The NBA All-Star Game is renowned as one of the most fun weekends in all of sports.
And NBA legend and current TNT broadcaster Charles Barkley wouldn’t be the first person to be accused of being drunk during the weekend’s festivities. However, he may have been the first broadcaster to be accused of such a feat by a colleague while live on air.
The exchange started during the NBA All-Star Game Draft, in which Barkley lauded Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James‘ roster-building skills.
“Ain’t no bad picks today, all these guys are great,” Barkley said in seemingly slurred speech.
Shaquille O’Neal asked the obvious, “Why does it sound like you’re drunk? You alright?”
“No man, it’s my mic,” replied Barkley.
“No, it ain’t the mic, it’s you,” O’Neal laughed. “What the hell are you drinking?”
“No, it’s my mic, I got a delay,” Barkley said.
“Always blame it on the equipment,” host Ernie Johnson interjected.
“No that’s you, you’re drunk,” O’Neal said, laughing. “I want to thank Patron for sponsoring Chuck.”
That’s when fellow analyst Kenny Smith reminded everyone that Utah, the location of the game, is a “dry state.”
Whether Barkley was sober or not is not officially known. However, the NBA world was quick to react to the scene:
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