- Charles Barkley had a savage answer when asked if he was nervous playing against Magic Johnson
- Barkley was one of the few who wasn’t scared of Magic after he contracted HIV in 1991
- Barkley honored his friend by changing his jersey to No. 32
The NBA community was in shock when it was revealed that Magic Johnson contracted HIV in 1991. The Los Angeles Lakers legend was forced to retire from the NBA following the news.
Considering there was very little information about the disease at the time, most players were scared of even getting near Magic. Charles Barkley, on the other hand, was far from scared and even slammed a reporter who asked if he was nervous about playing against Magic Johnson after the news.
“We’re just playing basketball,” Barkley said, per Bleacher Report. “It’s not like we’re going out to have unprotected sex with Magic.”
Charles Barkley was known for his outlandish and hilarious comments during his NBA career. He didn’t refrain from savagely responding to reporters if they asked him stupid questions.
Charles Barkley Honored Magic Johnson By Changing His Jersey No. To 32
As we mentioned earlier, Charles Barkley was very outspoken during his NBA career. If he had made up his mind about something, he would do it regardless of the general public’s opinion.
A perfect example of it was when Barkley changed his jersey number from No. 34 to No. 32 to honor his friend. Chuck was criticized by many for the gesture, but he clapped back at his critics with an NSFW rant.
“You really think I give a flying f**k about what people on the radio calls think? I really don’t give a f**k about what they are saying on the calling shows. Listen, it’s not about a difference, it’s about a friend. I don’t really give a flying f**k. But you can’t say flying f**k. So I don’t give an F about what they think.”
Barkley was ahead of his time. While most NBA players are very woke about sensitive topics nowadays, Barkley was that during the 1990s.
As for Magic, he stayed retired from the NBA for four years, from 1992 to 1995. He briefly returned to play in the league during the 1995-96 season. However, Johnson’s return lasted for just 32 games averaging 14.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 6.9 assists per game.
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