The Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant has responded to Hall of Famer Charles Barkley’s comments about him not being a leader in a recent interview. According to Durant, Barkley and people who question his leadership don’t have the full insight into everything he does “behind the scenes.”

Barkley was making an appearance on TruTV’s alternative broadcast of the All-Star game this past weekend and decided to share his opinion on Durant and his leadership skills.

“No disrespect to Kevin. Kevin’s a follower. He’s not a leader. He’s proven that on all his stops,” Barkley said.

Barkley’s comments have become a hot topic in the NBA in recent days, prompting Durant to address them during an interview with his media platform, Boardroom.

“I don’t feel like I want people to call me a leader, but I also don’t want people to say I’m not one either because they don’t see what goes on behind the scenes of what I talk about or my intentions or relationships that I’ve built with my teammates and my support staff,” Durant said.

Later in the interview, Durant also shared why those like Barkley may view him differently.

I’m not as charismatic as my peers; I don’t have a personality that’s fit for TV like my peers. You’ve got to sell what you’re doing as well, and I haven’t sold it enough,” Durant added.

Durant has been in great form for the Suns this season, averaging 28.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 5.7 assists. He earned his 14th All-Star appearance as a result.

The post Kevin Durant Responds to Charles Barkley’s Comments That “He’s Not a Leader” appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Back in 1992, Hall of Famer Charles Barkley demanded to be traded by Philadelphia 76ers as he believed the team wasn’t competitive enough. And while Barkley ended up landing with Phoenix Suns that summer, it turns out that he had another destination in mind when he made his request.

During a recent appearance on Zach Lowe’s The Lowe Post podcast, Barkley admitted that he wanted to join Portland Trail Blazers at the time. With Trail Blazers making the NBA Finals in the two previous seasons, Barkley believed he was the piece Portland was missing to go all the way.

“Portland was my first choice because Portland had enough talent to give up for me and we’d still be a contender,” Barkley told Lowe. “They had lost to the Bulls in the Finals, but they were loaded, man, top to bottom. But the one thing they didn’t have is a half-court game… I said I’d be the final piece to the puzzle.”

After Trail Blazers declined the opportunity to get Charles Barkley, Los Angeles Lakers made a bid, and the offer was even accepted by 76ers. Philly, however, pulled out of the deal hours later and instead shipped Barkley to Phoenix in exchange for Jeff Hornacek, Tim Perry and Andrew Lang.

Barkley led the Suns to the NBA Finals in his first season with the franchise but still failed to capture the NBA title with the organization. He later joined Houston Rockets to try and get a ring but failed there as well.

Trail Blazers, on the other hand, never made it to NBA Finals again and saw six consecutive First Round exits after 1992.

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NBA side Philadelphia 76ers recently honored basketball legend Charles Barkley by unveiling a statue in his name. The statue is situated outside the 76ers training facility in Camden and was revealed to the public on Friday, the 13th of September.

The former power forward had this to say following the unveiling, “There is not a lot I can say this is just a humbling experience but it really means a great deal because I think people know what the 76ers mean to the NBA… You come here as a 21-year-old kid and now 40 years later – it has been pretty amazing – and it all started here so I just want to thank the 76ers Organization and the city of Philadelphia.”

“We are privileged to have you a part of our past. You are referenced often”, stated current 76ers head coach Brett Brown. 76ers President Chris Heck explained, “This was a special day. We have an American icon right here that is one our ours and it gave us a chance to celebrate”.

Apart from being one of the 76ers all-time greats, Barkley was also named as one of the 50 greatest NBA players in 1996. Barkley’s No. 34 was retired by the team in 2001, and his statue will join the likes of Billy Cunningham at the 76ers training complex.

The post Charles Barkley Honored With Statue appeared first on SportzBonanza.

During his NBA career, Hall of Famer Charles Barkley had an opportunity to play against some of the basketball’s greats including Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird. But when recently asked about the best player he ever faced, Barkley made a surprising pick.

