Charles Barkley says Kevin Durant is “a follower, not a leader,” and Durant responds
The allstar game we just got done talking in the last segment about Solutions and maybe how you fix it um there was an ALT cast you like the Manning cast for Monday Night Football there was an ALT cast for the All-Star Game this one with Charles Barkley and
Draymond Green I didn’t hear this I wasn’t watching it I didn’t you know I didn’t watch any the All-Star game at all I didn’t see any reason to but I did read about these comments that Charles Barkley made on the TNT altc when discussing the Phoenix Suns and their
Situation here’s what he says wanted to be KD but he’s not doing it to me has got to be Booker he’s got to be your your mental leader and your vocal leader to a certain degree no disrespect to Kevin Kevin’s a follower he’s not a leader he’s proven that on all his stops
Booker is a hell of a player also I think he’s going to have to take the initiative and take this son team to the next level because man Kevin’s a hell of a player I never going to say anything bad about him but I saying the same thing with
Boston one of you guys has to step forward he has to step forward and for me for penis to be successful it has to be book I’m not going to say anything bad about him but I’m gonna say something bad about about Barkley no no about
Whatley saying yeah Kevin’s a hell of a player I ain’t never gonna say anything bad about him well then or is it bad is what Barkley said about KD bad I think what Barkley said about KD is in some ways very correct and you know I don’t like Barkley and I
Think he B is on the Suns way too much but he’s not I mean I remember talking to guys around the league GMS and coaches and players when the trade went down and I and I’ve sent you some of those notes and information and I think
That was one of the things came out of it he Katie likes to fit in he’s not a leader he’s not gonna he’s not Chris Paul he’s not that leader you know he’s not gonna you know behind the scenes he may do some stuff but he’s not the vocal
Leader in the locker room he’s not the vocal leader on the court KD wants to ball he just wants to play basketball he doesn’t want all that other stuff about having a lead and having a motivate guys and he’s going to self motivate himself and he expects you to self motivate
Himself he’s a great teammate makes everybody around him better that way and we we’ve there are a lot of guys through the course of us covering sports that led that way they led by example I’m G to I’m gonna but they weren’t the vocal leader and I don’t think as much as I
Truly believe that Charles Barkley hates the Phoenix Suns I don’t think what he said there is incorrect I really don’t and you know that because in all my dealings with a lot of the people that I speak to then you’re privy to some of that it’s that was kind of one of the
Themes that came out of Durant coming here yeah it’s it’s I was making a joke about hey I’m not going to say anything bad about him but but I’m going to say some bad stuff about him and and maybe what he said wasn’t all that bad and I I
Read it I wasn’t super offended with it I don’t I don’t know how KD will take it because I I think you’re right on a number of fronts I think that that Chris Paul was this team’s leader and I hope that Devin Booker is filling that void
Or I hope that Kevin I hope that Devin Booker and Chris Paul were co-leaders enough on this team last year that when Chris Le left Devin knew okay this is now I’m the leader I’m I’m the captain I’m I’m in charge I’m the boss I’m I’m
The guy who’s going to set the tone I’m the guy who’s going to get in some guy’s face cuz I a I don’t think Kevin Durant is that guy B I don’t think Bradley Beal is that guy and c I don’t think those are both necessarily bad things as long
As somebody in the room is doing it because I think Chris Paul did it very very well Chris Paul right like we we yeah we saw Chris Paul for three years when he was here he was the leader of that team right like he was he was the
Guy who set the tone and everybody knew it I I assume that Devon Booker is doing it I assume that Devon Booker is that guy behind the scenes because I don’t think Kevin Durant is really wired that that way and there’s nothing wrong with that he doesn’t have to doesn’t have to
Be why does greatness have to be defined by you have to be wired that way why I mean does that no does that in and of itself Define Michael Jordan was that way but not everybody’s like that do we need everybody to be like that in order
For you to be great Michael made everybody better but he was irritating to a lot of those guys right irritating so was Chris I mean remember when when Chris got here it was like Hey man only got a couple years after a couple years he’s going to get on everybody’s nerves
Yeah cuz everyone’s going to just be sick to death of his crap right like that was the whole and I don’t I’m not saying that’s why he’s not here anymore he’s not here anymore because he got old and he was always getting hurt but but it was yeah Kevin Durant’s not that guy
He does want to fit in he does want to be a great teammate he does or like the whole him and Kyrie to the Nets was orchestrated well before it happened you know that stuff is like behind the scenes like is he working things behind the scenes probably you know I’m sure
That that’s you know that’s always been the case with him but as far as in the locker room getting on guys and um you know Chris would get on guys Chris would get on you if you weren’t doing all the right things that’s just not who Kevin
Is which is okay because he could lead by example and and Kevin might be one of the best ever to lead by example I’m gonna go out there I’m G to play hard I’m gonna give you the best I have every single day when has he ever shorted the
Fans uh ever like when does he ever a short of the fans I’m not I’m not going to play hard or I’m not gonna he almost always goes out there and gives you everything he has and to counter Berkley’s Point okay is he a vocal leader no but think about how many times
Frank vogle over the last two or three weeks has individually credited Kevin Durant for his level of play his level of intensity his work ethic that is that not leadership right is that is that not and is that not Frank vogle basically sending a message not only to us in the
