Veteran radio personality and NBA analyst Dan Patrick put Charles Barkley in a fix when asked if he was better than Larry Bird.
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It’s almost impossible to imagine Charles Barkley hesitating to answer any question posed to him. The Hall of Famer is known for his brutal honesty and candid nature, making him the go-to for TRPs when it comes to television. The Chuckster never seizes to fail with his hilarious antics.
Though he failed to win a championship, Barkley had an illustrious career. The Suns MVP made a name for himself amid Michael Jordan’s dynastic run with the Bulls. Chuck’s performance in the 1992 Olympics showed us why he’s one of the all-time power forwards.
Playing in the Dream Team boasting MJ, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson, to name a few, Barkley led Team USA in points, averaging 18.0 PPG on 71.1% shooting from the field. In what many believed, Chuck lacked an efficient supporting cast, unlike MJ, Magic, and Bird.
During one such appearance on The Dan Patrick Show, when asked if he was better than Bird, Barkley admitted having the services of Parish, McHale, and DJ would make him alright.
Charles Barkley compares his case with Larry Bird.
Comparisons between legends are a norm amongst hoop fans across the globe, whether it’s MJ vs. LeBron or Magic vs. Bird. The GOAT conversation never ends. However, it is always interesting to know players’ perspectives, having witnessed everything firsthand.
And when you have The Chuckster as your guest, one can expect unpredictability at its best. One of the rare NBA veterans to speak their minds, Barkley surprisingly looked perplexed when asked if he was better than Celtics legend Larry Bird.
In their 30 meetings on the hardwood, Bird holds the edge over Barkley with a 17-13 record. Nevertheless, Barkley gave the following take on the comparisons.
“Am I better than Bird? Man, that’s a great question. I’m a better rebounder. I’m probably a better defender. He’s a better shooter, obviously, It’s a team game. I do things better than him. If you give me Parish, McHale, and DJ imma be alright.”
Though Barkley didn’t have a clear answer on comparisons with Bird, he had no qualms in admitting that LeBron James, Tim Duncan, and Magic were better than him.
While it’s difficult to come to any conclusion, Bird ticks most of the boxes in comparison to Barkley. Moreover, Bird had a bigger impact than Barkley on the game.
