Charles Barkley calls out ‘dumb’ players while explaining point guard’s importance
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NBA legend Charles Barkley was one of the league’s most lethal weapons during his heyday. He was a two-way machine with his strength, athleticism, and toughness. Most importantly, Barkley understood the game well and the role every player has on the floor.
After the game between the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets on Wednesday, Barkley praised Fred VanVleet for steering the ship since his return from an ACL injury. Barkley underscored his point by explaining the importance of a point guard.
“The point guard, even if you’re not the best player on the team, you’re the most important player on the team by who you give the ball to and who you don’t give the ball to,” said Barkley on “Inside the NBA.”
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The Hall of Famer then proceeded to call out players who do not recognize the value of a floor general.
“People don’t understand how important the point guard is,” added Barkley.
“Because all players are kind of dumb. When I say that, every player thinks he’s a superstar. They’re like, ‘Just give it to me!’ I’m like, ‘No, you can’t dribble!’ I’m gonna give it to you to finish, and that is so important.”
Charles Barkley:
"The point guard even if you're not the best player on the team, you're the most important player on the team by who you give the ball to and who you don't give the ball to. (FVV) has the ball most of the time, and people don't understand how important the point… pic.twitter.com/e5GiPat4U0
— Oh No He Didn't 🤯 (@ohnohedidnt24) November 12, 2026
The former MVP benefited from playing with floor orchestrators, most notably Maurice Cheeks on the Philadelphia 76ers and Kevin Johnson on the Phoenix Suns. He also played with Magic Johnson, John Stockton, Penny Hardaway, and Gary Payton on Team USA.
Barkley claimed that the Rockets lacked direction when VanVleet was out last season, as they merely dumped the ball to Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun and let them operate.
The Rockets beat the Warriors, 115-108, to improve to 9-3. VanVleet had 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting, including 4-of-7 from long distance, six assists, three steals, and zero turnovers.
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