls.
After Durant’s 2022 season, he requested a trade from the Nets. Barkley spoke out about him again following the news.
According to Sports Illustrated, he said: “I call him Mr. Miserable, he never gon’ be happy.
“Everybody giving him everything on a silver platter. He was the man in Oklahoma City, they loved him, he owned the entire state, then he bolts on them and goes to the Warriors, he win back-to-back championships and he’s still not happy.
“Then he goes to Brooklyn, they give him everything he wants, and he’s still miserable.”
What did Charles Barkley say about Kevin Durant on 60 Minutes?
On March 26, 2023, Barkley was interviewed by Jon Wertheim of CBS’ 60 Minutes.
This came less than two weeks after Durant threw out some insults about Barkley on The ETCs podcast, saying Barkley had been “disrespecting my game as part of the storyline.”
But of the past, Durant said: “I wouldn’t call it beef, he’s just mad opinionated and he feel like it’s his job to be mad opinionated in a negative way about players.”
On 60 Minutes, Barkley said of Durant: “He’s very sensitive.”
He continued: “Great player. He’s part of that generation who thinks he can’t be criticized. He’s never looked in the mirror and says, ‘Man, is that a fair criticism?’”
