Charles Barkley has made the headlines again after making another eyebrow-raising comment about a celebrity attending an NBA Finals game.
The basketball analyst drew attention during Game 5 of the championship series when he reacted to actress Sydney Sweeney’s appearance in the crowd.
The moment quickly became a talking point online, especially since it came just days after Barkley sparked controversy with remarks about rapper Cardi B during another Knicks playoff game.
Sydney Sweeney was among the high-profile celebrities who traveled to San Antonio to watch the New York Knicks take on the Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.
The Idaho-born actress appeared courtside wearing a white Knicks shirt as she cheered on the team during the pivotal matchup.
Sweeney was seated alongside boyfriend Scooter Braun, a New York native who has also been supporting the Knicks throughout their playoff run.
During ESPN’s coverage of the game, Charles Barkley appeared surprised to see the “Euphoria” star in attendance.
“Sydney Sweeney is here? Everybody’s a New York Knicks fan now,” Barkley remarked.
The actress was later featured in a celebrity montage showing famous Knicks supporters who made the trip to Texas. Other notable faces included Timothée Chalamet, Spike Lee, John Turturro, and Ben Stiller.
Charles Barkley’s comments arrived shortly after he faced backlash over another celebrity-related remark during the Knicks’ playoff campaign.
Just days before mentioning Sweeney, the longtime analyst stirred controversy when he made comments about halftime performer Cardi B that referenced the rapper’s chest.
As The Blast reported, the controversy began when the Hall of Famer reacted to the rapper’s halftime appearance and quipped, “I don’t know if those B’s. Those might be Cardi D’s,” referencing her chest size during the broadcast.
The remark quickly went viral, prompting a flood of reactions online. While many fans laughed off the joke as classic Barkley humor, others called it inappropriate, with some critics labeling the comment “diabolical” and even suggesting he could be “fired” from ESPN over it.
Rather than back down, Charles Barkley embraced the controversy surrounding his viral Cardi B joke and said he would be more than happy if ESPN decided to show him the door.
According to The Blast, the NBA analyst addressed the backlash during an appearance on “The Dan Patrick Show,” where he laughed off the criticism.
Barkley revealed he still had six or seven years remaining on his contract and joked that being fired would actually work in his favor.
“I’m hoping they fire me,” he said, adding that he would “love” to be paid for the remainder of the deal without having to work.
Barkley also made it clear he has little patience for critics upset over the joke. “People can’t take a joke?” he said before doubling down further by telling those without a sense of humor they can “kiss my *ss. My whole *ss, not just one cheek. The whole *ss.”
Barkley Roasts Ice Spice After Viral McDonald’s Altercation
Cardi B isn’t the only star Charles Barkley has spoken about in recent times. The Blast reported that the 63-year-old had the “Inside the NBA” crew in stitches after turning a sponsored McDonald’s segment into a running joke about rapper Ice Spice’s recent altercation at one of the chain’s restaurants.
As the panel prepared to discuss NBA playoff action, Barkley suddenly quipped that McDonald’s was serving “slappy Happy Meals,” referencing reports that Ice Spice was allegedly slapped during a late-night visit to a Los Angeles location.
When Shaquille O’Neal asked what he meant, Barkley replied, “You see Ice Spice got slapped at McDonald’s?” before joking, “What you doing at McDonald’s in the middle of the night, Ice Spice? Come on, stop that. Get it to go.”
The comments sent O’Neal, Ernie Johnson, and even members of the production crew into fits of laughter.
Barkley later doubled down, telling the panel, “A slappy Happy Meal over there. Let Ice Spice eat in peace!” while joking that she “should have slapped her in the face with a Big Mac.”
Weeks later, Barkley earned praise online after speaking candidly about homophobia in professional sports while paying tribute to late NBA trailblazer Jason Collins.
During an emotional discussion on “Inside the NBA” following Collins’ death at age 47, Barkley argued that society still had a long way to go when it came to acceptance.
“If another guy did it, it would still be a big deal because we live in a homophobic society,” Barkley said per The Blast, referring to another active athlete publicly coming out as gay.
He also dismissed the idea that there are no other gay athletes competing at the highest levels of sports, adding, “Anybody who thinks we ain’t got a bunch of gay players in all sports, they’re just stupid.”
Barkley’s comments quickly drew praise across social media, with many applauding him for using his platform to challenge stereotypes and support the LGBTQ+ community.
