"Anything you say on TV does not matter": Giannis Antetokounmpo dismisses Charles Barkley’s thoughts on today’s NBA to his face in a viral video

Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo had a blunt message forCharles Barkley during NBA All-Star Weekend. In a candid moment at the criticism-riddled event, Antetokounmpo hilariously made it clear that the Hall of Famer’s opinions about today’s game do not matter much as Barkley did not have to face French powerhouse Victor Wembanyama and other top stars in the league.

Charles Barkley was a dominant force in the NBA during the prime of his career and has built a second career as a popular but outspoken TV analyst. However, during Sunday’s All-Star Game festivities, Giannis Antetokounmpo jokingly pointed out that Barkley never had to face the kind of talent seen in today’s league.
The moment came while Barkley was coaching the Global Stars — a team featuring some of the NBA’s best international players, including Antetokounmpo. As players warmed up, cameras captured an interesting exchange between the two, later shared by journalist Kris Pursiainen on X (formerly Twitter).

Antetokounmpo used the opportunity to highlight how drastically the game has changed, particularly with the emergence of unique talents like San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama. “Back in the day, you couldn’t guard him,” Giannis told Barkley, referring to Wembanyama’s dominance in the league. The former Houston Rockets legend acknowledged the challenge and played along in the hilarious jab by simply responding, “I know.”
The Greek Freak didn’t stop there, doubling down on his argument: “So, anything you say on TV, that does not matter. You never faced something like this.” The Bucks star then pointed to Wembanyama and two-time MVP Nikola Jokić, stating, “I gotta face him, I gotta face him. This is what I gotta deal with.”
The All-Star Game also saw the 30-tear-old forward share a lighthearted moment with Wembanyama, who had an unusual role in the exhibition. Despite being one of the most highly anticipated young players in the league, the Spurs' 7-foot-3 rookie started both of his All-Star matches on the bench.
Antetokounmpo also went to take his mocking game further and this time it was directed to Wembanyama. “Brother, you will never come off the bench in your career,” he told the French phenom. “What are you talking about? What? Brother, you will never come off the bench.”
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Coming off the bench, Wembanyama made his presence felt, leading Chuck’s ‘Global Stars’ with 17 points on 8-of-11 shooting across two games. The rookie had promised to take the All-Star Game seriously, and he delivered a strong performance, showing why he is considered a future superstar. As for Antetokounmpo who is averaging 31.8 pointes per game, he has been riddled with injuries and as of writing this piece, his return update is still under wraps.