On January 16, “Inside the NBA” analyst Charles Barkley interrupted a segment to launch into a rant against the city of San Francisco, California.
The comments arose while discussing Detroit Pistons’ Cade Cunningham’s chances of playing in the 2025 NBA All-Star Game.
“Listen, he’s gonna make the All-Star Game,” Barkley said during the TNT sports segment. “I’m not going. I’m not going to that rat-infested place out in San Francisco.”
Barkley’s words came at the heels of similar remarks he made in December on the same show, in which he dismissed the city as the “armpit of America.”
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Barkley’s comments are nothing new.
During the 2024 NBA All-Star festivities in Indianapolis, the Hall of Famer said that the city was teeming with “homeless crooks” and said that anyone walking down the streets of San Francisco should use a “bulletproof vest” for safety.
Following a wave of backlash — and boos from Golden Warriors fans — Barkley ended up attending the NBA All-Star Weekend after all.
What’s more, he spent his Saturday in San Francisco volunteering at GLIDE Memorial Church, serving hot meals to the homeless and singing the praises of the organization.
“They work so hard over there. I want to give them a lot of love and sunshine,” Barkley said in a recent “Inside the NBA” segment.
In San Francisco, an estimated 8,323 people experienced homelessness in 2024. Last year alone, GLIDE served 515,845 meals to those in need.
In addition to volunteering at GLIDE, Barkley put his money where his mouth was and donated $250,000 to the nondenominational church, which is a vital source of housing, healthcare, and social services to vulnerable people across the city.
“When the Warriors connected GLIDE with TNT for a special visit from basketball legend Charles Barkley we couldn’t have imagined he would shout us out on national television and make such a big donation!” The nonprofit wrote in a statement to FOX Local.
“GLIDE is so grateful for Charles Barkely’s gift and showing us love.”
The organization also shared photos of Barkley’s visit on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Barkley is known for calling the shots on TV, but he served meals at GLIDE and shared time with the community today,” the organization added.
“It's not about fame; it's about showing up. If you can, find a way to do the same.”
Header image via the NBA