During a recent on a charity event in Tennessee, Barkley said that the toughest matchup for him was fellow Hall of Famer and Boston Celtics’ legend Kevin McHale.

“He’s one of the greatest basketball players ever, and I actually work with him now on television,” – said Barkley. “He’s the best player I ever played against and had to guard.”

With both being power forwards, Barkley and McHale were pitted against each other a lot of times during their careers. This was especially the case during Barkley’s time with Philadelphia 76ers, who were one of Celtics’ biggest rivals during the 1980s.

Charles Barkley also added that he enjoyed playing against another Celtics’ legend Larry Bird as well as Utah Jazz’s Karl Malone.

“I enjoyed playing against players like Larry Bird and Karl Malone because they were great,” – he shared. “When you’re at this level, you’re better than 99% of the people in the world, so there’s a few guys you look at it and go, ‘That guy is just as good as me.’ So whenever you meet someone like that, it’s a big deal.”

The post Charles Barkley Reveals Who’s “the Best Player He Ever Played Against” appeared first on SportzBonanza.

An overwhelming number of NBA analysts, experts and journalists have are favoring Golden State Warriors to win the NBA title this season as well. But, if you ask the Hall of Famer and TNT’s Inside the NBA analysts Charles Barkley, Warriors will meet their match this time around.

According to Barkley, Milwaukee Bucks will be the team that will win it all in the 2019 NBA Finals.

“The Bucks are going to win the world championship.” – proclaimed Barkley after the Milwaukee rolled over the Boston Celtic in the Game 4 of Eastern Conference Semi-Finals and took a 3-1 lead.

While picking someone else than Warriors to win the NBA title definitely raises many eyebrows, Barkley’s prediction isn’t so farfetched. Milwaukee Bucks have played spectacularly in the regular season winning 60 games and having the best overall record in the NBA. They also had a strong start to their playoff run, sweeping the Detroit Pistons.

Many started questioning Bucks’ ability to compete for the title when they dropped Game 1 at home in the Celtics series, but they returned to win three straight games and look like they are in complete control now.

It also doesn’t hurt that Bucks’ biggest star Giannis Antetokounmpo carried over his MVP form to the postseason and is currently averaging 28.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.5 blocks per game.

While it remains to be seen whether Milwaukee is ready to go all the way this season, they will definitely give Warriors a good run for their money if they can keep playing like this.

The post Charles Barkley Says Milwaukee Bucks Will Win the NBA Title appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Is it really that surprising that many athletes go on to have even more fruitful post-sports careers? After all, to become a successful pro athlete is not just a physical endeavor. It requires inhuman discipline, focus, strategy, and oftentimes, pure savvy, all skills which translate wonderfully to the business world.

Success is just a natural part of life when you’re a demigod who’s good at everything.

Mario Lemieux

For Mario Lemieux, the game of hockey is the gift that just keeps on giving. There are very few athletes that can claim to have dominated their sport quite as thoroughly as this superstar on skates. While his wildly successful career as an NHL hockey player led to him to earn back-t0-back Stanley Cup wins for the Pittsburgh Penguins, the victories continued long after “Super Mario” hung up his skates for good. How so, you ask? In retirement, he bought the team, rescued it from financial distress, and eventually led them to claim a third championship title in 2009.

How so, you ask? In retirement, he bought the team, rescued it from financial distress, and eventually led them to claim a third championship title in 2009.

Wikimedia Commons

Charles Barkley

Charles Barkley never earned a championship ring during his long (and otherwise successful) career in professional basketball, though you wouldn’t know it based on how much press coverage the “Round Mound of Rebound” still receives today.Whether he is making headlines for his brazen political commentary or his hilariously inept golf swing, the broadcaster, author, spokesperson, and 11-time NBA All-Star always manages to maintain the same coziness with publicity that he was known for decades ago. It’s as though retirement only makes Barkley busier!