Media or us in the fan base but sending the message to people in the locker room be like him yeah do it like him I’m going to praise him for how he’s playing defense and how he takes up the toughest guy to defend every single night we
Should all be like him that’s leadership too it doesn’t have to be it does have to be him I’m going to get in your face and I’m going to yell at you and I’m going to demand that you be great I’m goingon to go show you what greatness
Looks like I’m GNA go show it to you and I’m going to go show you that it’s not just because I’m an absurd shot maker and I can I can score 30 in the blink of an eye it’s also because I give a damn and it’s also because I work really hard
Every single night to to do things above and beyond being one of the greatest Shooters of all time that’s leadership too and I think that’s fine I don’t think it I don’t think it deprives them of their ability to go far in the playoffs and win it all if they don’t
Have that one alpha male proven leader you know if they don’t have that guy as long as they play ball together as a team understand each other and you know work within the team Concepts they can go very very far Lauren what you got for me Kevin Durant just published another
Episode of his boardroom podcast yes I was showing showing that to Bern and he addressed the Charles Barkley comments on him not being a leader hit it I just I’m not as charismatic as my peers I don’t have a personality that’s like fit for TV like my peers and a lot of those
Stories of what we talk about don’t get spoken about in the media and that’s just really what it is it’s like you got to sell what you’re doing as well and I haven’t sold it enough you know and I feel like I don’t I mean I don’t I don’t
Feel like I need to I don’t feel like I want people who call me a leader but I also don’t want people to say I’m not one either that that’s an hour and that’s an hour and 20 minutes I think and I showed Bernay it I was like I’m gonna hit this
Tomorrow I’m gonna listen how you got that is great because that didn’t that just come out we can’t hear you can’t hear you can’t can’t hear you sorry we can’t hear you there go it was just archived about 10 minutes ago okay okay because I showed it to bernzy before we started
The show I’m like I’m going to go through this like find and F and so you getting that is great that’s great but he that’s what he saying like I don’t want to not be considered a leader but I’m not I don’t sell what I do the way
Other people sell what I what they do the next time we talk about this I I’m gonna I’m gonna get a little deeper into this and I’m G to try not to get too deep into it that was great but it’s it’s I thought KD delivered a really thoughtful intelligent answer to that
Question he’s actually very intelligent guy I really applaud him for it and not and not taking the oh Barkley bashed me I’m going to go after him route I I love the answer I’ll tell why a little bit later that was really really good
Basketball legend Charles Barkley spoke on Suns forward Kevin Durant, over the All-Star Weekend, and said that Durant is “a follower, not a leader,” and that Suns guard Devin Booker needs to step up and be the leader for the team.
Burns and Gambo react to Barkley’s comments on Durant.
Video: Jeremy Schnell and Ed Cole/Arizona Sports
Photo Credit: Christian Petersen/Getty Images
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18 Comments
Charles is a disgrace!
Kd leads by example,and after you say what barkley said wasnt bad i will STOP watching your show!!! And may i ask where did chris paul lead you??😂😂
This is ridiculous, how is he, not a leader we see Bol Bol with much improvement. Have you see KD in games trash talk. He leads this team in both defense and the offense and what do you guys wants him do.
Charles saying that about KD when he basically demanded out of Phoenix to try to ring chase on Hakeem's team is hilarious. Regardless of the hypocrisy, it makes no sense to criticize a guy for putting himself in the best situation to succeed, in my opinion. There isn't anything more moral about staying on a team not committed to winning, like that OKC team (who he gave 9 years for them to get it together!). If KD didn't go to a better situation his career and "legacy" would look like Dame Lillard's. Great, but nowhere near one of the greatest to ever play. This is the consequence of ring culture — if rings are all that matter you can't criticize players who then do what they can to get one.
KD is not a vocal leader who is going to yell at guys on the court like a Chris Paul, Kobe, or Draymond. Neither was Chuck. KD leads like Steph and Kawhi, leading by example by demonstrating greatness.
KD is an excellent leader
Barkley is a clown. He’s a just a bitter man who wouldn’t be able to stomach KD winning a title on his former team.
Chuck was basically taking shots at KD. His statement was unnecessary and came out of nowhere. KD is a great leader on this suns team.
He not lying about booker stepping up… but Barkley is a clown 🤡 he was in tent city eating Carl's Jr for his DUI in 08-09 got his autograph on a jail post card p.s I was young don't judge.
KD is a leader in his own right, lead by consistent example. HE BALLS OUT ALL THE TIME…also a class act for taking the high road. Keeping Classy!!
Booker obviously can't do it because why would he let KD come and take the Lead if he was a better leader than KD
Yeah, coz Barkley having his tantrums as a Sun and 76er was such good leadership.
hey guys remember, KD said he only cares about the opinions of ppl who have played the game.. soo wtf y'all doing?
Authentic leadership isn’t always going to be a theatrical performance for onlookers’ sake. KD’s teammates vouch for his leadership. 👋
Barkley old bitter hater….
These dudes sound stupid as hell
KD is a leader by example he's definitely not a vocal leader
Bro it’s the same shit with Barkley the guy has an agenda against KD and I like Barkley KD is obviously a leader fucks sake can’t believe y’all agreed wit a drunk Barkley with a vendetta at the start of the video
I love how you guys talk like you’re in the locker rooms to know how a guy is like .. Devin Booker looks up to KD but you agree with Charles? We gotta get some of you guys off the mic you don’t know nothing