Charles Barkley rips NBA players complaining about 65-game rule: ‘Shut the hell up’

The NBA’s 65-game rule has claimed quite a few casualties this season. Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Dončić and Detroit Pistons All-NBA candidate Cade Cunningham are among the biggest names who won’t be eligible for end-of-year awards due to various ailments.

Their injuries, combined with prominent names like Stephen Curry, LeBron James and Anthony Edwards being ineligible for awards, has led to increased discussion about the rule and whether it needs to be adjusted. The NBPA did just that in March, saying the rule must be “abolished or reformed” going forward.

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At least one former player believes the union is overreacting to the rule. Charles Barkley ripped the players for complaining about the 65-game rule, saying they voted in favor of it. Barkley, as he is wont to do, delivered that message in his trademark blunt style, telling players to “shut the hell up.”

This full comments read:

“I don’t think 65 games is a lot to ask. Shut the hell up. Y’all voted on that in the collective-bargaining [agreement], now y’all want to complain. If y’all weren’t sitting on your ass half the time sipping margaritas and stuff, they wouldn’t have put the 65-game threshold in there. Shut the hell up.”

Barkley is, at least, speaking from experience. During his 16-year, Hall of Fame career, Barkley played in at least 65 games in his first 12 years in the NBA. He broke down after that, hitting that threshold just once in his last four seasons in the league. Still, he was a durable and consistent player in his prime.

Given Barkley’s opinionated nature, it shouldn’t come as a shock that he has a strong take on the 65-game rule. As part of the last collective-bargaining agreement (CBA), the league and the players agreed that players must take part in at least 65 games during the regular season in order to be eligible for end-of-year awards.

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Despite the fact that the rule has been in place since 2023, it found itself as a major storyline this season thanks to the elite talent who got hurt during the regular season. Cunningham, in particular, was pushed for an All-NBA selection prior…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/article/charles-barkley-rips-nba-players-complaining-about-65-game-rule-shut-the-hell-up-131527131.html

Author : Chris Cwik

Publish date : 2026-04-13 13:15:00

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