Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley once again attacked the city of San Francisco and made it clear that he had no intention of going to the NBA All-Star Game.
Barkley spoke on TNT’s “Inside the NBA” about young Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham’s All-Star bid. With the Golden State Warriors set to host the game at Oracle Arena in San Francisco, Barkley said Cunningham will be there, but he won’t be there.
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January 21, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona: Former Phoenix Suns player Charles Barkley attended the Footprint Center. (Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)
“He’s going to make the All-Star Team,” Barkley said. “I’m not going. I’m not going to that rat-infested place in San Francisco.”
Barkley responded to one of his colleagues who called San Francisco “beautiful.”
“San Francisco is not a beautiful city. Rats. Cats. They’re not going to make me like San Francisco. No. No, no, no.”
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This is not the first time Barkley has criticized the city. Last year, he swept San Francisco during the alternate broadcast of the NBA All-Star Game, which took place in Indianapolis.
College basketball analyst Charles Barkley on air before the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Final Four championship. (Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
Barkley asked Miller what he would choose: playing in the cold of Indianapolis, where Miller spent his entire 18-year NBA career, or “being around a bunch of homeless criminals in San Francisco.”
Warriors star Draymond Green called Barkley “crazy” and said Barkley wasn’t “welcome” in the city. WNBA star Candace Parker said “we love San Francisco,” but Barkley offered a retort.
“No, we don’t,” he said. “…You can’t even walk there.”
Green was emphatic in his response.
“Yes, you can walk,” he said.
Barkley responded by saying, “Yes, with a bulletproof vest.”
November 15, 2024; San Francisco, California: Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) discusses a call with referee Brian Forte (45) during the third quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at Chase Center. (Image by D. Ross Cameron-Imagn)
San Francisco’s new mayor, Daniel Lurie, has promised to make San Francisco’s streets safe again, build “enough housing to reverse our affordability crisis,” and address “our drug and behavioral health crisis.”
