Charles Barkley takes jab at lack of homegrown Filipino NBA draftees
By Ryan General
Charles Barkley caused a stir among Filipino basketball fans after questioning on-air the lack of homegrown Filipino players in the NBA.
Key points:
- The NBA Hall of Famer and “Inside the NBA” analyst made the remarks Tuesday during an exchange with reporter Chris Haynes, who mentioned winning a Filipino league MVP award.
- Barkley prefaced his retort with “No disrespect” before asking, “how many Filipinos have been drafted into the NBA?”
- The comments drew mixed reactions from Filipino fans, with some taking offense and others finding it light-hearted banter.
The details:
- After Barkley’s statement earned chuckles from Haynes and the other hosts, Shaquille O’Neal said he knows Haynes’ Filipino name: “Manny Black-uiao.”
- While Filipino Americans have been drafted, a homegrown Filipino player has yet to join the NBA. The highly touted prospect Kai Sotto went undrafted in 2022 and is currently developing his skills in Japan’s B-League.
- Filipino fans who appeared to take offense online poked fun at Barkley’s lack of championship titles. Others, however, pointed out that the star’s statements were intended as a joke.
Tangent:
- Barkley is known for his unfiltered opinions and playful on-air exchanges with fellow analysts.
- Jordan Clarkson and Jalen Green are current NBA players of Filipino descent, while 1978 NBA draftee Raymond Townsend was the first Filipino American player drafted.
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