'My man said state of the art': Adam Silver faces NBA fans' wrath after non-answer to Charles Barkley about domestic violence

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver appeared on TNT for the first time at the start of the 2023-24 season. He fielded a tough question from Charles Barkley in less than stellar fashion after domestic violence accusations have marred the league's image over the past few weeks.

NBA fans have been on the backs of Miles Bridges and Kevin Porter Jr - 2 players accused of committing violent acts against their partners over the past year. While Miles Bridges is serving the last 10 games of his 30-game suspension for the same, Porter Jr has been waived by the OKC Thunder following his trade there by Houston.

The optics of Kysre Gondrezick and Kevin Porter Jr's case were bad enough by themselves. Just as the league appeared to be moving onto regular season action, Miles Bridges was charged with violating his protection order, attacking his ex-girlfriend in her car with pool balls.

With these topics in context, Barkley asked Commissioner Silver a point-blank question: What will the NBA be doing to address players/coaches indulging in domestic violence?

Silver's reply proved to be a non-answer of sorts:

"Our players' association wasn't adversarial...we're putting in place a new programme for how we deal with - first of all - accusations of domestic violence even before they're prosecuted.

Part of it goes to training of our players, counselling of our players to make sure they understand that obviously (you can) never resort to violence. So we're addressing it, we have state-of-the-art counselling professionals giving help to players. But of course, if a guy does cross the line, the consequences are enormous.

NBA fans react to Adam Silver's shaky answer to Charles Barkley

It seems clear from the words above that the Commissioner had to put together a hasty reply to this burning question. Netizens are on his back for the comments that they perceive to be plainly insincere.

'My man said state of the art' - wrote one X user.

'Adam Silver is spineless' - wrote another

'I don't think Adam Silver was prepared for that question' - observed another NBA fan on X.

Charles Barkley receives praise

The Round Mound of Rebound rarely misses when it comes to social and societal issues and raising them on the platforms he's got. NBA fans lauded him for his spine and for bringing up this extremely pertinent question ahead of this season's tipoff.

Clippers beat writer for Forbes Farbod Esnaashari observed the same:

"Charles Barkley is the best and keeps it more real than anyone in the NBA.'