Charles Barkley recently sat down with the Ping Proving Grounds podcast, where they dove into several topics about the NBA legend’s post-retirement life and his career. When the host asked Barkley when he last played a legit basketball game, Barkley almost couldn’t seem to remember.
“The last time I played? You quit playing basketball because your body gives out,” Charles Barkley said. When the host had a follow-up question on him dabbling in pickup basketball after retirement, Barkley directly refused.
“No disrespect to anybody playing against a local electrician… But playing against the local electrician or plumber doesn’t have the same ring as, ‘Man, there’s Larry Bird over there. There’s Hakeem. There’s Karl Malone. Kevin Garnett. And then there’s a local plumber that just doesn’t excite me.”
“Like, first of all, if I go out there and kick the plumbers’ and electricians’ a–, I can go home and brag about that? Like ‘guys, you won’t believe whose a– I kicked today, this guy, the chef.'”
“When I was a member of this health club. I would be in there just riding a bike. And these guys were playing like it was Game 7 every day. And I’m laughing the whole time, I’m like, ‘This is why I don’t play with you losers.'”
“Seriously, it was a fight every day. Every foul, they’re screaming, and I’m just sitting there and laughing like they are acting like this is Game 7, and I’m like, this is why I can’t play with regular people.”
Charles Barkley has never been one to sugarcoat his views, and his justification for quitting pickup basketball is as open as fans would anticipate. After he retired, the Hall of Famer lost interest in competitive basketball because there were no longer any stakes.
His remarks also emphasize his confidence and competitive spirit that characterized his NBA career. Casual gym runs just cannot match the intensity of Charles Barkley, who spent years competing against top talent on the biggest stages.
The experience loses its appeal if he doesn’t have the chance to compare himself to other professionals or make stories that he can later boast about. Barkley would rather watch basketball from a distance, while many former players like pickup games as a way to stay involved.
Moreover, it seems to be a no-win situation for Barkley since he can’t brag if he wins but becomes the subject of criticism if he loses. Hence, it is understandable why the 63-year-old legend avoids pickup basketball altogether.
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