Whether he is making headlines for his brazen political commentary or his hilariously inept golf swing, the broadcaster, author, spokesperson, and 11-time NBA All-Star always manages to maintain the same coziness with publicity that he was known for decades ago. It’s as though retirement only makes Barkley busier!

Wikimedia Commons

Vinnie Jones

In his native England, Vinnie Jones is known as the soccer sensation that dominated the field all throughout the late 20th century. Across the pond, the ball-playing bloke is known for his work in an entirely different (though equally glamorized) industry: acting.

“Hard Man” Jones retired from professional soccer in 1999 following a long career of leading teams, winning championships, and head-butting men in the testicles in pursuit of victory. The former athlete then moved to the United States, where his interest in the silver screen soon led to him appearing in a wide variety of films, including such recognizable titles as X-Men: The Last Stand and Juggernaut.

Flickr

Gerald Ford

Yes, you read that correctly: The Gerald Ford really qualifies as an item on this list. Before taking on the fun little retirement gig of becoming the leader of the free world (amongst other diplomatic achievements), Mr. Ford was making national headlines for a completely different reason: he was a college football superstar.

Though he never made to the professional level, the diplomatic linebacker led the University of Michigan to two consecutive national championships during his time as a student, prompting the school to eventually retire his number. The never-ending adoration was mutual, and Ford remained a notorious supporter of the team all throughout his presidency.

Wikimedia Commons

Hakeem Olajuwon

During his time in the NBA, soft-hearted superstar Hakeem Olajuwon was nicknamed “The Dream” for his demeanor on and off the court (though the simplified spelling probably helped too).

While others in his position may have seen retirement as a wake-up call, Olajuwon’s separation from the sport only led him to an even more dreamlike existence: real estate. Sure, it seems hard to believe that buying and selling high-end Houston homes could possibly be as glamorous as being an NBA All-Star, but the $100 million fortune Olajuwon has amassed through his practice is truly the stuff of fairy tales.

Wikimedia Commons

The post These 5 Professional Athletes Ended Up Being More Successful In Retirement appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant has responded to Hall of Famer Charles Barkley’s comments about him not being a leader in a recent interview. According to Durant, Barkley and people who question his leadership don’t have the full insight into everything he does “behind the scenes.”

Barkley was making an appearance on TruTV’s alternative broadcast of the All-Star game this past weekend and decided to share his opinion on Durant and his leadership skills.

“No disrespect to Kevin. Kevin’s a follower. He’s not a leader. He’s proven that on all his stops,” Barkley said.

Barkley’s comments have become a hot topic in the NBA in recent days, prompting Durant to address them during an interview with his media platform, Boardroom.

“I don’t feel like I want people to call me a leader, but I also don’t want people to say I’m not one either because they don’t see what goes on behind the scenes of what I talk about or my intentions or relationships that I’ve built with my teammates and my support staff,” Durant said.

Later in the interview, Durant also shared why those like Barkley may view him differently.

I’m not as charismatic as my peers; I don’t have a personality that’s fit for TV like my peers. You’ve got to sell what you’re doing as well, and I haven’t sold it enough,” Durant added.

Durant has been in great form for the Suns this season, averaging 28.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 5.7 assists. He earned his 14th All-Star appearance as a result.

The post Kevin Durant Responds to Charles Barkley’s Comments That “He’s Not a Leader” appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Back in 1992, Hall of Famer Charles Barkley demanded to be traded by Philadelphia 76ers as he believed the team wasn’t competitive enough. And while Barkley ended up landing with Phoenix Suns that summer, it turns out that he had another destination in mind when he made his request.

During a recent appearance on Zach Lowe’s The Lowe Post podcast, Barkley admitted that he wanted to join Portland Trail Blazers at the time. With Trail Blazers making the NBA Finals in the two previous seasons, Barkley believed he was the piece Portland was missing to go all the way.

“Portland was my first choice because Portland had enough talent to give up for me and we’d still be a contender,” Barkley told Lowe. “They had lost to the Bulls in the Finals, but they were loaded, man, top to bottom. But the one thing they didn’t have is a half-court game… I said I’d be the final piece to the puzzle.”

