The former NBA MVP Charles Barkley pointed to Canadians who have criticized the NHL Wayne Gretzky legend in recent weeks.
Gretzky has been the subject of scrutiny of the Canadians for his friendship with President Donald Trump, and the wife of the Hockey Gran has said that criticism left Gretzky “disconsolate.”
Barkley called these “dumb” Canadians.
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Wayne Gretzky arrives at the opening ceremony before Donald Trump is sworn as the 47th president of the United States in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2025. (Saul Loeb/Pool through Imagn images)
“You have fools in Canada giving ‘The Great One’ a difficult time,” Barkley said during a segment on Thursday “Inside The NBA.” “Wayne Gretzky is the best hockey player in history. He is the most pleasant person.”
Trump has become one of the most controversial figures in Canada since he returned to office in January after suggesting that the country should become the state 51 of the United States and threaten to impose tariffs on Canadian imports to the United States.
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Gretzky attended a Victoria match after Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 elections. Gretzky was seen with a magic hat shortly after and attended the inauguration of Trump.
“The fools in Canada gave him difficulties due to the tariff with Trump and everything,” said Barkley. “It has nothing to do with that. He played hockey. He is the best hockey player in history. He has no control of what these fools do here in our government.”
Wayne Gretzky Center of the New York Rangers in Action during a skate prior to the game before the start of the Rangers game with the Florida Panthers in the Miami Arena in Miami, Florida, October 8, 1996. (Zoran Milich/Allsport)
Trump has said he asked Gretzky to become the next “Governor of Canada” after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that he would resign. But after Gretzky expressed his support for “Canada that remains a separate country, instead of becoming a precious and beautiful state 51,”. Trump told Gretzky a “free agent.”
“I don’t want anyone in Canada to say something bad about him. He supports Canada as he is, as he should, although it is not as good as it could be part of the world’s largest and most powerful country, the good United States!” Trump wrote in a social publication of truth.
Gretzky’s friendship and interactions with Trump during the controversy caused a hard reaction against the Canadian hockey legend, although he has been universally loved in the country since his career as a player.
Wayne Gretzky of the New York Rangers celebrates a goal in the third period of a game against the Dallas Stars in Dallas on November 7, 1997. (AP Photo/LM Otero, Archive)
In response, the legend of the Canadian hockey Bobby Orr wrote a column in the Toronto Sun expressing disappointment when he read criticism of Gretzky.
“How volatile people can be, when someone who has given so long and effort to Canadian hockey is treated in that way,” said the Orr column. “Listen, we all have our personal beliefs when it comes to things like religion and politics. Wayne respects their right to such beliefs: why can’t you respect yours?”
Gretzky’s wife, Janet Gretzky, then shared Orr’s column on social networks, indicating that criticism had “broken his heart.”
“Thank you Mr. Bobby Orr. Your words mean the world for Wayne and his family, I have never met anyone who is more proud to be Canadian and has broken his heart to read and see the bad comments … He would do anything for Canadians to feel proud, with their love for hockey and his country”, Janet “, Janet”, Janet “, Janet”, Janet, Janet. ” Janet “, Janet”, Janet ” wrote on an Instagram post Sharing the Orr column.
