NBA’s TNT Tribute Falls Flat as Charles Barkley Apologizes to Frustrated All-Stars

When the NBA announced its new All-Star format, many expected a fresh, competitive twist. The three-game mini-tournament was supposed to be a spectacle, but instead, it fell flat. Fans were left unimpressed, and even TNT’s Kenny Smith didn’t hold back. “I think they’re gonna change the format back,” Smith said bluntly during the broadcast. But what exactly went wrong? Charles Barkley had the answer.

“I want to just say the All-Star Weekend, you know, everybody’s got an opinion—I’mma take up for the players first and foremost,” he said. And the players had plenty to say. Trae Young, who played for Chuck’s Global Stars, wasn’t a fan of how things went.

“To be honest, I didn’t like it at all,” Young admitted. “I didn’t like the breaks. The games were so short. Obviously, we can score. So, they’re trying to, I feel like, trying to extend the game, extend the TV time with the breaks and things like that.” 

And Barkley understood their concerns. While he appreciated the tribute TNT gave to him and his Inside the NBA crewmates, he admitted it disrupted the flow of the game.

“Number one, the tribute to us was really awesome, but it did break up the game… If they want to do that, they got to do it—they can’t stop the game in the middle. So, I want to acknowledge that to the players. I understood their complaints,” Barkley explained.

And it wasn’t just the tribute itself—it was how it happened. Team Shaq had jumped out to an 11-1 lead when, suddenly, play stopped for an on-court ceremony honoring Barkley, Shaq, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson. Kevin Hart led the presentation, but instead of bringing energy, his involvement only added to the awkwardness. Fans were quick to call it cringe-worthy, especially since the stoppage lasted a full 20 minutes before play resumed.

Look, we all love the Inside the NBA crew. They deserve every bit of recognition. But why force a tribute in the middle of a game? The entire situation left players, fans, and even Barkley himself feeling the same way—frustrated.

Like Charles Barkley, All-Stars was concerned

It all started with the NBA’s attempt to spice up the All-Star Game with a new tournament format. While the action on the court had its moments, players couldn’t ignore the constant stoppages. Between plays, Kevin Hart’s comedic banter took center stage, entertaining the crowd at Chase Center but killing the game’s momentum.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t hold back. “I would rather play without breaks,” he admitted. “But I had fun, nonetheless. I feel like it was a little bit more towards the competitive side tonight, which is a good feeling, a step in the right direction. I guess it’s up to the guys that handle all that stuff to figure out what’s next and how to keep making it more and more interesting. Hopefully, we get there one day.”

Jaylen Brown echoed the frustration. “I would say it’s not ideal to stop like that if you want guys to be physical. I think guys were still out there having fun. All the OGs, team old knees and old backs, we came out on top, so I don’t think anyone else should have had any excuses. It’s definitely not ideal.”

Even Stephen Curry, who dropped 12 points and snagged the All-Star MVP, agreed things needed a shake-up. “We needed to change, needed some new life, new juice in the game, something kind of unexpected,” Curry explained. But like Charles Barkley, he emphasized one thing: the basketball itself has to stay the main event.