Barkley, Green to be part of new TV show
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – The two accomplished NBA stars have traded insults in recent years. Now, Basketball Hall-of-Famer Charles Barkley and Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green have a chance to exchange barbs directly.
Barkley and Green will be part of “The Arena,” a new one-hour long NBA show that TNT will launch July 20, air nightly through July 24 and then continue into the restart of the NBA regular season (July 30) and playoffs (Aug. 17). Cari Champion will host the show that will also include NBA star Dwyane Wade.
During the 2018 NBA playoffs, Barkley became irritated with Green’s oncourt outbursts. So Barkley said he would like to “punch him in the face,” and challenged Green’s opponents to do the same thing. Green challenged Barkley to “punch me in the face when you see me” and compared Barkley’s commentary to fans that make aimless threats on Twitter. Barkley then apologized to both Green and his mom.
This season, Barkley became critical of Green’s play and engagement level as the Warriors (15-50) labored through key departures (Kevin Durant, Andre Iguodala) and key injuries (Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson). On an appearance on “The Dan Patrick Show,” Barkley had likened Green to “the least famous person in the boy band, and he thinks he’s a star, and he’s not.”
Green, a three-time All-Star partly because of his ability to defend all five positions, then critiqued Barkley for never winning an NBA title. He also added, “Barkley should stop before I go take his job, though, because I can do that well, too.”
Well, Green has taken an on-air job. It won’t come at Barkley’s expense, though. “The Arena” will focus on matters beyond any disagreements between Green and Barkley.
The series, which will partner with Bleacher Report, will focus on the coronavirus pandemic, Black Lives Matter, systemic racism and how the NBA will navigate a resumed season without fans at the ESPN World Wide of Sports Complex after halting operations on March 11.