Charles Barkley Eager to Shut Anthony Edwards’ Bold Claim Using Warriors Legend in Showdown

“[Michael Jordan] was the only one that really had skill.” A bold claim from Anthony Edwards against the 80s and 90s, but can one of the best from his generation stand against the legends of the past? Well, Charles Barkley has a befitting reply to not just this question but Ant-Man’s claim.

The discussion emerged during Chuck’s appearance on a recent episode of The Mark Jackson Show. To highlight his point of how superior the skill level was back in the 80s and 90s, Barkley picked Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green as an example. Yep, considered one of the best defenders in the modern-day NBA. But Charles’ claim against the 4x NBA champ clarifies his stand on skill difference between today and the 80-90s.

“Draymond Green’s a really good player. They better not put that little man out there against me and Karl Malone, we gonna kill him… He too little… He’s a heck of a player… But if you put that little man out there against me and call Malone. In the words of Shaquille O’Neill, barbecue chicken…” Barkley said.

The former Philadelphia 76ers star initiated his opinion on Anthony Edwards’ claim by bringing in legends from the past who had superior skill levels. “Reggie Miller, Rip Hamilton… Ray Allen. Some of the greatest movers without the basketball. Like when you could actually set a pick without them calling it illegal…” Chuck said. He admitted Ant to be a great player but he seems to believe that a player like Miller, with all those picks was a different level of beast.

Even the LA Lakers icon Kobe Bryant once stated Reggie Miller to be the hardest player to guard. The reason you ask? Well, the ex-Indiana Pacers star didn’t need the ball in his hand to score. Always being in motion on the court, he was exceptionally good in making the right cut off of any screen. Yet another player to possess a similar playing style, as mentioned by Barkley as well, was Rip Hamilton.

But even Hamilton once said, “hate guarding it when I go against guys like Reggie Miller. And when I played against him, I hate guarding because continuously moving around.” Now to say that no one other than Jordan had skill back then is unfair to players like Reggie. And Barkley seemed in no mood to take that. Especially when he himself has faced a team like Detroit Pistons–a nightmare for many when it came to physicality.

“These guys, they don’t want that physicality. Anytime we played them damn Detroit Pistons… I used to call my family and say, ‘hey, if I never see y’all again, I love y’all…’ Them boys were flat out there trying to hurt people,” Chuck said on The Mark Jackson Show. And the fact that Barkley is not the only one opposed to Edwards’ claim shows his is not an unpopular opinion.

The 5x NBA champ from the 80s who bashed Anthony Edwards for his take

Ant Man stirred the pot with his bold claim about past NBA players lacking skill. And one legend from the 1980s wasn’t about to let it slide. Magic Johnson, a five-time champion and close friend of Michael Jordan, came out swinging—not just to defend his generation but to remind everyone that greatness doesn’t happen overnight.

While Magic acknowledged Edwards’ undeniable talent, he didn’t shy away from pointing out the gap in accomplishments. “I never respond to a guy who’s never won a championship… He didn’t win a college championship, I don’t even know if he won a high school championship,” he said.

And Anthony Edwards’ suggestion that only Jordan had skills? That didn’t sit well either with Johnson as he highlighted how even MJ faced roadblocks early in his career. “Michael Jordan didn’t win in his 6th, 7th year. So I guess it was some great players before Michael Jordan.”

Remember the Celtics and Pistons giving young Jordan a tough time until he found a line-up that could back up his talent. That wasn’t just luck for the Pistons or Celtics. It was skill, grit, and depth in a league that demanded greatness from everyone.