Former NBA star Charles Barkley is not happy with the trend of load management in the league, which sees players take time off to rest their bodies during the season.
In a recent appearance on ESPN’s First Take, Barkley expressed his frustration with the practice, calling it disrespectful to the fans who pay to see their favorite players in action. He compared the players to workers in other industries who show up to work every day, despite being tired.
The TNT analyst and former NBA star began with taking a humorous jab at his friend Shaquille O’Neal. Following the All-Star break, Barkley poked fun at O’Neal for not showing up to work. However, Barkley later clarified that O’Neal’s absence was due to illness, and the friendly banter was all in good fun.
Charles Barkley on load management:
“Wait a minute, you gonna make $70M and you can’t play basketball 3 or 4 days a week?’… They fly private. They got the best medical stuff ever created… People working in the steel mill every day, I’m pretty sure they tired too, but they go… pic.twitter.com/JX8dzq3ZQn
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) February 27, 2023
On the other hand, Barkley’s real frustration stems from the fact that during his playing days, players were expected to play in all 82 games of the regular season.
In contrast, today’s players often take games off to manage the physical toll of the season. While Barkley acknowledges the pace of the game has changed, he believes it is still the professional duty of the stars to play as many games as possible.
The former Philadelphia 76ers star pointed out that only two All-Stars played in every game this season, and there were only five players who played all 82 games last season. He believes that fans deserve to see the best players in action, especially considering the high ticket prices and the money players make.
Barkley’s comments have sparked a debate about load management in the NBA, with some agreeing with his sentiments while others argue that the physical demands of the game have changed, and players need to take care of their bodies to prolong their careers. Regardless of where one stands on the issue, it is clear that Barkley’s passion for the game and his desire to see the best players on the court every night is as strong as ever.
At 5 sometimes 6 hundred dollars an that’s not really great seat sometimes especially for places like l.a. if you’re not hurt, you should be playing
Personally, I think the load management is a Load of bull. From the first time that you play basketball in the park the only thing you wanted to be is a professional basketball player. Now that you have a team your goal you want to sit instead of just playing the talent. I got you there if you are too tired to play then I suggest that you pack bags at your local grocer on the days that you practice load management again a crock of bull!
Yeah…The physical demands have changed. They have gotten easier. Is the issue playing time on the court or playing time in the club?