Charles Barkley thinks league is scared of World kicking USA’s a** in All-Star Game

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Charles Barkley thinks league is scared of World kicking USA’s a** in All-Star Game

Zachary Weinberger, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Thu, Jan 22, 2026 ·

2 min read

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Charles Barkley thinks league is scared of World kicking USA's a** in All-Star Game appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .

With basketball legend Charles Barkley talking about the NBA at-large as a part of his job, he recently gave an idea on what the league should do as part of the All-Star game. The Hall of Famer in Barkley has claimed that there should be an element of the event in which international players face those from the United States of America.

Still, there is a specific reason the association won't do it.

Barkley was on The Dan LeBatard Show, saying that commissioner Adam Silver "made a huge mistake" with the All-Star game, saying that Silver won't do the idea of the "World vs. USA," since the international players would "kick our a**."

"Well, let me say this. I think Adam Silver, who I love and respect, made a huge mistake," Barkley said. "Listen, man. Quit screwing around with the All-Star game. Make it international against the US…I've been saying for 10 years the—the international team against the United States team would be a perfect scenario. The reason they don't want to do it is because the international team will kick our a**."

"I mean, probably the—the top four, five players in the NBA today are—are international players, but it would be great," Barkley continued. "We don't have to win. It's kind of like the Olympics. I don't think it'll be the worst thing in the world if the United States didn't win. I think it'll be actually a boom if another country won."

Charles Barkley on the reality of a World vs. USA All-Star game

As Barkey is a leading voice on Inside the NBA for ESPN , his thoughts on the subject are no doubt interesting, as he makes a point about international players putting their stamp on the game.

Barkley has spoken about the idea before , expressing it last May, how a World team would kick the USA's behind, with players like Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Luka Doncic leading the way.

"I've been saying that for five to seven years. I think international against the United States would be fantastic," Barkley said. "And I'll tell you the truth, and I'll be honest with you — I think the only reason they don't want to do it: they scared the United States gonna get their a** kicked."

It remains to be seen if Barkley's idea comes to fruition.

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