Mad Barkley Storms Back At Network Rockets Star Says Host Misused His Team Evaluation

Charles Barkley launched a tirade at NBC prior to Game 4 of the Western Conference finals Sunday, saying the network - especially studio host Hannah Storm - misconstrued his comments about his team’s lack of hunger.

Barkley’s comments were aired Saturday during halftime of the Bulls-Heat game. About his Houston Rockets, who evened the series 2-2 with a 95-92 victory Sunday, he said: “A lot of guys on our team have accomplished things they want to, and they’re kind of lackadaisical at times.”

Later, he added, “It’s probably the only thing that disappoints me about our team. We have a lot of veteran guys who have accomplished what they want to accomplish, and they don’t feel that sense of urgency that I feel or that Eddie Johnson feels or Sedale (Threatt) or Kevin Willis.”

Following his remarks, Storm said: “Well, Barkley always calls it like he sees it. And when he mentions the players who have won titles with the Houston Rockets, the three who get the most significant minutes are Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler and Mario Elie. But Barkley is saying, flat out, that those players - at least one of them, we don’t know which one - is providing a lackadaisical effort.”

When Barkley arrived in the locker room Sunday an hour before tipoff, Drexler asked him who his comments were directed toward.

“It was about the team,” Barkley said. “And I’m really upset about what NBC did.”

Barkley then turned his ire toward NBC reporter Jim Gray and made several derogatory comments about Storm and the network.

“You tell Dick Ebersol I don’t appreciate what they did,” Barkley said. “It doesn’t surprise me though because it was Hannah Storm. Women shouldn’t be announcing men’s sports, anyway.”