The offseason hasn't officially started for the NBA but already, there have been a couple of key coaching changes around the league. TNT broadcaster Charles Barkley had a bit to say about how things have developed over the past few days, and according to the Hall of Famer, there appears to be some racial profiling going on here.
Barkley took exception to the term “parted ways,” which is how TNT co-host Ernie Johnson described the Portland Trail Blazer's situation with Terry Stotts as well as with Steve Clifford and the Orlando Magic. While this is a commonly used phrase, Barkley still couldn't help but point out that this is a “white man's term”:
“America, that means they were white,” Barkley quipped. “They fire brothers, they don’t part ways.”
Barkley: "America, that means they were white. They fire brothers, they don’t part ways" pic.twitter.com/R7rzd5XyFh
— CJ Fogler AKA Perc70 #BlackLivesMatter (@cjzero) June 5, 2021
Charles Barkley was clearly having fun with his jab, but it doesn't take away from the fact that he has brought up a legitimate issue here. Johnson did his best to side-step Barkley's comments by trying to move on to the show's next segment. However, you could clearly hear the laughing around the room.
The matter of race has long been a significant issue when it comes to coaching hires around the NBA. More than a few folks out there believe that most teams have a tendency to gloss over African American candidates in favor of their less-experienced and arguably less-deserving white counterparts. Charles Barkley appears to have been speaking along these lines in his recent rant, and while it was pretty much ignored by the crew, the message was delivered loud and clear.
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