"Don't know how we're gonna put the toothpaste back in the tube": Charles Barkley makes his feelings known on NIL in college sports

TNT and CBS Sports basketball analyst Charles Barkley appeared on "The Jim Rome Show" on Wednesday, making his opinion known about NIL in college sports.

The analyst spoke with Rome about the transfer portal in college basketball, which was shared in a post on X.

Barkley recalled the stricter NCAA rules of the past but expressed disagreement with punishments for players receiving extra benefits or selling their game jerseys.

"I don't know how we're gonna put the toothpaste back in the tube," Barkley said. "These guys got free agency after every season. That's not fair to the small schools. It's not fair to the big schools either."

Charles Barkley was also unhappy with the current state of college sports. He thought it was unfair that top coaches could leave small schools after one year to take better-paying jobs at bigger schools. This doesn't happen in the NBA, where teams have limits on how much they can pay players.

The analyst also thought it's wild that college athletes can transfer to different schools every year and get a "raise" in terms of better opportunities. He used the example of famous NBA players like Michael Jordan and LeBron James, saying it would be ridiculous if they could go back to college every year and choose a new school.

He advised that something needs to be done about the current system to balance things out.

Boston Celtics v Miami Heat - Game Three - Source: Getty

Charles Barkley heaps praise on Alabama despite the loss to Duke

The No. 2 seed Alabama Crimson Tide (35-3) lost 85-65 to the No.1 seed Duke Blue Devils (28-9) in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday.

Despite the loss, Charles Barkley lauded the Alabama men's basketball team for its run to the Elite Eight.

"I'm so proud of what we have accomplished in Alabama, with Auburn getting to the Final Four a couple years ago, with last year, Coach Oats getting that team to the Final Four.

"This has been a great ride for them the last couple of years, and I want to take time to acknowledge the great job Coach Oats and Mark Sears have done for the University of Alabama."

Following Alabama's elimination from the tournament, Nate Oats and his team will head for the offseason and prepare for the new season.