We regret to inform you that Charles Barkley was at it again.
During Sunday’s TruTV NBA All-Star Game “Altcast” broadcast, National Basketball Association players and professional broadcasters tried to keep it light while watching the game’s brightest talents dazzle the crowd at Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium.
But not even the convivial setting among colleagues could keep the former NBA All-Star and current TNT Sports commentator from taking another shot at San Francisco.
While chatting in the booth alongside former Indiana Pacer great Reggie Miller, current Golden State Warrior Draymond Green and journalist Taylor Rooks about celebrity guests and Steph Curry’s game-MVP prospects, Barkley asked Miller what his return to Indiana had been like over the weekend.
“It’s always great to come home. I didn’t know really what to expect, but I did know that Indiana as a whole does a great job of putting on events, Super Bowls, Final Fours,” Miller said. “So I knew it was going to be big just for the simple fact that we’ve got the collection of the world’s best players here in Indiana.”
Charles Barkley again bashed San Francisco, this time around talk of the cold in Indianapolis. "If you had the chance between being cold or being around a bunch of homeless crooks in San Francisco, which would you take?" pic.twitter.com/o0W9aUQCyI
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 19, 2024
“Hey, Reggie. We love you. Let’s not have another All-Star in Indiana. You’ve spent enough time here,” Barkley said, gently teasing Miller about his long tenure with the Pacers.
Barkley then threw shade at San Francisco, sending up groans around the booth.
“Hey, Reggie: If you had a chance of being cold or being around a bunch of homeless crooks in San Francisco, which would you take?” Sir Charles asked.
Rooks stood up for the Bay by saying, “Hey, we love San Francisco!”
Barkley then shot back, “No, we don’t!”
“Yes, we do!” Green countered. “You can’t even walk around down there,” Barkley insisted.
Your rain delay entertainment-
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 25, 2022
Charles Barkley continuing to troll Warriors fans by trashing San Francisco. pic.twitter.com/h76RYxw44y
The exchange continued. When Green countered again, saying, “Yes, you can!” Barkley replied, “Yeah, with a bulletproof vest.”
Green fired back, saying, “You live in Philadelphia!” Barkley corrected him, saying, “I live in Arizona.”
Barkley has sounded off on San Francisco before, saying in May 2022 during a rain-delayed Warriors playoff game that he wished rain could come to San Francisco and “clean up all that dirtiness and homelessness” near his Nob Hill hotel.
Accordingly, Bay Area residents made sure to let him know the feelings are more than mutual. This is unlikely to be the end of the matter, either, as San Francisco’s Chase Center is set to host next year’s NBA All-Star Game.