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Charles Barkley, who was accused of cheating with Madonna, couldn’t pronounce Ime Udoka’s name on national TV

Adit Pujari
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Charles Barkley, who was accused of cheating with Madonna, couldn't pronounce Ime Udoka's name on national TV

Philadelphia 76ers legend Charles Barkley was unable to pronounce Boston Celtics’ head coach Ime Udoka’s name.

Charles Barkley is many things and controversial is indeed one of them. The man, the myth, the round mound of rebound, the Sixers legend is without a doubt one of the most entertaining NBA personalities.

What makes him so entertaining is his ability to speak his mind without any inhibitions. For the masses, nothing is more exciting than a man ready to take on the world with nothing but his words.

However, those same words can often cause certain consequences. In Barkley’s case, very public consequences.

Chuck has always been an honest man. Long before he turned himself into a highly successful TV personality, Barkley was a big-mouth athlete. He challenged anyone and said what he felt.

So, controversies and conflicts are nothing new for Charles Barkley. He once famously criticized his good friend Michael Jordan. Chuck’s comments severed all traces of their bond. The two have never spoken since.

The same Chuck, the one who finds great pleasure in being honest to a fault, once said something very strange about Ime Udoka.

Also read: 4x champion Kobe Bryant did not want to win if it meant passing to Shaquille O’Neal, for this insane reason

Charles Barkley mispronounced Ime Udoka’s name

Barkley once mispronounced Udoka’s name while on Inside the NBA. The 6’6″ power forward at first called the head coach ‘Udoki.’ After Kenny and Ernie laughed at Chuck for his pronunciation, he fired back with a witty quip.

The coach in the discussion, Ime Udoka, has found himself in quite a controversy. The cheating scandal has likely cost him a season as per Adrian Wojnarowski.

The entire NBA community has been shocked by the news. But one can’t help but wonder about the impact of Ime Udoka’s infidelity.

Like the Celtics head coach, Charles Barkley was also once caught in a similar cheating scandal. However, Chuck was never proven guilty of it. The rumors alleged that Barkley was cheating on his wife with Madonna.

In 1993, Chuck won the MVP for his electrifying debut season with the Phoenix Suns. He even led his team to the NBA Finals. But an off-the-court rumor left Charles Barkley’s life in turmoil.

The rumors impacted Barkley’s personal life severely. Hopefully, Udoka will be spared such stress.

Also read: Ime Udoka, who has a net worth of $11.5 million, faces brutal suspension over consensual relationship

About the author

Adit Pujari

Adit Pujari

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Adit Pujari is an NBA Journalist and Strategist at The SportsRush. He formerly worked as a debate and writing trainer. An avid fan of Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers, Adit began following the league in 2007. With the Lakers and Boston Celtics rivalry ripe, he found himself hooked to the sport immediately. After 15 years of religiously following the league, he decided to use his knowledge base as a sports writer in 2021. Since then, he has worked as an NBA writer, led a team of MLB writers, and has now joined The SportsRush. In his spare time, Adit loves playing pickup games and exploring hidden Himalayan trails.

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