Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley has addressed Kendrick Perkins’ suggestion that race plays a role in NBA MVP voting when it comes to Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic.
Barkley discussed Perkins’ comments on Denver’s Altitude Sports Radio with Vic Lombardi, Marc Moser and Brett Kane. For starters, the former Phoenix Suns star said she didn’t think Jokic was worried about what pundits were saying about him on ESPN’s «First Take.»
Perkins suggested there was racial bias since three players since 1990 have won an MVP despite being outside the top 10 in points per game: Jokic in his first MVP campaign in 2020-21, Dirk Nowitzki (2006-07) and Steve Nash (2004). -05, 2005-06). All three are white.
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Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) brings the ball up court during the third quarter against the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center in Houston on February 28, 2023. (Troy Taormina/USA Today Sports)
«I’m pretty sure he doesn’t give a damn about those idiots talking about him on TV either,» Barkley said. «If I know the Joker, he probably just got out of bed. He probably slept well. The Nuggets won a tough game last night. Mike Malone probably should have given them the day off and let them sleep in the day after that game. I’m pretty sure he which is not in all this nonsense.
«You can’t tell me, because the numbers don’t make sense… Does he know how many voters are actually white or did he pull 80% of his ass out? My point is if only five whites have won MVPs in the last 30 years, that’s not makes no sense: his argument. Zero sense. Because if that were the case, we’d have a lot more white MVPs… Wouldn’t the numbers be much, much worse?
He called Perkins’ take «one of the stupidest things I’ve ever heard.»
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NBA great Charles Barkley is recognized for being selected to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team during halftime of the 2022 NBA All-Star Game at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland on February 20, 2022. (Kyle Terada/USA Today Sports)
«I always talk about the sickness of ESPN,» added the 1993 MVP. «A lot of these guys, when they get on TV and stuff, they say, ‘Well, I’m on ESPN, I have to say something provocative.’ And you know what happens, you’re always going to have some suckers out there, you probably have some suckers calling to agree with him.
«That’s what bothers me sometimes. I can promise you this, I’ve never said anything on TV just to get clicks. That doesn’t mean I was right or wrong, whatever. But I’ve never said something like, «Well I know people will react and go crazy, let me tell you this.»
«And this is what bothers me too. Man, race is such a touchy subject because so few people have a pure heart. We can talk about race as much as you want as long as you’re fair and honest.» But to slander this man (Jokic) in this situation is sheer nonsense.»
JJ REDICK CRITICISMS KENDRICK PERKINS’ SUGGESTION NBA MVP VOTING IS SIZED BY RACE, CRITICS ESPN’S SHOW FORMAT
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) swings to the basket as Memphis Grizzlies forward Xavier Tillman (2) defends during the first half at the FedEx Forum in Memphis on February 25, 2023. (Peter Thomas/USA Today Sports)
Barkley used his own career to make a comparison. He said that when he won MVP in 1993, he was not a better overall player than Michael Jordan, but the best player on the Suns that season, while Phoenix had the best record in the NBA.
JJ Redick appeared on ESPN’s «First Take» on Tuesday and strongly rejected Perkins’ view that there is racial bias in voting.
«Stephen A. (Smith), I don’t want to offend you. And I don’t want to offend ‘First Take’ because I think this program is extremely valuable,» he prefaced. «It’s an honor to be at this desk every day. It really is. But what we’ve just witnessed is the problem with this show. Where we create narratives that don’t exist in reality. The implication you’re hinting at: that White voters who vote for the NBA (awards) are racist, pro-white.
«That’s exactly what you implied, Kendrick Perkins,» Redick said as his former NBA colleague shook his head.
Kendrick Perkins attends the Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game during 2022 NBA All-Star Weekend at Wolstein Center on February 18, 2022 in Cleveland. (Arthur Holmes/Getty Images)
«I did not.» Perkins said, adding: «I laid out the facts.»
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Jokic averaged a double-double in his MVP seasons the past two years. The Denver star is averaging 24.4 points, 11.8 rebounds and 10 assists this season and is on his way to another MVP award.
Fox News’ Ryan Morik contributed to this report.