With the two Conference Finals nearing their conclusion, Charles Barkley’s opinions appear to be bigger and bolder than ever. The 62-year-old basketball legend has never been afraid to speak his mind. One of his recent takes was so widely shared online that even his good friend Shaquille O’Neal had no choice but to agree with him.
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Just a night ago, Chuck shared his thoughts on the “face” of the NBA during TNT’s coverage of the Knicks vs. Pacers game. One name he felt particularly strongly about was MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has the OKC Thunder just one win away from a Finals appearance.
In classic Barkley fashion, the Hall of Famer praised SGA by knocking his current opponent, Timberwolves superstar Anthony Edwards, down a few pegs.
“ESPN, I love you guys,” began Barkley. “Don’t try to make Anthony Edwards the face of the NBA. The face of the NBA is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Joker, and Giannis.”
But Chuck wasn’t done there. He also emphasized that superstars need to earn the mantle of “Face of the NBA” — it’s not a title that can simply be handed out.
It was clear Barkley was growing tired of hearing that label associated with Ant.
“You can’t give it to people,” Chuck added. “They have to take it, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is taking it.”
Shaq stood by his on-screen rival’s hot take, sharing Barkley’s rant on his Instagram — a clear sign that The Diesel is also on Team SGA when it comes to the face of the NBA.
Shaquille O’Neal highlights Charles Barkley’s take on the face of the NBA on his IG story! pic.twitter.com/NnvEsd7kaa
— Top NBA Fan (@TopNBAFanToday) May 28, 2025
And how can you not be? Beyond earning MVP honors this season, Shai has been putting up stellar numbers throughout the postseason. He dropped 40 points in OKC’s 128-126 Game 4 win two days ago, adding 10 assists and 9 rebounds to cap off an already dominant performance.
Meanwhile, the Antman has struggled since his electric opening series against the Lakers. While he’s had a few standout games, his inconsistency has been a key reason why the Timberwolves are on the verge of being eliminated in the Western Conference Finals for the second straight year.
Tip-off for Game 5 is tonight. Can Edwards silence his doubters? Or will SGA take the Thunder to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2012?
