“It’s Like You’re Either Black or White!”: When Charles Barkley Provided the Most Bizarre Analogy Dissing Analytics

The game of basketball has evolved heavily over the years. Gone are the days of playing in the post and the thinking that only big men win games, and other redundant beliefs.

Nowadays, the game, especially in the NBA is run on analytics, a tool that has helped many a franchise find success in the league.

However, not everyone is a big fan of it. Just ask Charles Barkley, who has some very weird analogies criticizing the new and improved analytical game.

Also Read: “You really think I give a flying F****?”: Charles Barkley was Berated for his Magic Johnson Tribute 

Charles Barkley believes that analytics is like being a black cook and a white chef

The Round Mound of Rebound has never been a big fan of analytics. He has even berated the use of the same on more than one occasion.

Take for example when Sir Charles was analyzing the 2015 NBA Finals. At the time, Barkley commented on the backcourt statistics of the Warriors, to which fans pointed out that stats are analytics.

Of course, Chuck couldn’t take that and proceeded to go on a long tangent. He explained how stats and analytics are like being a black cook and a white chef.

“It’s like when you’re black they call you a cook. When you’re white they call you a chef. They just call it analytics so they can charge you more for it. They’re just stats!”

An interesting, albeit, weird take from the Hall of Famer. Safe to say it’s one the analytics haters will always point to.

Sir Charles once stated the analytically driven Houston Rockets wouldn’t win a championship and he was right

Barkley’s hatred for analytics went deep. To the point where he risked offending his former team the Houston Rockets. A team that was at one point driven by analytics under Daryl Morey.

He claimed that the Rockets at the time led by James Harden were not title contenders, despite being one of the favorites, and he was right. The team didn’t amount to much, The Beard and Morey left, and the rest is history.

Also Read: “Our Black Youth Are Brainwashed”: When Charles Barkley Revealed How White Schools Advocated Corporate Professions Compared to HBCU