Sparks fly as Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith clash on live TV over the NBA gambling scandal leaving fans debating who’s right.NN
Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley didn’t see eye to eye while discussing the gambling scandal that rocked the NBA on Thursday.
During “Inside the NBA” before Thursday night’s games, host Ernie Johnson asked the crew to weigh in on the matter after the FBI arrested Heat guard Terry Rozier, Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and former NBA player Damon Jones as part of a federal probe into illegal gambling and rigged poker games.
Smith, who emphasized that gambling is an addiction, explained that it is an illogical decision of a player to jeopardize millions of dollars to make significantly less on a bet — while Barkley disagreed and chalked it up to stupidity.
Rozier is alleged to have facilitated bets on his own stat lines when he knew he was going to pull himself from the game early.
“We’re surprised because when you have access, and you’re at the top of the game, so to speak, as a coach and professional player or whatever, you’re at the top of your game, you have access to millions and millions of dollars in this league,” Smith said. “So, it was surprising that they would put themselves in that position, possibly. And then it’s innocent until proven guilty.
“We have to realize gambling is an addiction. The addiction of it is what makes you make illogical decisions … gambling is an addiction which can make you make illogical decisions regardless of your ethnic background, regardless of your physical background, and regardless of your financial status. So, let’s understand that.”
Barkley didn’t see it that way.
“The reason I’m mad at Kenny is this ain’t got nothing to do with damn gambling addiction, this ain’t got nothing to do with addiction,” Barkley said. “These dudes are stupid.
“Under no circumstances can you fix basketball games. Under no circumstances. I love to gamble, the notion, Rozier makes $26 million. Him betting, giving people information or taking yourself out of games, how much is he going to benefit taking himself out of the game to get Unders? He’s making $26 million.”
Smith fired back saying, “You’re proving my point. That’s an illogical thought process. If you’re making $26 million to win $50,000. That’s illogical. So, you’re proving my point. It’s addiction.”
Barkley had to get last word in, adding, “That’s not addiction, that’s stupidity.”
Shaquille O’Neal chimed in as well, saying he was disappointed to see Rozier and Billups, as well as Jones — who is accused of selling information regarding players on the Lakers who would not be present to play, specifically LeBron James — for putting the NBA and their families in a bad spot.