After Trail Blazers declined the opportunity to get Charles Barkley, Los Angeles Lakers made a bid, and the offer was even accepted by 76ers. Philly, however, pulled out of the deal hours later and instead shipped Barkley to Phoenix in exchange for Jeff Hornacek, Tim Perry and Andrew Lang.

Barkley led the Suns to the NBA Finals in his first season with the franchise but still failed to capture the NBA title with the organization. He later joined Houston Rockets to try and get a ring but failed there as well.

Trail Blazers, on the other hand, never made it to NBA Finals again and saw six consecutive First Round exits after 1992.

The post Charles Barkley Admits He Wanted to Be Traded to Portland Trail Blazers in 1992 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

NBA side Philadelphia 76ers recently honored basketball legend Charles Barkley by unveiling a statue in his name. The statue is situated outside the 76ers training facility in Camden and was revealed to the public on Friday, the 13th of September.

The former power forward had this to say following the unveiling, “There is not a lot I can say this is just a humbling experience but it really means a great deal because I think people know what the 76ers mean to the NBA… You come here as a 21-year-old kid and now 40 years later – it has been pretty amazing – and it all started here so I just want to thank the 76ers Organization and the city of Philadelphia.”

“We are privileged to have you a part of our past. You are referenced often”, stated current 76ers head coach Brett Brown. 76ers President Chris Heck explained, “This was a special day. We have an American icon right here that is one our ours and it gave us a chance to celebrate”.

Apart from being one of the 76ers all-time greats, Barkley was also named as one of the 50 greatest NBA players in 1996. Barkley’s No. 34 was retired by the team in 2001, and his statue will join the likes of Billy Cunningham at the 76ers training complex.

The post Charles Barkley Honored With Statue appeared first on SportzBonanza.

During his NBA career, Hall of Famer Charles Barkley had an opportunity to play against some of the basketball’s greats including Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird. But when recently asked about the best player he ever faced, Barkley made a surprising pick.

During a recent on a charity event in Tennessee, Barkley said that the toughest matchup for him was fellow Hall of Famer and Boston Celtics’ legend Kevin McHale.

“He’s one of the greatest basketball players ever, and I actually work with him now on television,” – said Barkley. “He’s the best player I ever played against and had to guard.”

With both being power forwards, Barkley and McHale were pitted against each other a lot of times during their careers. This was especially the case during Barkley’s time with Philadelphia 76ers, who were one of Celtics’ biggest rivals during the 1980s.

Charles Barkley also added that he enjoyed playing against another Celtics’ legend Larry Bird as well as Utah Jazz’s Karl Malone.

“I enjoyed playing against players like Larry Bird and Karl Malone because they were great,” – he shared. “When you’re at this level, you’re better than 99% of the people in the world, so there’s a few guys you look at it and go, ‘That guy is just as good as me.’ So whenever you meet someone like that, it’s a big deal.”

The post Charles Barkley Reveals Who’s “the Best Player He Ever Played Against” appeared first on SportzBonanza.

An overwhelming number of NBA analysts, experts and journalists have are favoring Golden State Warriors to win the NBA title this season as well. But, if you ask the Hall of Famer and TNT’s Inside the NBA analysts Charles Barkley, Warriors will meet their match this time around.

According to Barkley, Milwaukee Bucks will be the team that will win it all in the 2019 NBA Finals.

“The Bucks are going to win the world championship.” – proclaimed Barkley after the Milwaukee rolled over the Boston Celtic in the Game 4 of Eastern Conference Semi-Finals and took a 3-1 lead.

While picking someone else than Warriors to win the NBA title definitely raises many eyebrows, Barkley’s prediction isn’t so farfetched. Milwaukee Bucks have played spectacularly in the regular season winning 60 games and having the best overall record in the NBA. They also had a strong start to their playoff run, sweeping the Detroit Pistons.

