NBA – In the midst of a heated debate on Wembanyama, Charles Barkley protests: “It makes me boil”

While Victor Wembanyama’s health concerns logically monopolize the attention of many observers, discussions about his stature in the NBA continue.

Charles Barkley has taken part in them in recent hours, somewhat wound up.

In such situations, it is difficult to open other files without ulterior motives.

Fears about Victor Wembanyama’s state of health have indeed haunted the minds of NBA observers for several hours.

Between expert diagnoses and messages of support from his counterparts, the young French center nevertheless continues to fuel conversations, some of which are relatively off-topic.

Charles Barkley Upset by Opinions on Victor Wembanyama

Before making headlines for his premature end to the season, Wembanyama was being talked about… as a potential future face of the league.

A label that some influential voices in the league struggled to attribute to him, citing some rather disparaged arguments for doing so.

However, the simple fact that they were attributing this mission to themselves deeply irritated Charles Barkley, who declared on Inside The NBA:

Charles Barkley: I saw some guys on another channel talking about the future face of the league, and it really annoyed me to hear what was said.

First of all, you don’t give someone the status of face of the league. Right, Shaq?

Shaq took that status himself. Same for Magic Johnson and Larry Bird when they arrived in the league.

Shaq put on this suit, Kobe (Bryant) put on it, LeBron (James) put on it, Steph (Curry) too.

It makes me boil to hear that.

As if this status could be bequeathed.

The problem is that these idiots of players do not even play the All-Star Game seriously.

We have given them so much that they no longer respect history.

But we do not give the status of face of the league to anyone.

You have to go and get it yourself.

These debates that divide the NBA community and its leading figures would therefore not really have any place for Barkley.

The latter reminds us that the face of the league is not chosen, but is imposed through its performances and its aura.

Such an honorary title rarely has unanimous support in the industry, as Shaquille O’Neal later pointed out:

Shaquille O’Neal: To go against what Chuck says, they — whoever they are — are going to try to attribute this status of face of the league to someone.

That’s what they do. That said, Chuck is right, we have to go get it regardless.

And besides, even if they say that a certain player will be the face of the league, Ja Morant thinks differently.

Luka (Doncic) thinks differently. Even Anthony Edwards thinks differently.

When some renowned analysts say they are unable to designate Victor Wembanyama as the future face of the league, Charles Barkley invites them to come back down to earth.

According to him, such an anointing is not done according to their opinion.