NBA analyst Charles Barkley offered a humble take on his place in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, alongside Dan Patrick, which may surprise fans. After Barkley delivered his take on the Denver Nuggets and their chances of dethroning the Oklahoma City Thunder in contrast to the San Antonio Spurs, he compared his career to the likes of Hall of Famers who won championships.
Barkley, who lost 4-2 to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in his first and only NBA Finals appearance in 1993, gave his honest opinion on how not winning a ring affects his legacy, per the Dan Patrick Show.
“Listen, I’m a Hall of Famer. I’m not at the table with Michael, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, LeBron, Kobe; those guys are at a different table than me,” Barkley said. “That’s just the way it is. I don’t take it personally. I know I had a hell of a career.”
For Barkley, the Hall of Fame talents that won multiple championships are on a higher level than his impressive career as one of the better power forwards of his era.
“I’m just not at the same table as those guys,” Barkley added. “Those guys have won multiple championships. That’s what separates them.”
For many, Barkley is considered one of the greatest basketball players who never won a title, joining the likes of Hall of Fame forward Karl Malone, Patrick Ewing, and Elgin Baylor, who reached the NBA Finals eight times.
Amidst Football Hall of Fame talk, as Barkley joked that LeBron James could have trouble reaching the Hall of Fame on his first try, on the heels of legendary NFL coach Bill Belichick not making it on his first try.
Charles Barkley says Nuggets are Thunder's big threat
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Charles Barkley in attendance against the Minnesota Timberwolves during an NBA Cup game at Mortgage Matchup Center
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
While Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs have the second-best record in the Western Conference, Hall of Fame forward and NBA analyst Charles Barkley says the Nuggets are the Thunder's biggest threat to repeating as champs.
“My friends are like, man, the San Antonio Spurs, they're playing well against OKC. I say that's an easier matchup for them because when they have Harteinstein out there, he's a liability on the offensive end, so their guards can pressure, pressure, pressure, and funnel everything to Wemby,” Barkley said.
“The problem with the Spurs when they play against the Joker, they're gonna occupy Wemby, and their team gets really, really small when he has to stay out of the paint. So, that's the difference. But they have a very bright future. Like Shaq said, they're missing one more piece.”
Chuck:
"My friends are like man the San Antonio Spurs they're playing well against OKC. I say that's an easier matchup for them because when they have Harteinstein out there he's a liability on the offensive end so their guards can pressure, pressure, pressure and funnel… pic.twitter.com/mADSfn0ayM
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) January 29, 2026
It should be interesting to see how the Western Conference plays out between now and the end of the regular season as the competition heats up.