Many started questioning Bucks’ ability to compete for the title when they dropped Game 1 at home in the Celtics series, but they returned to win three straight games and look like they are in complete control now.

It also doesn’t hurt that Bucks’ biggest star Giannis Antetokounmpo carried over his MVP form to the postseason and is currently averaging 28.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.5 blocks per game.

While it remains to be seen whether Milwaukee is ready to go all the way this season, they will definitely give Warriors a good run for their money if they can keep playing like this.

The post Charles Barkley Says Milwaukee Bucks Will Win the NBA Title appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Is it really that surprising that many athletes go on to have even more fruitful post-sports careers? After all, to become a successful pro athlete is not just a physical endeavor. It requires inhuman discipline, focus, strategy, and oftentimes, pure savvy, all skills which translate wonderfully to the business world.

Success is just a natural part of life when you’re a demigod who’s good at everything.

Mario Lemieux

For Mario Lemieux, the game of hockey is the gift that just keeps on giving. There are very few athletes that can claim to have dominated their sport quite as thoroughly as this superstar on skates. While his wildly successful career as an NHL hockey player led to him to earn back-t0-back Stanley Cup wins for the Pittsburgh Penguins, the victories continued long after “Super Mario” hung up his skates for good. How so, you ask? In retirement, he bought the team, rescued it from financial distress, and eventually led them to claim a third championship title in 2009.

How so, you ask? In retirement, he bought the team, rescued it from financial distress, and eventually led them to claim a third championship title in 2009.

Wikimedia Commons

Charles Barkley

Charles Barkley never earned a championship ring during his long (and otherwise successful) career in professional basketball, though you wouldn’t know it based on how much press coverage the “Round Mound of Rebound” still receives today.Whether he is making headlines for his brazen political commentary or his hilariously inept golf swing, the broadcaster, author, spokesperson, and 11-time NBA All-Star always manages to maintain the same coziness with publicity that he was known for decades ago. It’s as though retirement only makes Barkley busier!

Whether he is making headlines for his brazen political commentary or his hilariously inept golf swing, the broadcaster, author, spokesperson, and 11-time NBA All-Star always manages to maintain the same coziness with publicity that he was known for decades ago. It’s as though retirement only makes Barkley busier!

Wikimedia Commons

Vinnie Jones

In his native England, Vinnie Jones is known as the soccer sensation that dominated the field all throughout the late 20th century. Across the pond, the ball-playing bloke is known for his work in an entirely different (though equally glamorized) industry: acting.

“Hard Man” Jones retired from professional soccer in 1999 following a long career of leading teams, winning championships, and head-butting men in the testicles in pursuit of victory. The former athlete then moved to the United States, where his interest in the silver screen soon led to him appearing in a wide variety of films, including such recognizable titles as X-Men: The Last Stand and Juggernaut.

Flickr

Gerald Ford

Yes, you read that correctly: The Gerald Ford really qualifies as an item on this list. Before taking on the fun little retirement gig of becoming the leader of the free world (amongst other diplomatic achievements), Mr. Ford was making national headlines for a completely different reason: he was a college football superstar.

Though he never made to the professional level, the diplomatic linebacker led the University of Michigan to two consecutive national championships during his time as a student, prompting the school to eventually retire his number. The never-ending adoration was mutual, and Ford remained a notorious supporter of the team all throughout his presidency.

Wikimedia Commons

Hakeem Olajuwon

During his time in the NBA, soft-hearted superstar Hakeem Olajuwon was nicknamed “The Dream” for his demeanor on and off the court (though the simplified spelling probably helped too).

While others in his position may have seen retirement as a wake-up call, Olajuwon’s separation from the sport only led him to an even more dreamlike existence: real estate. Sure, it seems hard to believe that buying and selling high-end Houston homes could possibly be as glamorous as being an NBA All-Star, but the $100 million fortune Olajuwon has amassed through his practice is truly the stuff of fairy tales.

Wikimedia Commons

The post These 5 Professional Athletes Ended Up Being More Successful In Retirement appeared first on SportzBonanza.