Kevin Durant once said that his personality isn’t fit for TV. Praising his teammates, the Slim Reaper said that his leadership qualities get criticism for this particular reason. Many fans and analysts have criticized KD for the same but no one comes close to Charles Barkley. Chuck has stated before that he believes the problem to be something else. After finally giving up his hopes on the 2x NBA champ, Barkley declared another Phoenix Suns star to shoulder the responsibility of a leader instead.

Why did he give up on Durant, though? Barkley explained how KD really just wants to play basketball. He says that the Suns veteran is not even interested in taking the role of a leader. After months of calling out the former MVP, this year, Chuck has given up completely. Instead, he claimed that the Suns can still level up their chance to win, and for that, KD’s teammate Booker must take up the leadership role and lead the team.

“Kevin Durant just wants to play basketball. He doesn’t want to be a leader doesn’t quite work like that… You have to have a leader on your team. I’ve said it before, it’s got to be Devin Booker… You don’t get to pick and choose like, ‘I don’t want to be a leader.’ It’s got to be Devin Booker.” Barkley said on the Roc and Manuch Show.

Not very long ago, the NBA legend bashed the entire Suns roster for lacking leadership and identity. He has also claimed that KD is more of a follower than a leader. Barkley believes that if KD doesn’t want to take the leadership role, then Booker must take that job especially after the success he had at the Paris Olympics.

“What I am hoping is Devin learned some leadership skills during the Olympics. Because he played terrific during the Olympics… Every team has to have leaders. They have to have vocal leaders. You can’t be quiet leaders because leadership is not for you, it is for the other guys,” the Chuckster further stated. For Barkley, Booker is the Suns’ last hope as Durant is just not him.

Charles Barkley thrashed Kevin Durant for not taking leadership responsibility

Barkley has gone to extreme lengths to criticize KD for it. The TNT crew has often witnessed the 76ers legend’s monologues on the matter. While it would be wrong to say that Durant doesn’t put in the effort, Barkley isn’t entirely wrong either when we take a closer look at KD’s previous comments. 

“You’ve got to sell what you’re doing as well, and I haven’t sold it enough. I don’t feel like I need to, I don’t feel like I need people to call me a leader, but I also don’t feel like I want people to say I’m not one either,” Durant said in an interview with Boardroom.

Durant does a lot to lead his team, but the Philadelphia 76ers legend believes that it still isn’t enough. This isn’t the first time Barkley has raised his voice about wanting to see his former team, the Phoenix Suns, compete for championships. However, much of that will depend on how the Suns arrange their players.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.