IFWT_Barkley

Kevin Durant choosing to join the Golden State Warriors sparked a huge debate about stars teaming up together to win an NBA championship.  Former player and NBA analyst Charles Barkley doesn’t like Durant jumping on the  “gravy train” to win a title and said he doesn’t feel like a “bum,” because he didn’t “cheat” his way to one in his career.

“I was disappointed. I was disappointed like I was disappointed when LeBron went to Miami,” Barkley said on ESPN Radio’s Mike and Mike on Wednesday. “Kevin is a terrific player, he’s a good kid. But just disappointed with the fact that he weakened another team and he’s gonna kind of gravy train on a terrific Warriors team. Just disappointed from a competitive standpoint. Because just like it meant more to LeBron to win one in Cleveland, it would mean more to Kevin to win one in Oklahoma than it would be in Golden State.”

“We develop this thing where you keep telling these guys, ‘Hey man, if you don’t win a championship you’re a bum.’ I don’t feel like a bum,” he said. “I’m pretty sure Patrick Ewing, Karl Malone and John Stockton — we think we’re pretty damn good. We could have played with some of those other guys and kind of cheated our way to a championship. But there is this thing that started with this new generation where these guys feel so much pressure. Everybody wants to win.

“I’m a big Chris Paul fan. I’m sure Chris Paul wants to win a championship. And he could, when his contract is up, go join one of these super teams and get a championship. But it won’t be the same as leading your team where you’re the bus driver instead of the bus rider.”

Barkley played in the league for 16 seasons, was an All-Star 11 times but only made it to the Finals once and ended up losing to Michael Jordan and the Bulls in 1992-93 MVP season.

People are calling Barkley a hypocrite however because he demanded to be traded twice in his career from the 76ers to the Suns and then to the Rockets in attempt to win an NBA championship.

“The best thing about it would be getting the chance to play with Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler. We would be very formidable,” Barkley said in July 1996, a month before he was dealt.

Welp…

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source: ESPN