"Popeye Jones gave me nightmares" - Charles Barkley snubs LeBron James from his all-time starting 5 players

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TNT's Charles Barkley was a Hall of Fame player.

In an interview with House of Highlights, Charles Barkley was asked which players were on his all-time list and toughest-players-to-guard list.

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Barkley mentioned some of the most dominant players to have played in the NBA as some of the toughest players he had to guard.

"Kevin McHale is the best player I ever played against. Popeye Jones gave me nightmares," Barkley said. "Larry Bird was amazing, and Karl Malone. Prime Tim Duncan would have been a great challenge."

Meanwhile, Barkley drew some attention with his all-time starting five list. He included Michael Jordan, Oscar Robertson, Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain.

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All of those players are Hall of Famers. However, Barkley left out one prominent player, who is usually on everyone's all-time lists: 19-time All-Star and four-time champion LeBron James.

James has been in the league for 20 seasons and has continued to defy Father Time with how he carries himself on the court.

Throughout his long career, LeBron James has shaped a lasting legacy. His accomplishments include the following: four Finals MVP awards, four regular season MVP awards, 13 All-NBA first-team selections, and five All-Defensive first-team nods. Plus, playing for Team USA, he captured three gold medals and two bronze medals.

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Last season, at 38 years of age, LeBron James surpassed Karee Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA's all-time scoring leader.

An NBA player's legacy and career differ from one another, but Charles Barkley was no slouch, either. He was an 11-time All-Star who won one MVP award and was All-NBA first team five times. During his time with Team USA, the Hall of Famer won three gold medals.

Both James and Barkley are recognized as two of the greatest players to have ever played for their positions in NBA history. Whether there is some bias or animosity in Barkley leaving out James from his all-time list, one should bear in mind that these are players from two different eras.

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Looking back to when LeBron James responded to Charles Barkley's "whiny" comment

In 2017, LeBron James did not mince words when he responded to Charles Barkley's "whiny" comment for calling for an upgraded Cavaliers roster.

"He's a hater," James said. "What makes what he says credible? Because he's on TV? I'm not going to let him disrespect my legacy like that. I'm not the one who threw somebody through a window. I never spit on a kid. All I've done for my entire career is represent the NBA the right way. Fourteen years, never got in trouble. Respected the game. Print that."

There have been occasions where Barkley has criticized James throughout his career, resulting in some back-and-forth from both parties.

Cleveland Cavaliers Nation! You can check out the latest Cleveland Cavaliers Schedule and dive into the Cavaliers Depth Chart for NBA Season 2024-25.

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Edited by Joseph Schiefelbein
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