On Inside the NBA Sunday night, Charles Barkley revealed his true feelings about Kevin Durant.
After averaging 29.9 points during the regular season, the 12x All-Star finds himself struggling to play up to par against Boston, and the entire basketball world has been watching.
For Chuck, it’s not enough to just on Durant to be better. Instead, he questioned his status and value as a superstar, going so far as to claim he’s a “bus rider” instead of a “bus driver.”
“Please don’t tell me you’re a great, great player and you’re averaging 20. I don’t think I ever played in the playoffs and averaged 20. I don’t wanna bad mouth a dude but you guys always talk about Championship stuff. I try to tell y’all, all these bus riders, they don’t mean nothing to me. If you ain’t driving the bus, don’t walk around talking about you a Champion. If you’re riding the bus, I don’t wanna hear it. All these guys walking around with Championship rings, y’all bus riders. When you the bus driver and you get all that pressure when you have to play well or you’re gonna get the blame, that’s a different animal.”
With Shaquille O’Neal nodding in agreement, Barkley continued his assault against Durant and the “riders.”
After being asked about his role in Golden State, Chuck shared his hottest take of the night, saying that Kevin Durant was not the best player during his days playing in California.
Barkley: “What has happened when he is driving the bus?:
Kenny: “He lost in the Finals.”
Barkley: “Yeah, okay, he did. And then when he was in Oklahoma City again…”
Kenny: “But you don’t think he was the bus driver in Golden State?”
Barkley: “No, I do not.”
Kenny: “You don’t think he was the best player on that team?”
Barkley: “No I do not. He got MVP. He wasn’t the best player. Iguodala wasn’t the best player, he got MVP.”
Kenny Smith: "You don't think [Kevin Durant] was the best player on the Warriors?"
Charles Barkley: "No, I do not."
Kenny: "He was the best player."
Chuck: "He got MVP. He wasn't the best player. Iguodala wasn't the best player, he got MVP."
😳😳https://t.co/LOjnZG2pT2
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) April 24, 2022
Outside of Golden State, Kevin Durant has a long history of playoff failures. But was he even “the man” in Dub Nation?
He averaged 25.8 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game during his three seasons with the Warriors. He also captured two Finals MVPs. As good as he was in Golden State, the Warriors were already good before he got there.
The season before his arrival, they won 73 games and won a Championship in 2015 thanks mostly to Steph Curry, who won back-to-back MVPs in 2015 and 2016.
With Durant at his side, Steph Curry didn’t lose a step. He put up 26.3 points, 6 assists, and 4.9 rebounds per game.
Today, the Warriors are favored again to make the Finals as Durant and his co-star, Kyrie Irving, are praying for a miracle to get out of the first round.
It’s not surprising that some fans and analysts are seizing the opportunity to speak their honest opinions of KD. In the case of Charles Barkley, Durant will have to prove he can lead his own team to a Chip before he takes back any of his words.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPdbuLGOQCY
