Five Kevin Durant critics who need to look in the mirror

Charles Barkley

Nothing in life is certain than death, taxes, and “he too small, Ernie!”

Charles Barkley is the Bay Area’s favorite person to hate. The NBA Hall of Famer and TNT analyst has been hating on the Golden State Warriors for as long as any of us can remember. Starting with the 2007 “We Believe” team, Barkley has had it out for small ball.

An undersized forward himself, the Round Mound of Rebound has not been able to grasp the modern NBA. Even after betting against the Warriors during all of the 2014-15 season and getting it wrong, he still wouldn’t concede that they were great. And, after a historic collapse that no one saw coming, Barkley gets to feel vindicated.

Barkley greatly criticized Durant’s decision. He said the former MVP was trying to “cheat” his way to a championship.

If anyone should be able to sympathize with a player who doesn’t want to be stuck ringless, it’s Sir Charles. The biggest blemish on his spectacular career is that he was never named a champion. His individual excellence never translated to the ultimate team goal.

And let’s not forget that he tried.

When things got too tough in Philadelphia, after not being able to defeat Michael Jordan‘s Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference, So he forced a trade to the Phoenix Suns who finished in fourth in the West the year before.

He lost leads in the playoffs to the Houston Rockets in consecutive seasons (2-0 followed by 3-1). Then after the Suns started to struggle, he threatened to retire if he wasn’t traded to a contender.

So, entering the final stage of his career, he made one last attempt at winning a championship by teaming up with two top 50 players of all-time in Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon. He joined the team that had beaten him and won two titles in a row.

Winning a championship is hard and Barkley of all people should know that you have to capitalize when you can.

Next: Thunderous big man