Charles Barkley gives terse message to NBA players complaining about 65-game eligibility rule

Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley ripped NBA players connected Sunday nighttime complete subordinate complaints astir nan 65-game eligibility norm to beryllium considered for awards and honors.

The NBA requires players to play astatine slightest 65 games successful bid to beryllium considered for nan league’s highest accolades. The norm became a root of consternation this twelvemonth successful a hotly contested MVP title arsenic immoderate players, who person been playing astatine a precocious level, person missed retired connected consideration.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Former Phoenix Suns subordinate Charles Barkley sits courtside during an NBA Cup crippled against nan Minnesota Timberwolves astatine Mortgage Matchup Center successful Phoenix, Ariz., connected Nov. 21, 2025. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)

But Barkley had nary clip for players’ complaints.

"I don’t deliberation 65 games is simply a batch to ask," he said. "Man, unopen nan hellhole up. Y’all voted connected that successful nan corporate bargaining, now y’all want to complain. If y’all wasn’t sitting connected your a-- half nan time, sipping margaritas and stuff, they wouldn’t person put nan 65-game period successful there. Shut nan hellhole up."

San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama and Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic each came down to nan ligament erstwhile it came to eligibility.

Wembanyama played 64 regular-season games pinch nan NBA Cup Final counting toward his total. Jokic deed nan 65-game minimum aft playing 18 minutes against nan Spurs connected Sunday. Oklahoma City Thunder prima Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is besides successful contention, having played 68 games.

Former Phoenix Suns subordinate Charles Barkley attends an NBA Cup crippled against nan Minnesota Timberwolves astatine Mortgage Matchup Center successful Phoenix, Ariz., connected Nov. 21, 2025. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)

GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO MAKES CLEAR HE WANTS TO 'F---ING PLAY' AS FEUD ERUPTS OVER INJURY STATUS

But Detroit Pistons prima Cade Cunningham, who is having 1 of nan champion seasons of his NBA career, will not beryllium eligible aft only playing 64 games and missing clip pinch a collapsed lung.

Cunningham’s wounded sparked a connection from nan National Basketball Players Association past month.

"Cade Cunningham's imaginable ineligibility for postseason awards aft a career-defining play is simply a clear indictment of nan 65-game norm and yet different illustration of why it must beryllium abolished aliases reformed to create an objection for important injuries," nan national said. "Since its implementation, acold excessively galore deserving players person been unfairly disqualified from end-of-season honors by this arbitrary and overly rigid quota."

Detroit Pistons defender Cade Cunningham dribbles nan shot while Indiana Pacers defender Ethan Thompson defends during nan 2nd half astatine Gainbridge Fieldhouse successful Indianapolis, Ind., connected April 12, 2026. (Trevor Ruszkowski/Imagn Images)

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver stood firmly down nan rule.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

"I’m not fresh to opportunity it’s not working," Silver said successful March. "It is working. I’m not fresh to opportunity that because location is simply a consciousness of unfairness for 1 player, nan norm doesn’t work."