"I hate cancel culture because very few people are canceled" - Charles Barkley thinks it was right to call out Kyrie Irving for saying something stupid

Charles Barkley has been very critical of Kyrie Irving for promoting a film with antisemitic tropes on social media. Barkley thought that Irving deserved to be called out for saying something stupid. The Hall of Famer also gave his two cents on cancel culture.

In a recent interview with CNN, Barkley discussed Irving's suspension by the Brooklyn Nets. The star guard has not played an NBA game since Nov. 1 when the Nets suspended him for at least five games. He has missed seven games so, but Barkley wants him to come back to the league.

"People have the right to feel and say what they want to," Barkley said. "We have freedom of speech, but there are repurcussions when you say certain things. I don't know Kyrie Irving. I don't know if he's a good guy or a bad guy. I think he's been suspended rightfully so, and I think he should come back and play in the NBA."

Charles Barkley also tackled cancel culture and how it did not seem to have a full effect on people like Kyrie Irving and Dave Chappelle. Barkley explained that he does not believe in cancel culture because people rarely get canceled. He added that it's better to call people out than try to cancel them.

"I don't like to use the term cancel culture because I don't want anybody canceled," Barkley said. "But you should be called to carpet if you said something wrong. I don't believe somebody should lose their job or things like that. You just have to be called out if you said something stupid.

"I've been called out many times and I have no problem with that. I hate the term cancel culture because very few people are canceled. Let's be honest and realistic."

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Jaylen Brown concerned why Brooklyn Nets haven't reinstated Kyrie Irving

Kyrie Irving of the Brooklyn Nets

Boston Celtics star and NBPA vice-president Jaylen Brown called out Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai for not reinstating Kyrie Irving. Brown told reporters that he's worried by Tsai's statement on Irving's suspension.

"He didn't say that the organization was working together to get Kyrie back on the floor," Brown said. "He said that he had more work to do, and our society has more work to do, including Joe Tsai. It's 2022. It takes 10 minutes of time to see who these business owners, corporations, etc., who they're associated with and who they're doing business with, who they're affiliated with."

Brown alluded to Tsai's connection with China via the company he co-founded, Alibaba. The company is allegedly linked to the surveillance of the Uyghurs in concentration camps.

Meanwhile, Irving has almost completed the steps needed for his reinstatement. But it looks like he needs to do more before he can get back to playing basketball, something the NBPA is looking into.