NBA Hall of Famer Discredits LeBron James' Commitment to Basketball

These NBA Hall of Famers need to leave LeBron James alone. The new Philadelphia 76er caught some heat from a former 76er, Charles Barkley. Barkley was on the Bill Simmons Show, and the topic of LeBron's longevity came into question. Barkley put a stop to all the talk and tried to put everything back into perspective. 'We have to be honest about LeBron. Didn't he get swept the last couple years? So just because you put up good numbers doesn't mean you're being effective," said Barkley. Barkley continued to discuss James' recent playoff history and how he hasn't done much in recent years. Here's the problem: him losing in the playoffs has nothing to do with his longevity. The man is constantly in the playoffs and playing at an elite level when many at his age are sitting at home enjoying their retirement. Furthermore, there has to be a discussion regarding the older generation who look down upon this new generation and what they've done for the game. Barkley was great in his own right; that much is true. But he hasn't done nearly as much as James when we talk about impact on the game. James' body of work speaks for itself. All-time leader in points and winner of four championships. Let's not forget he has been to the conference finals ten straight years in a row. It's nothing wrong to criticize his recent work, but let's not discredit the fact that James has kept himself in peak condition to play until June. You have to remember that those years that James made it to the finals mean he played for eight months out of the year. When you play for half the year for over 20 years, at some point your body starts to tell you that enough is enough. So for there to be a year 22 and the workout videos showing he is to be in the best shape of his career says quite a bit. Barkley really shouldn't say much considering when he was in his final years in the NBA, he didn't care too much to keep himself in shape. That, plus his little ring chase fiasco in Houston with Scottie Pippen and Hakeem Olajuwon, Barkley should really stay quiet and remain on topic. While everyone is entitled to their opinion, it doesn't always mean they're right. It's a testament that James is still playing at such a high level, and many should marvel at that, not bash it for their own entertainment. Best Newest first Oldest first