Charles Barkley might be at the All-Star Game, but his mind is on his former team Phoenix Suns. While the franchise has a great roster consisting of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal, one of them doesn’t stand out enough for Chuck. Even though Barkley played commentator at the All-Star Game and watched KD play, he again proclaimed that the 2x Finals MVP isn’t enough to lead the team to a championship.

“We really want it to be KD, but he’s not doing it. To me it’s got to be Booker,” Barkley told Taylor Rooks. “He’s got to be a mental leader and a vocal leader to a certain degree. No disrespect to Kevin but Kevin’s a follower, not a leader. He’s proven that on all of his stops.”

Barkley’s brutal statement on Durant has become the dominant subject of debate in All-Star social media circles. Some do agree when Chuck said, “Because, man, Kevin’s a hell of a player; I ain’t never gonna say anything bad about him. But I said the same thing with Boston: one of your guys has to step forward, he has to step forward, and for me, for Phoenix to be successful, it has to be Booker.” 

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They’re all for Devin Booker but they disagree with his opinion about KD. The Phoenix legend could fall out of favor with Suns fans for his remarks about Durant. Especially after Jusuf Nurkić slammed Barkley on X for not voting Booker for All-Star. Additionally, Barkley has made similar comments in the past, referring to KD as a bus rider, and not a driver. So how did “follower” KD perform on the night?

Kevin Durant showed out for the West in his first All-Star Game since 2019

Charles Barkley later added that Durant is a “great player, but you need more than a great player to win.” Barkley is saying this on KD’s 14th All-Star appearance and first since 2019. He was a starter in today’s game, recording 18 points, 5 assists, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals in 25 minutes at the end of the night. He did not play in the fourth quarter.

Meanwhile, the one Chuck believes is a natural leader, Devin Booker went for 15 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals in 19 minutes. This was KD’s first All-Star game since signing with the Phoenix Suns. The West lost 186-211 to the East, the first 200-point game in All-Star history. He had some highlights like the two layups he did on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Damian Lillard.

What do you think about Barkley’s assessment? Is he right for dismissing Kevin Durant?

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