The continuous improvement of Jonas Valanciunas’ game has meant that the Toronto Raptors center’s name has been uttered more regularly on live television over the last couple of years.
On TNT’s NBA coverage, the ever entertaining, and sometimes annoying to others, Charles Barkley has found it a somewhat difficult challenge to pronounce the Lithuanian big man’s last name, much to the amusement of his co-hosts, Kenny Smith, Shaquille O’Neal, and Ernie Johnson.
Thanks to YouTube user Arnas Jagminas, fans of “The Round Mound Of Rebound” can watch him struggle through the pronunciation and witness it’s evolution.
For the sake of added, untrained analysis, I deemed it appropriate to breakdown each attempt that Barkley made. Just for context, Basketball Reference have the pronunciation as “YO-nahs vah-lahn-CHEW-nahs”.
February 8th, 2014 – Sho-nahs vah-sal-eno-wan-sauce
Early in the process, Barkley is inexperienced. Chuck struggles mightily here, not only getting the first name completely wrong, but somehow making the Raptors star’s last name sound like a Star Wars branded condiment.
April 20th, 2014 – Vah-la-shu-shis
A couple of months on from his first effort, Barkley only attempts the last name here. This is certainly much closer than the last try but he still has ways to go.
April 27th, 2014 – Jo-nahs vah-las-yu-see-nahs
Progress! Sir Charles got very close on the first name. He went for ‘Jo’ instead of ‘Yo’ at the beginning of the first name, but was able to say it as it’s written.
As for the last name, he’s still way off.
April 30th, 2014 – Jo-nahs vah-la-see-nahs
If Barkley needed advice on how to manage the name, the crew at TNT organised to get the best possible person to give it. Valanciunas himself appears via video link to ask the NBA great why he can’t get the name right.
After some discussion with his co-hosts, Barkley eventually nails it, out of nowhere. He repeatedly pronounces the name correctly, with pride. What a breakthrough.
Barkley is then challenged to spell it, he opts for V A L U N C H U N A S, which whilst being close phonetically, is incorrect. Spelling the name is a completely different conversation though, for another day.
Perhaps we are due a spelling bee from the TNT guys.
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