In a segment on ‘Inside the NBA,’ former NBA big man Charles Barkley called out Anthony Davis in front of a national audience.
Speaking boldly, the basketball analyst blamed Davis for the Lakers’ current struggles and called on him to step up and be the star the Lakers need him to be.
“Now y’all really crossed the line cause I really like Frank Vogel. Listen, I blame Anthony Davis. Anthony Davis you know I like you as a person but you ain’t doing what you’re supposed to do. You’re 27 years old, you’re supposed to be in your prime. You’re supposed to be one of the five best players in the world up there with Giannis, Kevin Durant, and those guys and you ain’t holding up your end of the bargain. And now I hear y’all going to fire the coach? That’s total BS man.”
“Most of these reporters are cowards, they want to be friends with all these players… I blame Anthony Davis… you’re 27 years old, you’re supposed to be in your prime. You’re supposed to be one of the five best players in the world.”
– Charles Barkley on AD and the Lakers pic.twitter.com/OLgbFYwDLP
— . (@TheNBACentral) December 8, 2021
In 2020, Anthony Davis was being compared to guys like Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo. But now? folks see Davis as a guy who has just stopped caring.
“We’ve had so much conversation about Anthony Davis being a top five player or a top five talent…top 75 ever. I’m going to say this: It is unfair to Anthony Davis to compare him to Giannis. And it is disrespectful to Giannis to compare him to Anthony Davis,” said Richard Jefferson.
“Giannis has a dog in him. He has a dog in him that we have not seen from very many players on that side. So, at this point and time, it is just unfair to compare those two players.”
The 28-year-old big man was the 1st pick of the 2012 Draft and quickly blossomed into a star.
After establishing himself as one of the elites, he forced his way to Los Angeles, where he and LeBron enjoyed many months of prosperity.
Unfortunately for AD, that ended after the 2020 title win. The Lakers have not been the same, and Davis has seen a sharp decline in his performance. In fact, he is among the NBA’s worst shooters this season.
Nevertheless, Anthony Davis is the key to a productive season in L.A. and it will be up to him to prove he can overcome his struggles and help his team bounce back.
